Private Nonprofit Graduate Average 32/100

City University of Seattle

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Seattle, Washington

About City University of Seattle

Thinking about City University of Seattle, a college in Washington where more students graduate in Education than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

City University of Seattle is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Seattle, Washington. It enrolls 1,137 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
35.3%
Net Price
—
Median Earnings (10yr)
$69,460
Enrollment
1,137
Student : Faculty
9:1

Accreditor Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic Calendar Quarter

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Average
32/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 2
Value —
Affordability 6
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

City University of Seattle does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. City University of Seattle has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.

Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
11%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
12%
Borrowing to attend

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,375
10% percentile
$5,500
25% percentile
$25,000
Median percentile
$24,666
75% percentile
$35,298
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $16,875 ↓ $8,125
No Pell $12,500 ↓ $12,500
Dependent students $8,375 ↓ $16,625
Independent students $15,500 ↓ $9,500
Female students $16,514 ↓ $8,486
Male students $12,500 ↓ $12,500
Pell recipients: 20.5% (5,128 students)No Pell: 15.2% (3,799 students)Dependent students: 10.2% (2,545 students)Independent students: 18.8% (4,710 students)Female students: 20.1% (5,019 students)Male students: 15.2% (3,799 students)Overall Median$25,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

35% of students who start here finish within six years, and 0% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
35%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
0%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $69,460 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$69,460
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$54,000$59,000$63,000$67,000$71,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$47,000

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$67,600

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$42,400

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$55,900

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$64,000

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $20,600, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 18.6 pts across 6 years
60.9%1yr64.8%3yr70.5%5yr79.6%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 80% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,137 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 41% are the first in their family to go to college, and 89% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
1,137
Part-Time
89%
First-Generation
41%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 60.6% 689
White 16.2% 184
Black 8.1% 92
Asian 5.6% 64
International 3.4% 39
Other 3.1% 35
Hispanic: 60.6% (689 students)White: 16.2% (184 students)Black: 8.1% (92 students)Asian: 5.6% (64 students)International: 3.4% (39 students)Other: 3.1% (35 students)Total1,137

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at City University of Seattle. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City Seattle, Washington
Housing
Limited on-campus housing 54 beds
Adult Learners
48% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarter scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Business graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

City University of Seattle offers a varied set of programs: 37 distinct programs across 9 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

8 Programs
4 Programs
4 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program
  • Human $49K ($35K–$63K)

Faculty & Resources

There are 9 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$19M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$70,284
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

27 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
No Rank 27 100% $70,284

Pros & Cons of City University of Seattle

No college is right for everyone. Here is where City University of Seattle is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, City University of Seattle is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about City University of Seattle

The questions families ask most about City University of Seattle, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

What is City University of Seattle known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Curriculum & Instruction, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do City University of Seattle graduates earn?
About $69,460 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is City University of Seattle accredited?
Yes. City University of Seattle is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend City University of Seattle?
1,137 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at City University of Seattle?
35% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is City University of Seattle a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is City University of Seattle located?
City University of Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington.
What programs does City University of Seattle offer?
37 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Curriculum & Instruction, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at City University of Seattle?
9 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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