Seattle University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Seattle, Washington. It enrolls 4,062 students (a mid-sized 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.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarQuarter
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 Selective), 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.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes80
Value27
Affordability18
Selectivity64
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Seattle University admits 76.9% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
76.9%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1200 – 1430
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
23 – 30
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Seattle University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
2.4 pts
since 2019
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. At $34,662 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$56,721
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,702
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,702
Books & Supplies
$792
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,913
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,913
Total Cost of Attendance
$72,124
Application fee: $60 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$22,896
$30,001 – $48,000
$24,523
$48,001 – $75,000
$26,977
$75,001 – $110,000
$36,967
Over $110,000
$42,737
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.
$4,16610%percentile
$8,00025%percentile
$19,883Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$30,00090%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 $17,000
↓ $2,883
No Pell $16,330
↓ $3,553
Dependent students $15,905
↓ $3,978
Independent students $20,832
↑ $949
Female students $17,050
↓ $2,833
Male students $15,000
↓ $4,883
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,667, less than completers ($19,883), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
74% of students who start here finish within six years, and 84% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
74%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
84%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $75,272 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$75,272
Earning > $25K
87%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
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
$59,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$70,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$65,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$60,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$63,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,800, about 15% 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 ↑
10.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 4,062 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
4,062
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
19%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 28.8%1,169
Asian 28.0%1,139
Hispanic 15.8%643
Other 11.6%473
Black 7.5%305
International 7.2%293
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Seattle University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Seattle University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
96 distinct programs across
25 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.
There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$694M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$96,471
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
526 instructional faculty across 5 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
Full Professors
116
22%
$140,041
Associate Professors
173
33%
$94,828
Assistant Professors
178
34%
$82,668
Instructors
48
9%
$62,558
No Rank
11
2%
$34,180
Pros & Cons of Seattle University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Seattle University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Seattle University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Seattle University
The questions families ask most about Seattle University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Seattle University hard to get into?
Not especially. Seattle University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 76.9%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Seattle University?
76.9% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Seattle University?
Aim for 1430 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1200 and 1430 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Seattle University?
Aim for 30 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 23 and 30 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Seattle University cost?
Budget around $34,662 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Seattle University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $75,272 a year against a net price of $34,662, about 2.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Seattle University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Business Administration, Law. 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 Seattle University graduates earn?
About $75,272 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 Seattle University accredited?
Yes. Seattle University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Seattle University?
4,062 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Seattle University?
74% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Seattle University 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 Seattle University located?
Seattle University is located in Seattle, Washington.
What programs does Seattle University offer?
96 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Business Administration, Law. 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 Seattle University?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Washington
Other colleges in Washington share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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