SPU vs. UW-Seattle

Should I go to Seattle Pacific University or University of Washington Seattle Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SPU or UW-Seattle is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Seattle Pacific University vs. University of Washington Seattle Campus comparison
Seattle Pacific University University of Washington Seattle Campus College 3 College 4
Seattle Pacific University University of Washington Seattle Campus
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Overview

 SPU UW-Seattle
Location Seattle, WA Seattle, WA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 2,659 55,620
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #246 #85
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spu.edu washington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SPU UW-Seattle
Tuition (In State) $37,965 $11,524
Tuition (Out of State) $37,965 $40,878
Room & Board $15,498 $17,982
Avg Net Price $26,155 $11,023
Avg Grant Aid $28,070 $14,390
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 43%

Admission

 SPU UW-Seattle
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,806 62,428
Admitted 2,556 26,552
Acceptance Rate 91.1% 42.5%
Enrolled % 14.9% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/28 27/33
SAT Range 1050/1320 1200/1453
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 11, 2026 Nov 16, 2025

Academics

 SPU UW-Seattle
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 SPU UW-Seattle
Graduation Rate 74% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,603 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $264 $155

Diversity

 SPU UW-Seattle
% Men 6% 13%
% Women 16% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 42%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 7%
% International 4% 15%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 SPU UW-Seattle
% In-State 71% 60%
% Out-of-State 26% 24%

Campus

 SPU UW-Seattle
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Washington Seattle Campus is larger than than SPU based on total student enrollment (55,620 students vs. 2,659 students)

SPU vs. UW-Seattle Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SPU or UW-Seattle?

  • Seattle Pacific University is 229.4% more expensive to attend than UW-Seattle for in-state tuition ($37,965.00 vs. $11,524.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at UW-Seattle than Seattle Pacific University ($40,878.00 vs. $37,965.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Washington Seattle Campus than SPU ($11,023 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Seattle Pacific University are 16% lower than costs at University of Washington Seattle Campus ($15,498 vs. $17,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Seattle Pacific University than University of Washington Seattle Campus (98% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 95.1% larger than aid received University of Washington Seattle Campus ($28,070 vs. $14,390)

SPU vs. UW-Seattle Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SPU or UW-Seattle? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW-Seattle or SPU .

  • The average SAT score at University of Washington Seattle Campus (1258) is 113 points higher than at SPU (1145)
  • Incoming UW-Seattle students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at SPU (26)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Seattle students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at SPU (3.53)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than UW-Seattle (42.5%)

SPU vs. UW-Seattle Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SPU or UW-Seattle? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UW-Seattle and SPU.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Seattle is higher than Seattle Pacific University (80% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from University of Washington Seattle Campus earn on average $15,400 more per year than SPU graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $50,400)
  • University of Washington Seattle Campus students graduate with a $10,603 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $25,603)
  • UW-Seattle graduates are paying $109 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($155 vs. $264)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UW-Seattle students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/