SPU vs. Washington State

Should I go to Seattle Pacific University or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SPU or Washington State 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. Washington State University comparison
Seattle Pacific University Washington State University College 3 College 4
Seattle Pacific University Washington State University
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Overview

 SPU Washington State
Location Seattle, WA Pullman, WA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,659 26,490
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #246 #385
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spu.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SPU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $37,965 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $37,965 $27,052
Room & Board $15,498 $13,131
Avg Net Price $26,155 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $28,070 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 87%

Admission

 SPU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,806 26,166
Admitted 2,556 22,335
Acceptance Rate 91.1% 85.4%
Enrolled % 14.9% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 20/26
SAT Range 1050/1320 1020/1210
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 Jan 31, 2026

Academics

 SPU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 SPU Washington State
Graduation Rate 74% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,603 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $264 $211

Diversity

 SPU Washington State
% Men 6% 7%
% Women 16% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 61% 63%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 8%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 SPU Washington State
% In-State 71% 83%
% Out-of-State 26% 15%

Campus

 SPU Washington State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Washington State University is larger than than SPU based on total student enrollment (26,490 students vs. 2,659 students)

SPU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SPU or Washington State?

  • Seattle Pacific University is 245.9% more expensive to attend than Washington State for in-state tuition ($37,965.00 vs. $10,976.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.3% higher at SPU than Washington State University ($37,965.00 vs. $27,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than SPU ($18,155 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 18% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($13,131 vs. $15,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Seattle Pacific University than Washington State University (98% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 170.7% larger than aid received Washington State University ($28,070 vs. $10,370)

SPU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 106 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman SPU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Washington State (3.5)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Washington State (85.4%)

SPU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SPU or Washington State? 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 Washington State and SPU.

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than Washington State University (74% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $4,000 more per year than SPU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $50,400)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $5,174 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $25,603)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($211 vs. $264)
  • More SPU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Washington State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 71%)

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