Seattle could be an excellent option if you want to study in a growing, highly educated U.S. city. Often called the Emerald City, Seattle added 11,572 residents from July 2024 to July 2025, the fifth-largest numeric increase among U.S. cities with populations over 20,000. Census QuickFacts also reports that 68.4% of Seattle residents age 25 and older held a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2020–2024.
Some well-known institutions in or around Seattle include the University of Washington, Seattle Pacific University, Antioch University, Seattle Colleges, and Cornish College of the Arts. Although Seattle is one of the more expensive cities in the United States, it has public, private nonprofit, and flexible degree options that international students can compare carefully.
That’s why we listed some of the more affordable schools you can choose from in Seattle if you plan to study here. Read carefully to learn more.
Affordable Schools in Seattle for International Students
1. City University of Seattle
The City University of Seattle is an accredited private nonprofit institution founded in 1973 to provide career-relevant higher education for busy professionals. It offers programs through its Seattle headquarters and through online, onsite, and partner-based options. CityU also maintains international partnerships in Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Slovakia, and Vietnam.
Today, this affordable university in Seattle serves students through the School of Business and Management, the School of Education and Leadership, the School of Health and Social Sciences, and the School of Technology and Computing. The university reports more than 500 international students at its Seattle location.
The university’s per-credit cost depends on the student’s program and level. For 2026–2027, domestic tuition ranges from $425 to $1,180 per credit, while F-1 international tuition ranges from $525 to $1,180 per credit. Undergraduate international rates start at $525 per credit, while many graduate international courses are charged at $925 per credit.
2. University of Washington
One of the oldest universities on this list, the University of Washington is a major public research university. UW has 16 major colleges and schools, more than 270 research centers and institutes, and reported $1.87 billion in competitive research awards in fiscal year 2023.
The university was recognized as one of the top institutions in the United States for producing Fulbright students and scholars in the 2024–2025 academic year. That year, UW had 13 Fulbright students and six Fulbright scholars. UW also lists eight Nobel Prize winners among its faculty honors, along with Pulitzer Prize winners and other major academic distinctions. Its Seattle campus spans 703 acres.
3. Seattle Central College
- Admissions | Tuition Fees | Scholarships
- Tuition Fees: Lower-division 15-credit quarter: $1,697.30 (Resident) | $1,896.55 (Nonresident waiver eligible) | $3,880.85 (International); Upper-division BAS 15-credit quarter: $2,710.45 (Resident) | $2,909.70 (Nonresident waiver eligible) | $7,495.80 (International)
A part of Seattle Colleges, Seattle Central College was established more than 50 years ago and traces part of its history to Broadway High School and Edison Technical School on Capitol Hill. Seattle Colleges reported annual attendance of 33,685 students in 2024–2025, with Seattle Central accounting for 34% of fall enrollment across the district.
This affordable college in Seattle offers three bachelor’s degrees, 29 associate degrees, and 16 professional certificates in 26 programs. Costs are relatively low compared with many four-year universities, especially for Washington residents. However, published tuition rates do not include all living costs.
For international students, Seattle Colleges estimates 2025–2026 College Bridge or college-level tuition at $11,283 for three quarters based on 15 credits per quarter, plus fees, housing and food, books, transportation, personal expenses, and mandatory medical insurance. The published estimate lists medical insurance at $1,410 for the academic year.
4. Antioch University Seattle
Antioch University is a nonprofit university with roots dating back to 1852, when Antioch College was founded in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Its first president was Horace Mann. Today, Antioch University operates through several campuses and locations, including Los Angeles, New England, Online, Santa Barbara, Seattle, and the Graduate School of Leadership and Change.
The fee structure for Antioch is straightforward because the same tuition rates apply to in-state, out-of-state, and international students. However, the exact rate varies by program. For 2026–2027, Antioch University Seattle lists tuition from $535 per credit for bachelor’s degree completion to $1,148 per credit for the PsyD in Clinical Psychology.
Students who need help paying school costs should review Antioch’s financial aid and scholarship pages carefully. Grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study options may be available depending on the student’s eligibility, program, and citizenship status. International students should note that Antioch’s financial aid office states that it does not provide federal, state, or other institutional financial aid to international students, although it points students toward external funding resources.
5. Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University is a private Christian university established in 1891 by Free Methodists as Seattle Seminary. It is also a member of the Christian College Consortium. In Autumn 2025, SPU reported total enrollment of 2,101 students, including 1,657 undergraduates and 428 graduate students.
Its 43-acre campus on Queen Anne gives students access to a city setting while studying in a smaller university environment. SPU offers 37 undergraduate majors, 44 minors, 55 concentrations, 13 master’s degrees, five doctoral degrees, and 17 graduate certificates through its current academic structure, which includes the College of Applied and Natural Sciences, the College of Business and Technology, the College of Humanities, Education, and the Arts, and Seattle Pacific Seminary.
The university charges the same full-time undergraduate tuition for all students. For 2026–2027, full-time undergraduate tuition is $45,648 per year, before mandatory fees, housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses. Estimated total annual cost of attendance may differ depending on housing and personal expenses. F-1 international students should also review SPU’s international student insurance requirements.
Seattle is a strong educational hub for national and international students, with connections to technology, health care, business, research, and creative industries in the Pacific Northwest. The universities and colleges listed above are among the more affordable or flexible options within Seattle, but total costs can vary widely by program, residency status, course load, housing, and student visa requirements. Be sure to review the official tuition and admissions pages before applying.
We hope this article on the cheapest universities in Seattle was helpful. Make sure also to check out the Study in the USA page and the Available Courses for International Students for more programs and learning opportunities in the United States!
