Best colleges for Business Administration in Washington
Ranked by graduate earnings
Olympic College, Northwest University and Western Washington University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Washington by graduate earnings. Olympic College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,058, College Scorecard. Washington State University, Eastern Washington University and University of Washington-Seattle Campus award the most Business Administration degrees in Washington: 555, 425 and 299 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 53 Washington colleges offer Business Administration and award 4,387 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympic College Bremerton Public · Bachelor's degree | $58,058 | 59 | 31% | — | $11,305 |
| 2 | Northwest University Kirkland Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,779 | 63 | 71% | $21,433 | $25,000 |
| 3 | Western Washington University Bellingham Public · Bachelor's degree | $53,402 | 80 | 65% | — | $17,375 |
| 4 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $52,919 | 115 | 69% | $19,944 | $20,959 |
| 5 | Washington State University Pullman Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,636 | 555 | 60% | — | $21,102 |
| 6 | Central Washington University Ellensburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,791 | 238 | 54% | — | $20,000 |
| 7 | University of Puget Sound Tacoma Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $49,106 | 43 | 68% | $35,057 | $26,442 |
| 8 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,004 | 299 | 85% | — | $15,000 |
| 9 | Columbia Basin College Pasco Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,411 | 152 | 33% | — | $12,500 |
| 10 | Clark College Vancouver Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,159 | 56 | 39% | — | $23,274 |
Top 3 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perry Technical Institute Yakima Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $38,071 | 28 | 79% | $24,069 | $13,740 |
| 2 | Spokane Community College Spokane Public · Associate degree | $31,974 | 35 | 33% | — | $23,505 |
| 3 | Tacoma Community College Tacoma Public · Associate degree | $20,066 | 53 | 32% | — | $16,084 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Washington
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington State University Pullman Public | 555 | $52,636 |
| 2 | Eastern Washington University Cheney Public | 425 | $45,138 |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle Public | 299 | $49,004* |
| 4 | Seattle University Seattle Private not-for-profit | 253 | $46,598 |
| 5 | Central Washington University Ellensburg Public | 238 | $49,791 |
| 6 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell Public | 237 | $49,004* |
| 7 | Gonzaga University Spokane Private not-for-profit | 185 | Not reported |
| 8 | Columbia Basin College Pasco Public | 152 | $48,411 |
| 9 | Walla Walla Community College Walla Walla Public | 124 | Not reported |
| 10 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma Private not-for-profit | 115 | $52,919 |
ShowHide the other 43 Washington colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Washington
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Washington.
Which Washington colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
Washington State University (555 graduates a year), Eastern Washington University (425 graduates a year) and University of Washington-Seattle Campus (299 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 53 Washington colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Washington?+
By graduate earnings, Olympic College leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Washington, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,058, College Scorecard. Northwest University and Western Washington University follow. By degrees awarded, Washington State University is the largest, with 555 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Washington has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Olympic College tops the list at $58,058. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Washington?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Washington is $158,920 (median $133,750), across about 50,630 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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