A college in Washington is one of the best in the US, ranking says. Here’s why
A college in Olympia earned praise from a national magazine for “the extraordinary outcomes it provides to a student body of everyday means.”
The Evergreen State College placed in the top 15% in Washington Monthly’s 2025 ranking of Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars in the U.S.
It also got a shout-out as a best-in-class college.
Washington Monthly’s ranking is based in part on how much the schools “help ordinary middle- and working-class students get ahead,” according to the magazine, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
The ranking also measures how much the schools “encourage democratic participation and service to the country, and produce the scholars and scholarship that drive economic growth and human flourishing,” the magazine said.
Why does The Evergreen State College stand out?
Evergreen came in at No. 151 out of 1,400-plus colleges and universities on the list.
It was also highlighted as one of 25 “best-in-class” around the country.
In a write-up, Washington Monthly noted that “almost everyone who applies” to the nontraditional public liberal arts college is admitted. And about one-third of the roughly 2,500 students who attend are receive federal Pell Grants, the magazine said.
Pell Grant data was a factor in determining a school’s accessibility to non-wealthy students, a key criteria in determining the ranking.
Affordability, outcomes and service were the other main categories.
In terms of affordability, although Evergreen “has a fairly high net price of $20,420, its graduates leave without a crushing amount of debt,” the magazine said.
And the school has a record of success, according to the magazine.
“Evergreen graduates greatly overperform in earnings, making almost $11,000 more in their early careers than peers with similar educations and socioeconomic backgrounds,” the magazine said, noting that “many go on to earn PhDs and to participate in national service programs like AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps.”
The academic program is part of Evergreen’s winning formula, Washington Monthly said.
“All students have the option to design their own curriculum or follow a traditional path of study, in either case closely guided by faculty advisers. There are no majors or letter grades. From that base has sprung an incredible outburst of creativity,” the magazine said, noting “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening and rapper Macklemore are among the notable alumni.
In addition, “natural wonders aren’t far from campus, and a rich arts community flourishes in the state capital, where students also have the opportunity to learn about public service and the workings of state government,” the magazine said.
In a statement to The Olympian, Evergreen President John Carmichael said, “Washington Monthly’s analysis of the data shows what we’ve long known. Evergreen graduates enjoy good lives and make meaningful contributions to their communities.”
How does Washington Monthly rank colleges?
Washington Monthly evaluated 1,421 colleges and universities across four categories that were given equal weight:
- Access for non-wealthy students, with Pell Grant numbers among the data used.
- Affordability, including the net price and amount of debt graduating students leave with.
- Outcomes, including graduation rates and early career income data.
- Service, including the number of graduates joining AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, the number of ROTC cadets and more.
The aim is “to offer a better answer” to the “familiar set of college rankings” where the most exclusive and richest schools dominate, according to the magazine.
What are Washington Monthly’s 10 best colleges for tuition and tax dollars?
Here are the top 10 colleges for tuition and tax dollars, according to Washington Monthly:
2. California State University – Fresno
3. California State University – Northridge
4. California State University – Los Angeles
5. Princeton University in New Jersey
6. California State University – Sacramento
7. University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley
8. Florida International University
9. California State University – Long Beach
10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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