The Best MBA Programs in Seattle for 2026
The best MBA programs in Seattle are the accredited schools that graduate their students and charge honestly for it, not the ones with the biggest name on the building. Hakia analyzed 8 accredited MBA programs in Seattle and the surrounding metro and ranked 8 schools on graduation rate, selectivity, cost, and outcomes. Tuition across the 8 ranked schools runs from $11,869 to $55,620 a year, a $43,751 spread for the same credential.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus leads with a 97 Hakia Score on an 85% graduation rate, at $11,869 a year. Across all 8 ranked MBA programs in Seattle the average graduation rate is 68%, ranging from 50% to 85%. 3 of the 8 are public and 5 are private, a split that drives most of the price gap below. National median pay for the field is $105,770 a year per the BLS, the benchmark every school on this list feeds into regardless of what it charges.
Below is the full ranked table, followed by a school-by-school look at what actually separates the MBA programs in Seattle: cost, completion, selectivity, and where the degree leads. This list covers the Seattle and Tacoma metro, so some schools sit outside the city line; the city of each is shown in the table. Every figure is drawn from federal IPEDS and BLS data, and no school pays for placement.
Key Takeaways on the Best MBA Programs in Seattle
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks first among MBA programs in Seattle with a 97 Hakia Score and an 85% graduation rate.
- Tuition across the 8 ranked MBA programs in Seattle spans $11,869 to $55,620 a year, a $43,751 gap for the same credential.
- The 8 ranked MBA programs in Seattle graduate 68% of students on average, from 50% to 85%.
- 3 of the 8 ranked schools are public, where the in-state rate is what Washington residents actually pay.
- 2 of the 8 offer a confirmed online option, which matters in a city where commuting time is the real cost.
- National median pay in the field is $105,770 (BLS), the same benchmark whichever Seattle school a student picks.
Hakia analyzed 8 accredited MBA programs in Seattle and the surrounding metro reported to IPEDS, scoring each on graduation rate, selectivity, cost, and outcomes, then ranked one entry per school on its strongest program. No school is rewarded for sticker price alone, and none pays for inclusion.
The 8 Best MBA Programs in Seattle, Ranked for 2026
| # | Program | Type | In-state tuition | Grad rate | Admit rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA | Public | $11,869 | 85% | 39% | 97.0 |
| 2 | Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA | Nonprofit | $55,620 | 76% | 77% | 86.3 |
| 3 | University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma, WA | Public | $11,869 | 63% | 83% | 81.8 |
| 4 | University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, WA | Public | $11,869 | 65% | 91% | 80.2 |
| 5 | City University of SeattleSeattle, WA · online option | Nonprofit | $13,929 | NR | NR | 79.2 |
| 6 | Northwest UniversityKirkland, WA | Nonprofit | $35,535 | 71% | 83% | 77.8 |
| 7 | Pacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, WA | Nonprofit | $50,096 | 69% | 78% | 77.1 |
| 8 | Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended EducationKirkland, WA · online option | Nonprofit | $14,652 | 50% | NR | 71.6 |
NR — not reported by the institution in the latest IPEDS collection.
How the Top MBA Programs in Seattle Compare
Each program scores 0 to 100 on the Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. Longer bars rank higher.
The Top MBA Programs in Seattle, School by School
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · Public
- Grad rate
- 85%
- Admit rate
- 39%
- In-state
- $11,869
- Out-of-state
- $42,105
At $11,869 a year in-state, Washington-Seattle is among the more affordable mba programs ranked here, holding a 97.0 Hakia Score on an 85% graduation rate.
- Hakia Score 97.0, #1 of 8
- 85% graduation rate
- $11,869 in-state vs $42,105 out-of-state
- Lowest in-state tuition here
Washington-Seattle is a public institution in Seattle, WA. Its MBA program ranks #1 of the 8 analyzed here with a 97.0 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That is the highest score in the ranking, well above the 81.4 group average. The program graduates 85% of its students, above the 68% average across the ranked schools. Washington-Seattle admits 39% of applicants, more selective than the 75% average for the group. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. It is one of the larger campuses in the ranking, enrolling 56,997 students.
On cost, Washington-Seattle charges $11,869 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $42,105 out-of-state rate. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. The spread makes the program a clearer value for WA residents than for out-of-state students. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with above-average completion.
Seattle University
Seattle, WA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 76%
- Admit rate
- 77%
- In-state
- $55,620
- Out-of-state
- $55,620
Seattle U graduates 76% of its students, above the 68% average across this ranking, on an 86.3 Hakia Score.
- Hakia Score 86.3, #2 of 8
- 76% graduation rate
- $55,620 tuition
- Admits just 77% of applicants
Seattle U is a private, nonprofit institution in Seattle, WA. Its MBA program ranks #2 of the 8 analyzed here with an 86.3 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits above the 81.4 group average, in the top third of the 8 ranked programs. The program graduates 76% of its students, above the 68% average across the ranked schools. Seattle U admits 77% of applicants, less selective than the 75% average for the group. That is more open than the 39% rate at Washington-Seattle, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands among the strongest in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. The university enrolls 7,189 students overall.
On cost, Seattle U charges $55,620 a year in-state. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. For prospective students, the main draw here is its above-average completion.
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma, WA · Public
- Grad rate
- 63%
- Admit rate
- 83%
- In-state
- $11,869
- Out-of-state
- $42,105
At $11,869 a year in-state, Washington-Tacoma is among the more affordable mba programs ranked here, holding an 81.8 Hakia Score on a 63% graduation rate.
- Hakia Score 81.8, #3 of 8
- 63% graduation rate
- $11,869 in-state vs $42,105 out-of-state
- Admits just 83% of applicants
Based in Tacoma, WA, Washington-Tacoma is a public institution. Its MBA program lands at #3 of the 8 ranked here, earning an 81.8 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits above the 81.4 group average, in the middle third of the 8 ranked programs. The program graduates 63% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. Washington-Tacoma admits 83% of applicants, less selective than the 75% average for the group. That is more open than the 39% rate at Washington-Seattle, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. The university enrolls 4,965 students overall.
On cost, Washington-Tacoma charges $11,869 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $42,105 out-of-state rate. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. The spread makes the program a clearer value for WA residents than for out-of-state students. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell, WA · Public
- Grad rate
- 65%
- Admit rate
- 91%
- In-state
- $11,869
- Out-of-state
- $42,105
At $11,869 a year in-state, Washington-Bothell is among the more affordable mba programs ranked here, holding an 80.2 Hakia Score on a 65% graduation rate.
- Hakia Score 80.2, #4 of 8
- 65% graduation rate
- $11,869 in-state vs $42,105 out-of-state
- Admits just 91% of applicants
Washington-Bothell is a public institution in Bothell, WA. Its MBA program ranks #4 of the 8 analyzed here with an 80.2 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 81.4 group average, in the middle third of the 8 ranked programs. The program graduates 65% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. Washington-Bothell admits 91% of applicants, less selective than the 75% average for the group. That is more open than the 39% rate at Washington-Seattle, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. The university enrolls 6,058 students overall.
On cost, Washington-Bothell charges $11,869 a year in-state, roughly 4x the $42,105 out-of-state rate. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. The spread makes the program a clearer value for WA residents than for out-of-state students. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.
City University of Seattle
Seattle, WA · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- NR
- Admit rate
- NR
- In-state
- $13,929
- Out-of-state
- $13,929
City University of Seattle ranks #5 of the 8 mba programs in this analysis, with a 79.2 Hakia Score.
- Hakia Score 79.2, #5 of 8
- $13,929 tuition
- Online option available
Based in Seattle, WA, City University of Seattle is a private, nonprofit institution. Its MBA program lands at #5 of the 8 ranked here, earning a 79.2 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 81.4 group average, in the middle third of the 8 ranked programs. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 2,007 students. The degree is also offered online, which widens access for working students.
On cost, City University of Seattle charges $13,929 a year in-state. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. For prospective students, the main draw here is its an online option.
Northwest University
Kirkland, WA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 71%
- Admit rate
- 83%
- In-state
- $35,535
- Out-of-state
- $35,535
Northwest graduates 71% of its students, above the 68% average across this ranking, on a 77.8 Hakia Score.
- Hakia Score 77.8, #6 of 8
- 71% graduation rate
- $35,535 tuition
- Smallest campus in this ranking
Based in Kirkland, WA, Northwest is a private, nonprofit institution. Its MBA program lands at #6 of the 8 ranked here, earning a 77.8 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 81.4 group average, in the lower third of the 8 ranked programs. The program graduates 71% of its students, above the 68% average across the ranked schools. Northwest admits 83% of applicants, less selective than the 75% average for the group. That is more open than the 39% rate at Washington-Seattle, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 1,053 students.
On cost, Northwest charges $35,535 a year in-state. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. For prospective students, the main draw here is its above-average completion.
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 69%
- Admit rate
- 78%
- In-state
- $50,096
- Out-of-state
- $50,096
Pacific Lutheran graduates 69% of its students, above the 68% average across this ranking, on a 77.1 Hakia Score.
- Hakia Score 77.1, #7 of 8
- 69% graduation rate
- $50,096 tuition
- Admits just 78% of applicants
Based in Tacoma, WA, Pacific Lutheran is a private, nonprofit institution. Its MBA program lands at #7 of the 8 ranked here, earning a 77.1 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 81.4 group average, in the lower third of the 8 ranked programs. The program graduates 69% of its students, above the 68% average across the ranked schools. Pacific Lutheran admits 78% of applicants, less selective than the 75% average for the group. That is more open than the 39% rate at Washington-Seattle, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 2,797 students.
On cost, Pacific Lutheran charges $50,096 a year in-state. That puts it at the higher end on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. For prospective students, the main draw here is its above-average completion.
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
Kirkland, WA · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 50%
- Admit rate
- NR
- In-state
- $14,652
- Out-of-state
- $14,652
Northwest-Center for Online and Extended Education ranks #8 of the 8 mba programs in this analysis, with a 71.6 Hakia Score and a 50% graduation rate.
- Hakia Score 71.6, #8 of 8
- 50% graduation rate
- $14,652 tuition
- Online option available
Based in Kirkland, WA, Northwest-Center for Online and Extended Education is a private, nonprofit institution. Its MBA program lands at #8 of the 8 ranked here, earning a 71.6 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 81.4 group average, in the lower third of the 8 ranked programs. The program graduates 50% of its students, below the 68% average across the ranked schools. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 50% to 85%. It is one of the smaller campuses here, with 1,352 students. The degree is also offered online, which widens access for working students.
On cost, Northwest-Center for Online and Extended Education charges $14,652 a year in-state. That puts it mid-pack on price on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $11,869 at Washington-Seattle to $55,620 at Seattle U. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. For prospective students, the main draw here is its an online option.
What MBA Programs in Seattle Cost
Tuition across the 8 ranked schools runs from $11,869 to $55,620 a year. University of Washington-Seattle Campus anchors the low end at $11,869 a year, while Seattle University sits at the top at $55,620. The cheapest public option among the MBA programs in Seattle is University of Washington-Seattle Campus at $11,869; the cheapest private is City University of Seattle at $13,929.
Over the two years the credential takes, that is roughly $23,738 in tuition at University of Washington-Seattle Campus against about $111,240 at Seattle University. Public figures here are the in-state resident rate, so an applicant moving to Seattle from another state should read the out-of-state column before treating the cheap end of this list as cheap.
How Selective MBA Programs in Seattle Are
Admission odds across the MBA programs in Seattle are nowhere near uniform. University of Washington-Seattle Campus admits 39% of applicants, the tightest on this list, while University of Washington-Bothell Campus admits 91%. A candidate with an uneven undergraduate record has real options here without leaving Seattle.
That is a 52-point spread, wide enough that the MBA programs in Seattle do not form a single tier. A file that is competitive at University of Washington-Bothell Campus will not necessarily clear University of Washington-Seattle Campus, so applying across the range rather than within one band is the sensible strategy here. Completion does not follow the same order: University of Washington-Seattle Campus finishes 85% of its students, the strongest on this list on a 39% admit rate, which is why selectivity is one input to the Hakia Score rather than the score itself.
Accreditation Across Seattle Business Schools
The MBA programs in Seattle lean private: 5 of the 8 ranked schools are private against 3 public, which is most of why the tuition column above spans what it does. Accreditation is what makes those prices comparable at all. For an MBA the signal employers read is business-school accreditation from AACSB sitting on top of the university's institutional accreditation, and a private school charging $55,620 is not thereby carrying it. Confirm it on the school's own page: City University of Seattle at $13,929 and the priciest name on this list are held to the same standard.
Why Study for an MBA in Seattle
The 8 ranked schools sit across 4 towns, close enough that most Seattle candidates can reach several of them. University of Washington-Seattle Campus leads, followed by Seattle University and University of Washington-Tacoma Campus, and the table names the town of each. That density is worth using: applying to three schools inside one metro costs application fees and nothing else, and the recruiting calendars overlap.
2 of the 8 also run a confirmed online option, which keeps the credential but gives up most of the local access that justifies studying in Seattle in the first place.
Careers and Pay After a Seattle MBA
Every one of the MBA programs in Seattle points toward the same national labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts national median pay for the field at $105,770 a year, a figure that describes the profession rather than any single school here, and it holds whether a graduate paid $11,869 at University of Washington-Seattle Campus or $55,620 at Seattle University. That is the tradeoff this ranking exists to expose: in the federal wage data, a higher price does not buy a higher salary.
Set against a single national benchmark, the 5-fold tuition spread on this page is the reason to look hard at the cheap end before the famous end. University of Washington-Seattle Campus and Seattle University feed graduates into the same wage distribution, and nothing in the federal data attaches a higher salary to the higher price. Pay in a metro the size of Seattle generally runs above the national median, and so does the cost of living that absorbs it. Full occupational detail, including job-growth projections and metro wage breakdowns, is published by the BLS.
MBA Programs in Seattle: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best MBA program in Seattle?
By Hakia Score, University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks first among the 8 ranked MBA programs in Seattle, with a 97 score and an 85% graduation rate. The score weighs graduation rate, selectivity, cost, and outcomes together, so the top school balances all four rather than winning on any one of them.
Do MBA programs in Seattle require the GMAT?
Fewer of them every year, and the 8 ranked here are not uniform about it. University of Washington-Seattle Campus is the tightest on this list at 39% and University of Washington-Bothell Campus the most open at 91%, so the answer depends on which of them a candidate is applying to. Many programs now waive the GMAT or GRE for applicants with several years of relevant work, and the terms differ program by program, so check them on each school's admissions page before registering for a test. A waiver saves the fee and the study time, and it does not loosen the rest of the file.
How much does an MBA cost in Seattle?
Tuition among the ranked Seattle schools runs from $11,869 to $55,620 a year. Public schools publish the in-state resident rate, so students moving in from another state should check the out-of-state column before comparing. Neither figure includes Seattle living costs, which are a real part of the total.
How many MBA programs in Seattle does this ranking cover?
We analyzed 8 accredited MBA programs across Seattle and the surrounding metro and ranked the top 8 schools, listing one entry per school on its strongest program. This list covers the Seattle and Tacoma metro, so some schools sit outside the city line; the city of each is shown in the table.
Is it worth doing an MBA in Seattle instead of online?
Only 2 of the 8 ranked schools are confirmed online, so in Seattle the campus route is the one most of this list offers. An accredited online program carries identical standing on a transcript, since accreditation attaches to the school and the program rather than to the delivery format. What a campus adds is proximity to the employers that school recruits into, and at $11,869 in-state, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is what that proximity costs at the low end here. The honest comparison is local access against the cost of being here.
What salary can graduates expect?
The BLS reports a national median of $105,770 a year for the field. It is a national benchmark rather than a Seattle figure or a promise from any school on this page. Its use is scale: the same median sits behind University of Washington-Seattle Campus at $11,869 a year and Seattle University at $55,620, and that is the comparison worth making before committing to the second.
How We Rank MBA Programs in Seattle
Every program earns a Hakia Score from 0 to 100, built only from federal data (IPEDS, the U.S. Department of Education, and BLS) and scored against its true peers: programs in the same field at the same degree level. No reputation surveys, no pay-to-play. Here is how the score is weighted:
- Outcomes44%
Graduation rate (26%) and real per-school graduate earnings (18%). Does the program get students to the finish line, and where do they land?
- Selectivity & academics38%
Admissions selectivity (24%) and the academic profile of admitted students (14%).
- Scale & value18%
Enrollment (7%), cost-to-earnings value (6%), and the number of graduates a program produces (5%).
Weights renormalize over the data each program actually reports, so a school missing a metric (many open-access colleges do not publish entrance scores or earnings) is never penalized for it. Scores are percentiles within the peer group, curved to a 0-to-100 scale. What the score does not measure: individual instructor quality, specific course content, or campus culture. Verify those directly with the program.