2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in Washington

[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find the best return on investment for public health students.
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2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Health Schools
Lake Washington Institute Of Technology tops our 2026 list of the best value public health schools in Washington. Set in the suburb of Kirkland, Lake Washington Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,997 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,062 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $19,695 in student loans. Early-career public health graduates make about $60,000. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Washington Tacoma Campus one of the best values for public health. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Tacoma. In-state tuition and fees average $13,168, compared with $43,404 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $16,490. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of Washington Tacoma Campus generally make around $46,016. Set against $16,490 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Washington Bothell Campus one of the best values for public health. Set in the suburb of Bothell, University Of Washington Bothell Campus is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,919 in tuition and fees, compared with $43,155 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,636 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of Washington Bothell Campus generally make around $65,932. Set against $15,636 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Tacoma Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Tacoma, Tacoma Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,507, compared with $11,646 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $14,822. Public Health graduates of Tacoma Community College earn a median of $41,732 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at University Of Washington Seattle Campus, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $16,490 in student loans. Public Health graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $58,071 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,490 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Eastern Washington University landed the #6 spot for public health value this year. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,586 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,583. Public Health graduates carry a median of $21,754 in student loans. Public Health graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $54,916 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Central Washington University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,417, with out-of-state students paying around $27,526. Public Health graduates carry a median of $20,326 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $42,137. That is a strong return on a $20,326 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Western Washington University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Located in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,582, with out-of-state students paying around $28,707. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $20,361. Public Health graduates of Western Washington University earn a median of $41,118 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,361 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.