Let’s take it piece by piece, like putting together a puzzle on the kitchen table.
What kind of university it is
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus is in Tacoma, Washington, within Pierce County, in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area. That does not mean it is in downtown Seattle: it is its own campus, with its own city code. If your child is thinking about living at home and commuting, do not rely on the map. Drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time your child would have classes. The actual travel time is almost never what Google Maps promises.
It is a public institution offering programs of four years or more. The federal system that classifies universities by what they do, known as Carnegie, places it among master’s universities with larger programs at that level. IPEDS—the database where the government stores this information—records the doctoral degree as the highest level it reports offering, although that is a general institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in is offered there or whether it connects undergraduate and graduate study. Ask about that by the name of the major.
One important label: Carnegie classifies it as primarily nonresidential. That applies when fewer than 25 out of every 100 undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, or when fewer than half studied full time. The data do not clarify which of the two conditions was met, and this also does not mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as you will see later. It only says that the typical profile of this school is not that of a campus where everyone lives together for four years.
Another fact worth knowing from the outset: Carnegie places it among institutions that enroll many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying somewhere else—or to leave here for another school—get in writing which courses will count and which will not. The label does not say how many credits people bring in or how many are lost along the way.
And something worth clarifying right away: University of Washington-Tacoma Campus does not have any of these three federal designations: it is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three. The fact that this one does not have them says nothing about which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: which cultural centers are available, which student organizations are active today, and, better yet, speak with someone who already studies there.
The size of the community and who makes it up
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus had 4,777 students enrolled in the official fall count: 4,014 undergraduates and 763 graduate students. It is primarily an undergraduate institution of medium size. Compared with 519 similar selective public four-year schools, it is on the smaller side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, have more students.
Is that good or bad? Neither by itself. Being large does not mean having more options. Being small does not mean more attention for your child. What matters is asking about the specific major your child is interested in, not the school as a whole.
Among undergraduates, 16 out of every 100 students identified as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. That is not a majority, but it is not unusual either: compared with the 519 selective public schools in this census, it ranks above the midpoint of the group. Keep one thing in mind: that comparison is based on school type, not state, and that matters—Washington is not California or Texas in terms of its Latino population. The figure also does not break the data down by major; it applies to the entire school.
The undergraduate population is almost evenly divided between men and women: 48 out of every 100 are women. And out of every 100 undergraduate students, 23 are between the ages of 25 and 64—a meaningful share of students who did not arrive directly from high school, which is worth keeping in mind if your child is considering a more traditional path or if you, as an adult, are thinking about returning to school.
How the academic calendar works and what it accepts for credit
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus operates on a quarter system: the year is divided into three terms of about 12 weeks each, with the possibility of a fourth term in the summer. This matters a great deal if your child plans to transfer to or from another school that uses a semester calendar: the calendars do not align automatically. Verify in writing, with both institutions, how the credits will transfer.
The school reports that it accepts credit from AP exams and also accepts credit for military training. It did not check the box for credit based on life experience. Here is a practical warning: saying that it accepts AP credit does not mean it awards credit for every exam or every score. The data do not say what scores are required or whether those credits apply to your child’s major. Request a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling. Do not include the savings in your budget until you have that evaluation in hand.
One additional fact: the institution responded that it does not enroll high school students in college courses for credit, so if your child wants to earn college credits while still in high school, this would not be the route.
As for its degree offerings, between July 2022 and June 2023, this university awarded 1,447 bachelor’s degrees across 20 fields of study. No single field accounted for most of them: the largest was computer and information sciences, and even that represented only 19 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. It is a broad range of offerings without a single dominant specialty. That does not mean there are exactly 20 majors—a “field” groups several related programs—so it is still important to verify the specific program your child is interested in.
Regarding class size, the reported ratio is 15 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with similar schools, it falls slightly below the median—neither among the lowest nor among the highest. It is a middle-of-the-range number that, by itself, does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class.
It is also worth mentioning that the institution reports offering structured academic opportunities: study abroad, undergraduate research outside the classroom, a complete program that can be taken entirely in the evenings or on weekends, and pathways for teacher certification preparation, including state approval for initial certification.
How admission works: requirements, admission figures, and what comes next
Here is something many families do not expect: University of Washington-Tacoma Campus does not have open admission. It reviews specific materials before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations tracked by this federal count, it identifies five as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory course plan required by the university, the personal essay, and the English-proficiency exam for applicants who must submit it. Apart from those, only one other factor is considered if submitted: work experience.
Put plainly: at this university, gathering documents is not enough. The essay is required, so your child has to write one. Have your child start it during the summer, not during the week of the deadline. The first draft is never the one to submit. The published undergraduate application fee is $60.
Regarding standardized tests, the school reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admission decision, even if applicants submit them. That does not cover scholarships, course placement, or other uses—ask admissions about those separately.
Now for the figures on how accessible admission is. Of 3,161 first-time applicants in the 2023 cycle, 2,622 were offered admission. That is 83 out of every 100. Compared with the 519 selective public schools in this group, it is a common percentage, slightly above the midpoint of the group. Seven or eight out of ten received a yes. That does not mean admission is automatic, but it does mean your child has a real reason to apply—and also a reason not to leave the application until the last minute. That percentage reflects a single cycle, not a permanent rule: when it is time for your child to apply, check the figure for the relevant year again.
Here is a figure that sometimes surprises families even more than the admission rate: out of every 100 students whom the university admitted for the first-year class of 2023, only 25 ultimately enrolled there. The other 75 had an acceptance letter in hand and still chose another school. Receiving a yes is not the same as deciding to attend. This number does not measure quality or prestige: when your child’s admission decisions arrive, what matters is not this percentage but placing the letters side by side and comparing the actual net price, the major, and the distance before the deposit deadline.
If your child arrives as a transfer student: in the fall of 2023, 686 undergraduate students entered this school for the first time after studying at another institution. That is a high number compared with similar schools—it falls in the upper half of the group. But the data do not show how many credits were accepted for those 686 students. Ask the school that question directly.
The listed price and what it may actually cost
At University of Washington-Tacoma Campus, among 80 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $4,709. Among 83 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $7,900; among 61 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $22,095. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $17,386 between the average for the lowest-income band (80 students) and the average for the highest-income band (61 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $11,290.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this school falls within the least expensive quarter for lower-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a fact worth considering when you build the list of schools to which your child will apply.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours is the first step. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average after grants and scholarships, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter you receive is what matters.
How students pay: grants, loans, and options
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students, 67 received some type of aid that does not have to be repaid—a grant or scholarship. Among those who received it, the average for the year was $15,510. Keep in mind that this average is not spread across everyone; it describes only those who received something. A percentage and an average are two different calculations and should not be multiplied by each other.
Out of every 100 students, 40 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need.
Regarding loans, 30 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the 2022-23 academic year. Compared with similar schools, it is on the low side—seven out of ten of those schools, or more, had a higher share of students with loans. Among those who did borrow, each borrowed an average of $6,022 that year. This number does not include PLUS loans taken out by parents, debt from banks or credit cards, or debt accumulated by graduation—it covers only one year of federal loans in the student’s name.
Here is something I want to tell you directly: this percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would actually need to borrow comes from your child’s own financial aid letter. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school and before committing to it.
The institution also reports additional payment arrangements: a prepaid tuition plan, an installment payment plan, and participation in a Promise program.
Campus life, learning formats, and support
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus does have institution-controlled housing, with capacity for 304 students on or off campus. Not all first-time students are required to live there. The school reports that it does not offer institutional meal plans—that does not say whether there is a cafeteria or other pay-as-you-go options; ask the school, along with the deadline to apply for a room and whether it has a kitchen.
Regarding ROTC, the report marks all three branches—Army, Navy, and Air Force—as well as the Marine Corps option within Navy. Having all three marked is uncommon: of the 3,012 universities in this guide, only 135 do. But a checkmark does not establish that the program is offered on this specific campus or how many openings are available. Ask about each pathway by name before building a plan around it.
Regarding athletics, the school does not report membership in any national athletic association (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, USCAA, or NCCAA), and the intercollegiate participation question appears as not applicable in the federal record. That neither confirms nor rules out the existence of teams; if athletics matters to the decision, ask directly.
Regarding distance education, it is offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. But in the fall count, only 5 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance; the other 95 took at least one class in person. The institution also reports offering at least one complete program that can be completed at a distance, although the data do not specify whether that program is undergraduate or graduate—confirm it by major.
The library operates with employed staff and annual spending above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the federal government. It has physical and digital materials, and it participates in interlibrary lending. That is a baseline, not a guarantee that it has the specific databases needed for your child’s major—ask about that by the name of the major.
For student support, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military personnel, a student veterans organization, and a published web address for disability services.
How likely your child is to stay and graduate
This may be the most important section of all, because it concerns the end of the journey, not just the beginning.
Of a cohort of 596 first-time, full-time students who entered in the fall of 2022, 463 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. That is 78 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, it ranks slightly above the midpoint of the group—neither among the best nor among the worst for retention. Two things that this number does not say are worth clarifying: the source does not separate those who are still studying there from those who have already graduated, and not enrolling again does not always mean leaving higher education—a student who transferred to another university and remains enrolled there is different from someone who stopped studying entirely, and this figure does not distinguish between the two cases.
Regarding graduation, IPEDS followed 567 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree. After six years, 353 had graduated from this same institution. That is 62 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 51 out of every 100—a difference of 11 points between those who finish on time and those who need a little longer. Compared with similar schools, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus ranks above the median of the group.
It is important to understand what this calculation does not cover: it follows only students who entered for the first time and attended full time. It does not include students who transferred in or those who began part time. The available data do not make it possible to reconstruct with certainty what happened to the rest of that original cohort—a blank space is not the same as a zero, and it cannot be assumed that those students dropped out.
There is a third, broader view: a cohort of 1,769 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—including both first-time students and those with prior postsecondary experience, attending full time and part time. After eight years, 74 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this institution. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 73 out of every 100—three points below the group without Pell Grants. And here is an interesting fact: when looking only at the first-time, full-time subcohort within that same group, the figure falls to 59 out of every 100, fifteen points below the broader calculation that includes students with prior experience and those attending part time.
A high eight-year graduation rate is not a promise for your child in particular. It describes a cohort that entered years ago, under circumstances that may not be repeated exactly. What is worth doing is asking about the current support available in the program your child is interested in and about the outcomes of more recent cohorts.
What this article cannot tell you
Nothing you have seen here tells you what will happen to your child after graduation: not how much your child will earn, whether your child will find work in the field, or how much debt your child will carry on the day the diploma is awarded. Those data exist in other sources, but they are not part of this record. Nor do they tell you whether your child will be happy there, find a community, or feel that the environment is a good fit. Your child, you, and a campus visit will be better able to determine that.
What comes next
You now know in detail one of the pieces you need to make a decision: what this university is, what it requires for admission, what it costs under different income scenarios, and how likely a student is, based on past cohorts, to remain and graduate there. It is a solid piece, built on official data rather than brochures or marketing promises.
But it is only one piece. Combine it with what your child actually wants to study, what your child has accomplished so far in high school, and what your family can and is willing to pay. No figure on this page makes that decision for you. A plan that truly belongs to your family grows out of that combination—the university, the student, and the realities at home.
This information comes from data reported by University of Washington-Tacoma Campus to the United States Department of Education through the IPEDS system (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), primarily from the 2023 cycle and the 2023-24 academic year, with some figures from earlier cohorts as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent University of Washington-Tacoma Campus or any government entity; this article is an independent explanation of public information.