2025–2026 State Support and Student Costs for Washington State Community and Technical Colleges
Through Opportunity Pathways, Washington State provides a variety of financial aid programs to help students and their families pay for college. Pursuant to RCW 28B.15.0681, the approximate level of state support received by students is being provided to the colleges for your use.
Washington State institutions of higher education must provide certain information to all undergraduate resident students (RCW 28B.15.0681(5)(a) and (b), known as HB 1795 disclosures.
The average cost to educate a resident full-time community or technical college student for the 2025–26 academic year is $15,154. Students pay an average of $3,866 in tuition toward this cost. The remaining $11,289 is an “opportunity pathway” provided by the State and is funded by state taxes and other sources. The amounts shown are averages for a full-time resident student. The actual tuition a student pays will vary due to credit load, residency status, and other factors.
Amounts in the table below represent an average for a full-time equivalent, lower division resident student attending community and technical colleges for the academic year 2025–26.
| Cost of Instruction | Resident | Percent |
|---|---|---|
|
TUITION OPERATING FEE PER STUDENT Tuition Operating Fee is the standard operating fee for a full-time student in lower division classes |
$3,866 | 26% |
|
STATE SUPPORT FOR STUDENT State Support is the amount paid by the state from various sources, including taxes and other funds |
$11,289 | 74% |
|
TOTAL COST PER STUDENT Total Costs per FTE is composed of Tuition Operating Fee and State Support |
$15,154 | 100% |
2023-2024 State Support and Student Costs for Washington State Community and Technical Colleges
Amounts in the table below represent an average for a full-time equivalent, lower division resident student attending community and technical colleges for the academic year 2023-24.
| Support and Costs | Resident Undergraduate | Percent |
| Total Instructional Support Per Student FTE* | $15,894 | 100% |
| Tuition Operating Fee* | $3,633 | 23% |
| Net State Support per Student FTE*** | $12,261 | 77% |
*Total Instructional Support is composed of Tuition Operating Fee and Net State Support.
**The Tuition Operating Fee is equal to the operating fee for a full-time student
in lower division classes.
***Net State Support is the amount paid by the state from various sources, including
taxes and other funds/