CWU receives 4.5-star rating on 2025 Best Colleges in America list

Central Washington University is at the top of the class for higher education institutions in the state of Washington, according to a new report from Money.com.

CWU joined the University of Washington as the only two state institutions to receive four-and-a-half stars in the 2025 Best Colleges in America report. Six other state schools — both public and private — received four out of five stars.

The Money.com report, published in late June, ranked 732 public and private four-year higher-education institutions based on several key metrics, including quality of education, affordability, and student outcomes such as future earnings potential. The goal of the report was to “help families make informed decisions about where to spend their tuition dollars.”

Only a select handful of schools received four-and-a-half or five stars. According to the company's methodology, these schools are considered “great to outstanding” and “worth the price of admission for a wide array of students.”

Data collection and analysis for the ratings were led by Money’s rankings partner, Witlytic, but the website’s editorial staff was solely responsible for the final ratings decisions.

In describing CWU, the report says: “The most popular bachelor’s degree programs at this mid-sized public university include business administration, elementary education, accounting, psychology and law and justice (an interdisciplinary major that combines criminal justice, sociology and more). But there are more than 135 undergraduate majors on offer, covering everything from aviation to craft brewing to primate behavior.”