TOP 13 Cheap Universities In Washington, DC

It is impossible to list several prestigious cities in the United States without mentioning Washington, D.C.

According to The American Institute of Economic Research, Washington D.C. cracks the top among two other cities that attract the most number of university students each year. This should indicate that the average tuition cost in Washington, D.C is high.

Still, a handful of reputable universities in the city are known for inexpensive tuition fees to suit the budget of students with limited financial resources to obtain a degree in their respective fields of study.

If this is what you are looking for, then this FastLagos review of the cheap universities in Washington DC has been created for you:

13 Best, Cheap Universities in Washington DC

According to Collegecalc, a provider of in-depth college cost estimations powered by public domain data from the U.S. Department of Education, the average annual in-state college tuition in Washington was $13,273 for the 2020-2021 academic year.

This has placed Washington as the 24th most affordable state or district to attend College but 29th most expensive.

Despite these metrics, the state of Washington is still incredibly popular with international students. Here are some of the best cheap universities in Washington DC today:

1. Trinity Washington University
2. Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland
3. University of the Potomac
4. University of the District of Columbia
5. Bellevue College, Bellevue
6. Northwest Indian College
7. Central Washington University, Ellensburg
8. Heritage University
9. Columbia Basin College, Pasco
10. Howard University
11. Eastern Washington University
12. Gallaudet University
13. Catholic University of America

Trinity Washington University

• Tuition fees: $18,000 – $26,420 per year for both International and domestic Bachelor’s tuition
• Trinity Washington University Admission Requirement Page 
• Trinity Washington University Tuition Details Page 

Trinity Washington University is a private university based in Washington and one of the most affordable, especially for students pursuing the Bachelor’s program.

The university focuses on skills and values that would shape the future of its graduates in all aspects, including civic life and contemporary work.

Despite the affordable tuition, Trinity Washington University offers excellent, efficient education for hands-on knowledge.

Lake Washington Institute of Technology

• Tuition fees: $2,748 – $7,683 per year for in-state and out-of-state tuition respectively. 
• Lake Washington Institute of Technology Admission Requirement Page 
• Lake Washington Institute of Technology Tuition Details Page 

Another affordable higher education in Washington is the Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Kirkland. Aside from being among the cheapest, it is the only public institute of technology in Washington.

The strategic positioning of this school is what draws students to it. Lake Washington Institute of Technology shares the environment with Google, Microsoft, and Nintendo headquarters.

Attending this institution is an excellent way to spend less on tuition and connect with these companies, especially in the internship area.

The Lake Washington Institute of Technology is a small college and offers only provide eight different Bachelor’s degrees.

In other words, it may be a cheap university, but to get accepted, your options on the course you want to pursue have to be quite specific.

University of the Potomac

• Tuition fees: $6,750 to $6,749 per year for domestic Bachelor’s tuition 
• University of the Potomac Admission Requirement Page 
• University of the Potomac Tuition Details Page 

The University of the Potomac offers programs on Bachelor of Science, Graduate, and Advanced Certification. The institution is certified by the U.S. Higher Education System and has been operating since 1991.

The two-year private for-profit university has one of the most affordable tuition fees in Washington Dc for undergraduate studies.

If you reside in Washington and are willing to attend the University of the Potomac, expect to pay anywhere between $6,000 and $7000 per year for Bachelor’s tuition. In contrast, international Bachelor’s Tuition costs $15,102.

University of the District of Columbia

• Tuition fees: $7,776 to $17,400 per year for domestic Bachelor’s tuition 
• University of the District of Columbia Admission Requirement Page 
• University of the District of Columbia Tuition Details Page 

Even with the affordable tuition fee, the opportunities presented to students graduating from the University of the District of Columbia are endless.

The university is open to aspiring applicants from all over the world and is considered among the cheapest university in the state.

Meanwhile, students from other destinations outside Washington should budget a tuition fee of between $16,320 to $17,400 annually for a bachelor’s degree.

Bellevue College, Bellevue

• Tuition fees: $3,468 and $8,821 per year for in-state and out-of-state tuition, respectively. And $8,821 for international students.
• Bellevue College Admission Requirement Page 
• Bellevue College Tuition Details Page 

Most Bellevue college students are interested in Business, Accounting, and IT. The College offers affordable tuition costs to study these in-demand courses. It is, in fact, the third-largest institute in Washington for higher learning.

As you can see from the tuition fee indicator, Bellevue college is very cheap, which is why it easily entices many people from Washington State and worldwide. The out-of-state and international fees are incredibly low.

Another sweet thing about attending this College of education is the campus environment presents a charming blend of beautiful location and scholar-like-minds.  

Northwest Indian College

• Tuition fees: $3,969 per year for undergraduate tuition.
• Northwest Indian College Admission Requirement Page 
• Northwest Indian College Tuition Details Page 

Courses offered at Northwest Indian College include Engineering, Health Sciences, Liberal arts, Applied sciences, and Business Administration.

Beyond Washington, Northwest Indian University is one of the most affordable in the United States of America.

It is based in Bellingham, Washington, and has been awarding degrees since 1973 as a tribal college. Despite the meager tuition fee, the College offers many different programs.

Central Washington University

• Tuition fees: $6,037 and $20,144 per year for in-state and out-of-state tuition, respectively. And, $20,144 for international students
• Central Washington University Admission Requirement Page 
• Central Washington University Tuition Details Page 

Central Washington University provides quality education in Washington for an affordable price. The majors offered here are more than 135, but most students go for Elementary Education and Teaching and General Psychology programs.

The institution accepts students from dozens of countries worldwide, indicating that it is about quality education.

Meanwhile, looking at the price points of its tuition fee, one can say that the out-of-state tuition fee at Central Washington University is perhaps three times the about of in-state fees.

So, it may be a cheap university in Washington, DC. Still, it doesn’t seem like an ideal option for international students on a tight budget, considering other similar affordable universities.

Heritage University

• Tuition fees: The tuition fee for instruction year law is $4000, excluding the cost of textbooks
• Heritage University Admission Requirement Page 
• Heritage University Tuition Details Page 

Another affordable institute in the United States of America is Heritage University. Students with financial constraints but aspiring to school in Washington, DC, can consider this university. It is based in Toppenish, Washington.

Undergraduate course available in the school of law at Heritage university requires four years before graduation.

Aside from law, other departments offer affordable tuition costs, but law school appears to be the cheapest among them.

Courses available to students at Heritage University include Languages, Business Administration, Mathematics, Law, and Computer Sciences.

Columbia Basin College

• Tuition fees: $3,944 and $5,920 annually for in-state and out-of-state tuition, respectively while $5,920 for international students
• Columbia Basin College Admission Requirement Page 
• Columbia Basin College Tuition Details Page 

The good thing about Columbia Basin College is that there is little difference between the tuition fees of in-state and out-of-state. So, if you are not eligible for financial aid and want to further your higher education journey in Washington, this is worth considering.

The College offers a variety of programs, including one-year certificates and two-year and four-year degrees. Despite its unpopularity among the top universities in Washington, the Columbia Basin College is a hole to Bechtel National Planetarium and a research farm.

They also offer quality education which is impressive when weighed with the level of tuition cost they offer students.

If you are an international student, expect to pay close to $600 for an academic year at Columbia Basin College.

Howard University

• Tuition fees: $30,584 for both Domestic and international Bachelor’s tuition
• Howard University Admission Requirement Page 
• Howard University Tuition Details Page 

Howard is among the cheapest universities in Washington Dc, even though other universities offer lower tuition costs. For a prominent private institution, the fees are reasonable.

The adorable thing about this institution is that they provide opportunities to disadvantaged people in society. They also concern themselves with eliminating social inequalities in the education sphere.

Most of the students at Howard University are black, and the institution has birthed icons like Kamala Harris and Chadwick Boseman (in blessed memory).

The cheap university offers 100 programs for students without sacrificing world-class education.

Eastern Washington University

• Tuition fees: $644.73 and $799.37 per quarter for undergraduates and graduates, respectively.
• Eastern Washington University Admission Requirement Page 
• Eastern Washington University Tuition Details Page 

Eastern Washington University is based in Cheney, Washington, and shares the belt with other top-ranking affordable universities in the area.

The public university has been operating since 1882 and offers various programs and courses delivered through four significant departments.

Courses offered at Eastern Washington University include Arts, Business Administration, Engineering and Information technology, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Gallaudet University

• Tuition fees: $16,512 and $33,024 for domestic and international Bachelor’s tuition, respectively.
• Gallaudet University Admission Requirement Page 
• Gallaudet University Tuition Details Page 

Gallaudet University is another cheap university in Washing, DC. However, it is an institution for students who are hearing impaired. Despite this, the university still accepts a few hearing students to study undergraduate programs at highly affordable rates.

The university is a bilingual institution but primarily offers English and American Sign Language courses.

It may not be an all-embracing school, but it is undoubtedly among the best options in Washington if you are looking for a cheap university. First-year international students are required to pay between $25,000 and $33,000 as tuition expenses.

Catholic University of America

• Tuition fees: $53,040 – $53,700 and $53,040 – $53,700 for domestic and international bachelor’s tuition respectively.
• Catholic University of America Admission Requirement Page 
• Catholic University of America Tuition Details Page 

Lastly on our list of cheap universities is the Catholic University of America. The institution has been offering undergraduate courses since 1904 and has a solid reputation in research. 

This is the only higher education institution founded by U.S. Catholic bishops which explains why it has maintained a close connection with the Catholic church.

It is one of the most affordable higher education outfits in Washington.

Final Remark

Affordable or not, one of the prominent advantages of attending university in Washington, DC, is the networking potential.

Being a city full of professionals, graduates from universities in this area have promising futures with non-profit leaders and entrepreneurs. Good networkers students will see this as a resource to find jobs, internships, or research opportunities.

In addition, the cheap universities reviewed in the article above also present students with plenty of opportunities in hot-cake fields of study, including law, healthcare, public policy, art, and sports.

Remember that your GPA is essential for admission into most of Washington’s cheap universities.

Anything below 3.75 gives the student a slim chance of getting accepted due to the influx of international and domestic students applying to these institutions every year.