Public
Accredited · Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Tacoma, Washington
83% Acceptance Rate
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
83%Acceptance Rate
3.41Avg GPA
1070Avg SAT
$24,528Annual Cost
$78,466Grad Salary
40.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
83%
Avg GPA
3.41
Avg SAT
1070
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
SAT Middle 50%
1030–1100
Avg Net Price
$10,017
Need-Based Aid
40.2% receive Pell
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus The University of Washington-Tacoma, founded in 1990, is an urban-serving campus offering undergraduate and graduate programs in downtown Tacoma. The 46-acre campus features historic renovated warehouses and modern facilities including the Milgard Hall for business and the Joy Building for sciences. UW Tacoma maintains a 17:1 student-faculty ratio with programs particularly strong in urban studies, nursing, and computer science. The campus is known for its commitment to serving military-connected students and adult learners.
UW Tacoma takes pride in its role in Tacoma's urban revitalization and its partnerships with local industries. Students benefit from internship opportunities throughout the Puget Sound region. Campus life includes student organizations focused on community engagement. Recent additions include the new Science Building and expanded health sciences programs. UW Tacoma's combination of academic quality, urban location, and commitment to access makes it a vital educational resource for South Puget Sound.
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Acceptance Rate
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (UWT) runs an open-access admission policy — with a 83% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 83% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.41 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.21 – 3.40
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.96
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for University of Washington-Tacoma Campus is November 15 for Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 110 days left — Early Action
Early Action
November 15
Priority
January 15
Regular Decision
May 31
💡 The scholarship deadline (January 15, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
UWT GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at UWT is 3.41. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.11–3.41 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.61–3.81.UWT GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.41 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.21 – 3.40
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.01 – 3.20
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.00
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Personal Statement required for all first-year applicants (not optional); UW Tacoma explicitly frames it as expecting college-level maturity and specific goal-articulation, distinct from a generic "tell us about yourself" essay
- Early Action deadline November 15 guarantees a decision by January and is the specific cutoff for merit-based scholarship consideration
- School of Urban Studies BA offers two distinct formal options: Global Urbanism and Community Development & Planning, teaching different skill sets (international/comparative theory vs. local planning practice)
- Campus consists of renovated century-old brick warehouse buildings in the historic Union Station District, directly adjacent to the Tacoma Art Museum, Washington State History Museum, and Chihuly Bridge of Glass - an award-winning adaptive-reuse campus tied to the city's railroad history
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at UWT
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on University of Washington-Tacoma Campus's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (UWT) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if UWT is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into UWT Without SAT or ACT?
UWT neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average — otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Average SAT Score: 1070
The average SAT score of admitted students at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus is 1070 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1070 — Accessible
This average is on the lower end nationally, making a strong score here a genuine advantage.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1100 SAT) to stand out. Below average? University of Washington-Tacoma Campus allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1030, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at UWT. Retaking multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1070 | 1030 | 1100 |
Below 1030, you're behind most admitted students; at 1100 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1050
Can I get into University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (UWT) with a 1100 SAT?
A 1100 SAT puts you ahead of most of UWT's admitted class — but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for UWT
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
UWT takes a broad view of applicants. Your energy is best spent proving readiness for coursework and maximizing your financial aid package.
Write your Personal Statement as a genuinely college-level document - UW Tacoma explicitly expects the maturity of someone who has already attended college
UW Tacoma's official guidance states the personal statement "should reflect the experience and maturity of someone who has already attended college," touching on your understanding of general education and major structure, and connecting your academic/personal experience to date with specific goals UW Tacoma can help you reach. This is a notably different bar than a typical first-year "tell us about yourself" essay - draft it in a separate document first, and have someone review it specifically for whether it reads as reflective and forward-looking rather than backward-looking or purely narrative, since that's the explicit standard UW Tacoma states it's reading for.
Apply by November 15 specifically to be considered for merit-based scholarships - this is a real cutoff, not a soft suggestion
UW Tacoma's Early Action date of November 15 guarantees an admissions decision by January and, critically, is the specific cutoff for merit-based scholarship consideration - applying later doesn't just risk a slower decision, it can remove you from scholarship consideration entirely. If cost is any factor at all in your decision, treat November 15 as a hard financial deadline distinct from, and more consequential than, the general admission deadline.
If Urban Studies interests you, choose between the Global Urbanism and Community Development & Planning tracks deliberately - they teach genuinely different skill sets
UW Tacoma's School of Urban Studies offers a BA in Urban Studies with two distinct formal options: Global Urbanism (understanding worldwide urban dynamics) and Community Development & Planning (focused theory and skill-based courses in local planning practice). These aren't interchangeable concentrations - one is oriented toward international/comparative urban theory, the other toward hands-on local planning skills - so research which track matches your actual career direction (international development vs. local municipal/nonprofit planning work) before declaring, and reference the specific track by name in any program-specific outreach.
Reference UW Tacoma's specific historic campus architecture and downtown Tacoma location if place-based or urban-focused programs interest you
UW Tacoma's 46-acre campus is built from renovated century-old brick warehouse buildings (including a former mattress factory and grocery warehouse) in the historic Union Station District, directly adjacent to the Tacoma Art Museum, Washington State History Museum, and the Chihuly Bridge of Glass - a genuinely distinctive, award-winning adaptive-reuse campus tied directly to the city's industrial and railroad history. For Urban Studies, Community Development & Planning, or Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences applicants, referencing this specific campus history and downtown integration (rather than generic "urban campus" language) demonstrates you've actually researched what makes UW Tacoma's setting pedagogically relevant to place-based programs.
Expert Insight:
Because UW Tacoma requires a Personal Statement for all first-year applicants (unlike many peer schools that make it optional), students sometimes reuse a generic Common App essay written for other schools without adapting it to UW Tacoma's specific stated expectation: that the statement reflect "the experience and maturity of someone who has already attended college" and directly address how UW Tacoma specifically will help you reach stated goals. A well-written but generic essay that doesn't engage with this specific framing can underperform relative to a less polished essay that directly answers what UW Tacoma says it's looking for.
UWT Profile
Full Name
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (UWT)
City
Tacoma
State
Washington
ZIP Code
98402-3100
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Is a UWT Degree Worth It?
Whether UWT is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $69,800, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.62%.
How much does a degree from UWT Cost?
The sticker price is $24,528/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $10,017.
40.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 29.7% take federal loans at UWT — file your FAFSA early and list UWT as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a UWT Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $78,466 — about 93% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of Washington-Tacoma Campus. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Central Baptist College | Conway, AR | 1022 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | 1020 | 20 |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | Magnolia, AR | 1050 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Fort Smith, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, CT | 1044 | 24 |
| Baptist University of Florida | Graceville, FL | 1045 | 20 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of Washington-Tacoma Campus. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, CO | 1070 | 23 |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | 1077 | 22 |
| Florida College | Temple Terrace, FL | 1068 | 19 |
| Piedmont University | Demorest, GA | 1074 | 21 |
| Shorter University | Rome, GA | 1075 | 20 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of Washington-Tacoma Campus. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
Degree Programs at UWT
Bachelor Degree Programs
Masters Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About UWT Admissions
Median graduate earnings at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus run about $78,466 a year.
At about $24,528 a year, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus is on the more affordable end.
About 40.2% receive a Pell Grant at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 83%, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus average a 3.41 GPA.
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.11 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.01, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus — aim above 1070, ideally within the 1030–1100 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for University of Washington-Tacoma Campus is November 15 for Early Action applicants.
The application fee is 60. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is January 15, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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