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An Urban-Serving University
in the heart of downtown Tacoma, Washington
Total Headcount
UW Tacoma is an urban-serving university providing access to students in a way that transforms families and communities. We impact and inform economic development through community-engaged students and faculty. We conduct research that is of direct use to our community and region. And, most importantly, we seek to be connected to our community's needs and aspirations.
Students
More than half of students transfer to UW Tacoma from one of the many community colleges in the area or from other universities. Freshmen from high schools all over the Puget Sound and beyond make up a growing portion of students. Add to the mix students who are returning to school after years away, military personnel and their families, and professionals working on new career goals. Our students create a kaleidoscope of perspectives crucial to learning.
Where Do UW Tacoma Students Come From?
Top High Schools
- Curtis Senior HS
- Kentwood HS
- Thomas Jefferson
- Mountainview HS
- Rogers HS
Top Community Colleges
- Tacoma Community College
- Pierce College
- Green River College
- Highline College
- South Puget Sound Community College
Student Profile
| 4,222 | Undergraduate Enrollment |
| 758 | Graduate Enrollment |
| 1,141 | School of Engineering & Technology |
| 887 | School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences |
| 794 | Milgard School of Business |
| 335 | School of Social Work & Criminal Justice |
| 194 | School of Education |
| 163 | School of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership | 81 | School of Urban Studies |
| 34% | Caucasian |
| 21% | Asian American |
| 15% | Hispanic/Latinx |
| 11% | African American |
| 9% | Two or More Indicated |
| 4% | International |
| 1% | Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
| 1% | Native American |
| 3% | Not Indicated |
| 52% | Male |
| 48% | Female |
| 83% | Attend full-time |
| 73% | Receive financial aid |
| 49% | Eligible for Pell grants |
| 15:1 | Student-Faculty Ratio |
Most Popular Majors
- Computer Science
- Biomedical Sciences
- Information Technology
- Accounting
- Psychology
- Finance
- Nursing
- Marketing
- Electrical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering
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Learning
Education at UW Tacoma happens both in and out of the classroom. Our size means students have the opportunity to work one on one with faculty on research and service projects. This approach helps reinforce key concepts and provides students with practical experience they need to launch their careers.
We offer over 50 undergraduate degree programs and options, 15 graduate programs and a variety of professional development courses and certificates.
Accreditation
The University of Washington Tacoma is accredited as a unit of the University of Washington by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Learn more about accreditation.
$53 million in financial aid
was disbursed in the 2022-23 academic year.
Full-time resident annual tuition for 2023-24:
- Undergraduate: $13,168
- Graduate: $21,969
Includes Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters. Graduate tuition varies by program.
Campus
The 46-acre campus footprint is located on a hillside overlooking the Port of Tacoma and Mount Rainier, on the southern edge of downtown Tacoma, next to museums and the beautifully reconstructed Union Station. Within walking distance are an array of restaurants, attractions, businesses, shops, parks, museums and historic architecture.
Community
UW Tacoma is an urban-serving university, closely linked with Tacoma and the South Puget Sound. We're a member of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, a network of public, urban, research universities committed to creating an educated workforce, building strong communities and improving the health of diverse populations.
Land Acknowledgement
The UW Tacoma community acknowledges that we learn, teach, work and live on the ancestral land of the Coast Salish people. In particular, our campus is situated on traditional lands of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. We recognize that this is a difficult and painful history, and we understand we must play an active role in remembering, not just what happened to Indigenous communities; post settlement, but also the rich history that existed long before colonization. This land acknowledgement is one small act in an ongoing process of honoring the past while working together with local Tribes to build a more inclusive and thoughtful community.
The UW Connection
Created in 1990, UW Tacoma is one of three campuses that make up the University of Washington, which was founded in 1861. Each campus shares a dedication to excellence, the same faculty hiring standards and high standards of social responsibility while offering their own different educational experiences.
Bothell
Chancellor Kristin G. Esterberg
Tacoma
Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange
Seattle
President Ana Mari Cauce
