Our students, faculty and staff are united by a steadfast belief in the power of possibility. With multiple campuses; a world-class medical school and statewide health care system; Big Ten athletics; and extensive continuing education programs, the University of Washington is a community-engaged R1 research institution. It provides boundless opportunities for students while making a profound positive impact on people in the Puget Sound region, across the state of Washington and around the globe.
The UW is renowned as one of the most accomplished universities in the world ranked #7 best global university by U.S. News & World Report (2025), #4 among U.S. public institutions by Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings (2023), and #3 U.S. public university by Academic Ranking of World Universities (2023).
Committed to creating a world of good
Since 1861, the ideas and ideals of UW students and faculty have come alive at home and abroad through active research, teaching and engagement.
A transformational student experience
The Husky Experience takes the learning process beyond the classroom. UW students have limitless opportunities to forge deep connections with a network of top faculty, researchers, peers and alumni, as well as leaders in the community — and to become campus and community leaders themselves. Students engage in a range of hands-on educational experiences, from participating in research to providing health care in rural communities to traveling to the Arctic for exploration of the effects of climate change. With more than 1,000 student organizations — from First Nations at UW to Step Up Dance Crew to Students for Global Health — the hub of the Husky Experience centers on community, opportunity and a vibrant student life.
Our public promise
It is the University’s mission and vision — not just its heritage — that make it a public institution. Advancing social equity and changing lives are integral to who we are. Excellence, collaboration and diversity are core values of the UW, and the University is dedicated to leading the public dialogue on society’s greatest challenges as promoters of positive change. In doing so, the University fosters civic partnerships, service learning and community engagement initiatives that serve the greater common good.
Delivering global impact
Our students and faculty turn ideas into life-changing realities that improve the world. From revolutionizing global health through new vaccines and worldwide disease data to developing cleaner, more sustainable technologies, the UW strives for positive impact, whether touching one life or millions. Our impact extends to communities from Spokane to Shanghai, delivering real-world solutions, innovative technologies and compassionate care at home and around the planet.
Fueling an innovation ecosystem
At the UW, innovation is in our DNA. As an international epicenter for commercializing research and technology, including bioscience and bioengineering, AI and cloud computing, the University is at the center of the Pacific Northwest’s thriving innovation ecosystem. Our multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning fosters a creative mindset that pervades every corner of our culture, from business to computer science to art history. Students are active sparks in the UW’s innovation efforts, and the University offers a wide variety of learning, training and competition opportunities to build students’ skills in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Fast facts
- 22% of UW undergraduates were eligible for Pell Grant funding in 2022–23
- 110 active UW spinoff companies as of 2023, employing more than 1,071 people
- $1.87B in sponsored research grants and contracts received in FY23
- 80% of undergraduates participate in UW research
- #3 in U.S. Peace Corps volunteers in 2024
The University of Washington: a snapshot
The University of Washington enrolls 60,000+ students annually at our three campuses (Bothell, Seattle, and Tacoma) and educates an additional 45,000+ students annually through UW Continuum College, which includes certificate programs, graduate degrees, international English language programs, Massive Open Online Courses and more.
The UW makes education possible for students of all economic backgrounds through programs such as the Husky Promise, which has covered tuition and fees for 60,000+ WA state students. In 2022–23, 68% of all UW undergraduates graduated with no known debt. 28% of entering first-years are first-generation students seeking four-year degrees.
The UW offers over 846 degree options across 473 programs. All 39 Washington counties and all 50 states are represented among the student body. 74% of undergrads are from Washington state. The UW received a record 69,080 first-year applications in 2024 (a 10% increase from the previous year).
The UW operates centers for learning and research in Rome, Italy, León, Spain, Friday Harbor, WA, and throughout eastern Washington and the Spokane area. We were recently ranked the #1 Undergraduate School in the West for Entrepreneurship (Entrepreneur Magazine, 2024). 30+ UW graduate and specialty programs rank among the nation’s top 10 in each area, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Graduate School Rankings.*
In 2023, UW Medicine’s primary, specialty and urgent care clinics had 1,867,244 patient visits and hospitals admitted 61,323 patients. UW Medicine provided more than $836 million in uncompensated care for WA state residents in need.
*The UW School of Law and UW School of Medicine have withdrawn from U.S. News rankings.
The university for Washington
Born in Seattle
Nestled between the glittering Puget Sound, two snowcapped mountain ranges and miles of lush forests, the UW marked its 163rd anniversary in 2024. With cherry blossoms that bring thousands of visitors to the Quad every spring and a stunning view of Mount Rainier, the campus is renowned for its Pacific Northwest beauty. Students find diverse opportunities to engage, explore and learn here, whether in one of many high-tech labs or out on the UW Farm. As the home of Husky Athletics, Meany Hall for the Performing Arts, the Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture, the Henry Art Gallery, UW Medical Center and more, the campus in Seattle attracts thousands of community members and visitors throughout the year.
Located a few miles from downtown, the UW is a quintessential part of Seattle’s vibrant history as well as its promising future. On this residential campus, thousands of students call the UW home — including the 71% of UW first-year students who choose to live on campus.
Adjacent to campus, the U District is an eclectic combination of historic sites, a global mix of food and drink options, and a rapidly developing tech sector that the University is fostering through support of startups and a strong partnership with the city and neighborhood. On the west side of campus, the UW is developing Portage Bay Crossing — a dynamic, multidisciplinary new district that will merge education and student life with cutting-edge research and action, where students and faculty experts across multiple fields will partner with public and nonprofit institutions, private companies and the Seattle community to harness the UW’s culture of entrepreneurial thinking, innovation and positive impact.
With a proud history of educating leaders, thinkers and doers, the UW’s campus in Seattle includes 16 colleges and schools offering a broad range of programs for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. At the educational core of the University is the College of Arts & Sciences, where more than half of all UW undergraduates earn their degrees from among 39 departments.
UW colleges and schools in Seattle:
- College of Arts & Sciences
- College of Built Environments
- Foster School of Business
- School of Dentistry
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of the Environment
- The Graduate School
- The Information School
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- School of Nursing
- School of Pharmacy
- School of Public Health
- Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
- School of Social Work
UW Bothell
As a small campus community with the resources and opportunities of a large university, UW Bothell offers high-demand degree programs with an emphasis on student-faculty interaction, experiential learning and community engagement. Hosting a diverse student body of 6,064 students, Bothell’s breathtaking campus includes the state’s most successful wetlands restoration site, providing unique educational and research opportunities.
UW Bothell by the numbers:
- In 2023, 38% of incoming first-year students and 42% of new transfer students at UW Bothell were first-generation college students.
- 92% of new UW Bothell students in 2023 were from Washington state.
UW Bothell’s schools include:
- School of Business
- School of Educational Studies
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
- School of Nursing & Health Studies
- School of Science, Technology, Engineering (STEM)
UW Tacoma
At UW Tacoma, students become engines of change for themselves, their families and their communities — and this urban-serving university has become an engine for the revitalization of historic downtown Tacoma. Of UW Tacoma’s 4,980 students, 18% are military-affiliated, and 61% of undergraduates are students of color — including 32% from underserved communities.
UW Tacoma by the numbers:
- 51% of undergraduates at UW Tacoma in 2023 were first- generation college students.
- U.S. News & World Report named UW Tacoma the No. 1 performer for social mobility in Washington in 2022.
UW Tacoma’s schools include:
Leading health sciences education and public clinical services
Our six health sciences schools — Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Social Work — are committed to excellence in training future professionals and researchers who support the health of individuals and communities. In 2022, we opened the new Health Sciences Education Building, providing a technologically sophisticated space designed to promote active learning.
The UW’s groundbreaking Population Health Initiative, launched in 2016, unites all of the University’s schools and colleges and external partners to come together in an interdisciplinary and collaborative manner to improve the health of people in Washington and around the world.
UW School of Medicine
Renowned for its quality education and dedication to service, the UW School of Medicine trains the next generation of physicians, researchers and health professionals and is a national leader in biomedical research. The UW’s WWAMI model — the five-state regional medical educational network serving Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho — is widely considered the best academic model for training and placing physicians in underserved communities. In addition, to better address the growing shortage of primary care physicians in Washington, the UW and Gonzaga University created the Health Partnership, which allows students at the UW School of Medicine in Spokane to complete their first 18 months of medical school on the Gonzaga campus and in the local community. And thanks to significant investment from the Washington State Legislature, UW Medicine recently opened the new Center for Behavioral Health and Learning — addressing a critical statewide shortage of inpatient psychiatric care, while providing high-quality education and training for those pursuing careers in behavioral health.
WWAMI, the UW School of Medicine’s innovative multistate medical education program, makes public medical education accessible to residents across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho — encouraging graduates to practice primary care and family medicine in non-metropolitan areas where access to health care can be sparse.
UW Medicine
The UW Medicine family of hospitals and clinics works to improve the health of the public by providing the highest quality care in the Puget Sound area and across the state and the region. More than 29,000 employees provide services ranging from primary and preventative care to the most highly specialized care for the most complex medical conditions. U.S. News & World Report has ranked UW Medical Center the No. 1 hospital in the Seattle metro area and in Washington since 2012.
UW Medicine is a family of organizations (some public and some private nonprofit) that are operated or managed as part of an integrated health system. The clinically integrated parts of UW Medicine include:
- Airlift Northwest
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Harborview Medical Center
- UW Medical Center (Montlake and Northwest campuses)
- UW Medicine Primary Care
- UW Physicians
- UW School of Medicine
- Valley Medical Center
Each of these organizations has a unique relationship to the University of Washington. UW Medicine also has affiliations with and interests in other health care organizations in the Pacific Northwest, including multiple entities in which the UW on behalf of UW Medicine has an ownership or membership interest. Each of these relationships advances UW Medicine’s mission to improve the health of the public.
The Office of Healthcare Equity launched in 2020 to lead a robust and integrated approach to infusing the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion in the fabric of UW Medicine.
Harborview Medical Center is the state’s only designated Level I adult and pediatric trauma and verified burn center, and it’s the regional trauma and burn referral center for Alaska, Montana and Idaho, as well as the disaster preparedness and disaster control hospital for Seattle and King County.
Inside the UW
Vision
The University of Washington educates a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship. Discovery is at the heart of our University. We discover timely solutions to the world’s most complex problems and enrich the lives of people throughout our community, the state of Washington, the nation and the world.
Excellence in teaching: a core value
Excellence in teaching is central to the UW’s public mission, and we’re widely recognized among our peers as an innovator in teaching excellence among public universities. The UW strengthens and supports the UW’s outstanding teaching community through mentoring, research and recognition.
At the UW, excellence in teaching includes broad participation in faculty research. The Office of Undergraduate Research provides resources and opportunities to support students, mentors and staff across all disciplines to power transformative research experiences.
Teaching@UW is a tricampus partnership to facilitate evidence-based teaching across all three campuses.
The UW Center for Teaching and Learning supports the advancement of a teaching community that is collegial and committed to reflective, inclusive, equitable and learner-centered teaching. The center’s research-based workshops and programs support instructors on all three UW campuses and encourage innovation and collaboration.
The UW Teaching Awards recognize outstanding faculty and graduate teaching assistants each year for their reflective teaching practices, commitment to inclusion and valuing students’ experiences, dedication to creating transformative learning experiences and service to the UW teaching community.
UW faculty by the numbers:
- 2 Pulitzer Prize winners
- 8 Nobel Prize winners
- 19 MacArthur Fellows
- 35 members of the National Academy of Engineering
- 72 members of the National Academy of Medicine
- 97 members of the National Academy of Sciences
- 103 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 202 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- More than 200 faculty members have received the UW Distinguished Teaching Award since the honor began in 1970
Accelerating the impact of research, scholarship and creativity
The advancement of knowledge is central to the UW’s mission and vision, and the University has a globally recognized track record in research impact and excellence. With more than 4,000 faculty, 16 major colleges and schools, and more than 270 research centers and institutes, the UW’s research, scholarship and creativity extend to a wide range of fields, from computer science and engineering to the arts and social work. The UW received $1.87 billion in competitive research awards in FY2023 — the top public university for federal research dollars in the nation.
Over the last 20 years, the UW has doubled its research funding — it is second only to Johns Hopkins University in federal research funding. The University continues to expand its investment in targeted initiatives that address the world’s most pressing societal issues, while fostering collaboration nationally and internationally through groundbreaking partnerships. All three campuses have been certified with the Carnegie Foundation’s community-engaged classification, giving the UW the unique identity of a community-engaged R1 university.
Pursuing research that transforms lives
UW researchers have pioneered kidney dialysis, created the Hepatitis B vaccine — the world’s first genetically engineered vaccine against a human disease — and uncovered new insights into how babies learn language.
Today, the UW continues to pursue life-changing research across a range of fields. Highlights from the UW’s current research portfolio include:
- Developing vaccines to prevent breast cancer through the UW Medicine Cancer Vaccine Institute
- Generating clean, sustainable energy using the natural movement of water
- Reducing wildfire hazards by simulating the consequences of different forest management strategies
- Preserving the work of minority artists who have been left out of official archives
- Collaborating with Pacific Northwest coastal tribes to understand barriers to climate change adaptation
- Helping parents facing stress and adversity enhance their children’s social, emotional and behavioral skills
CoMotion is the University’s collaborative hub for expanding the societal impact of the UW community. Delivering the tools and connections that UW researchers and students need, CoMotion forges partnerships throughout Seattle and is one of the top public universities in technology transfer. Recent success stories include a fusion energy startup that spun off from the UW in 2017 and has raised over $200 million, and a biotech startup to detect and treat diseases caused by incorrectly folded proteins such as Alzheimer’s, which raised $23.1 million in Series A funding after spinning out in 2019.
Fast facts
- From FY19 to FY23, companies licensed 2,160 technologies from the UW, and UW researchers filed 785 patents.
- Over 40 UW-affiliated experts were included among Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers in 2023.
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging: promoting access, opportunity and justice for all
At the UW, we’re committed to broadening horizons and valuing diversity as a source of strength. Our University community is engaged in the enduring work of individual, institutional and systemic change to end racism and other inequities. Together we work to forge a future where everyone is included and valued, and where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
The Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMA&D) creates pathways for diverse populations to access postsecondary opportunities, nurture and support their academic success, and cultivate a campus climate that enriches the educational experience for everyone.
The Diversity Council, a body composed of faculty, staff and students from across all academic and administrative units, advises the UW vice president for minority affairs and diversity, and university diversity officer, on campus diversity issues. The council produced the UW 2022–26 Diversity Blueprint, a framework that guides the University toward its goals of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. UW academic and administrative units are expected to align their DEI plans with the Blueprint.
To ensure that anti-racism and equity are at the core of all we do, President Ana Mari Cauce launched the UW Race & Equity Initiative in 2015. It began with a challenge: that all members of the University community — students, faculty, staff and leadership — take personal responsibility for addressing our own biases and transforming the University culture to make it more equitable. To improve and sustain equity, inclusion and belonging at the UW and in the local, regional and global communities we serve, we work to directly confront bias and racism at the individual, institutional and systemic levels. We approach this work through acknowledging and addressing individual bias and racism, transforming institutional policies and practices, and accelerating systemic change.
Fast facts
- OMA&D college access programs serve25,000 students in 86 school districts, 179 schools and 19 two-year colleges across Washington state.
- More than 6,500 UW undergraduates a year receive new student orientation, academic advising, mentoring and more through OMA&D.
- OMA&D awards more than $600,000 annually in scholarships to undergraduates.
Athletics: where the husky spirit comes alive
The UW officially joined the Big Ten Conference on Aug. 2, 2024, kicking off a season of excitement as Husky Athletics steps onto the highest-profile national stage in college sports. Other new conference members include long-standing West Coast opponents University of Oregon, USC and UCLA, and the UW will maintain the 124-year tradition of the Apple Cup rivalry football game against the Washington State University Cougars. The Big Ten transition also opens opportunities for academic collaboration and alignment, including the Big Ten Academic Alliance and Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.
Known as “the greatest setting in college football,” Husky Stadium draws thousands each game, including hundreds of “sailgaters” who cheer on the Dawgs from Lake Washington. When the stadium was fully renovated in 2014, the Natural Resources Defense Council listed UW among athletic programs that excel in green practices.
UW Athletics includes nine NCAA Division I men’s sports and 11 women’s sports. We also have more than 30 intramural sports and many rec clubs.
Fast facts
- “The Boys in the Boat” who won gold in the 1936 Olympics made the UW famous for rowing, and their story became a bestselling book and major motion picture. We are undertaking the restoration of the historic ASUW Shell House where the team trained.
- The championship rowing tradition continues: The men’s team won its 20th national title in 2024, and the women’s team has won five national titles.
- The overall UW student-athlete GPA in fall 2023 was 3.39.
Alumni and friends
The UW has a globe-spanning community of nearly 500,000 alumni who are passionate about the purple and gold. From Homecoming to Alumni Tours, the UW’s community actively engages with students, faculty and staff to advance the University’s mission and vision at home and around the world.
Fast facts
- About 69% of UW alumni live in Washington state, including 58% in the Puget Sound area.
UW Impact
UW Impact is the UW Alumni Association’s legislative advocacy program, dedicated to mobilizing alumni on behalf of securing state support for the UW and public higher education. The UW Impact program has two main components: advocacy and education. During legislative sessions, it encourages UWAA members, alumni and friends of public higher education to become advocates for students, faculty and programs.
Philanthropic support
The UW enjoys strong private support from a broad range of stakeholders including alumni, non-alumni (who make up 70.5% of the UW’s donors), organizations, corporations and foundations. For the fiscal year ending in June 2024:
- The UW received gifts and commitments totaling $668 million from more than 160,000 donors, for both current use and endowed funds.
- 62,632 donors gave for the first time.
- The University’s Consolidated Endowment Fund reached $5.5 billion and distributed more than $173 million.
The most recent comprehensive campaign, “Be Boundless — For Washington, for the World,” concluded in June 2020. Publicly launched in 2016 with a $5 billion goal, the campaign inspired contributions totaling $6.3 billion from more than 500,000 donors. Planning is now underway for the next campaign, which the incoming president will shape.
Fast facts
- 17,641 donors made their first gift to the UW in FY23.
- 126 new endowed funds were established in FY23.
The University of Washington Foundation
The UW Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that advances the UW’s mission by partnering with University leadership and Advancement to grow relationships and resources in support of the University. Established in 1987 to support the UW’s first campaign, the foundation is led by a board of directors comprising philanthropic leaders and operates in partnership and close collaboration with University Advancement. The foundation and its leadership are eager to partner with the next president to move the University of Washington forward.
Seattle and the Puget Sound region
What do biotech, Jimi Hendrix and Starbucks have in common? All are linked to the Emerald City: a thriving urban hub, technology hotspot and cultural and philanthropic center that continues to attract the nation’s — and the world’s — best and brightest.
Seattle’s success is tied integrally to the UW. Thousands of UW alumni and friends — including the iconic Bill Gates Sr., aerospace trailblazer William E. Boeing, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Costco co-founder Jeffrey H. Brotman, and the 2024 Gates Volunteer Service Award recipients, Clyde and Sherrelle Walker — have partnered with the UW to develop the business, industrial and creative legacy of the Puget Sound region. And as the gateway to the Pacific Rim, Seattle has a unique history of expanding that legacy across Asia through relationships with businesses, organizations and educational partners.
As the home of “global locals” such as Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Costco, Starbucks and Alaska Airlines, the Seattle area offers residents and visitors a vibrant, innovative and fast-paced environment. The UW’s Foster of School of Business regularly engages local executives to speak on campus, as well as mentor and collaborate with students and faculty on everything from leadership to startups.
More than 1,500 independent philanthropic foundations operate here, anchoring our region’s strong culture of giving and civic duty. Seattle-rooted giants in the field include the Gates Foundation, the Washington Research Foundation, PATH, the Marguerite Casey Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
And from shimmering Lake Washington to the picturesque summit of Mount Rainier, the Puget Sound region offers stunning natural scenery at every turn, fueling Seattle’s vibrant outdoor culture. The city is home to 200 miles of shoreline and nearly 500 city parks, with abundant opportunities for running, hiking, cycling, boating and other adventures.
Powering economic vitality
As the fifth-largest employer in the state, the UW is a key driver of Washington state’s economy by creating jobs, educating the future workforce, providing valuable medical services, hosting conferences and performances, catalyzing businesses and entrepreneurs, and providing uncompensated care.
Why live here?
Washington has the #1 state economy in the U.S. according to WalletHub, which cites its extremely high amount of industry research and development investment per capita. Washington also has the nation’s second-highest share of jobs in high-tech industries and the second-highest share of STEM professionals.
In 2024, Seattle was No. 6 in the world on the inaugural Global Cities Index from Oxford Economics, which considers human capital, quality of life, environment, governance and economics.
Seattle is the No. 3 Best City for Young Professionals in America (Niche, 2024).
Seattle is the No. 4 Most Livable City in the U.S. (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2024) and #2 Healthiest Place to Live in the U.S.(Wallethub, 2023).
From Microsoft and PACCAR to Nintendo, Amazon, Boeing and Weyerhaeuser, thousands of companies and organizations recruit UW students each year.
Fast facts
- The UW generates $20.9B in total economic impact in the state of Washington.
- For every $32 in the state’s economy, $1 is connected to the UW.
- The UW supports111,951 jobs* in Washington state, including 60,717 related to UW Medicine.
* Includes direct employment and indirect and induced jobs created in support of the University’s workforce and its visitors. See the full report at uw.edu/externalaffairs/eir.
