College tuition fees rose 4.1% in Spokane County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $18,618 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $733 more than the previous school year.
Among the 12 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Gonzaga University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $50,735. Whitworth University followed with an average of $48,990 per year. Spokane Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $3,996.
At the time, at least $71.5 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Spokane County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $14.8 million.
Currently there are 13 higher education institutions in Spokane County, including Whitworth University, Spokane Community College, and Spokane Falls Community College.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 13 institutions in Spokane County, Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrington College-Spokane | 99 | $461,316 | $4,660 | 103 | $797,715 | $7,745 |
| Whitworth University | 443 | $16,981,743 | $38,334 | 263 | $1,889,831 | $7,186 |
| International Beauty Education Center | 85 | $429,413 | $5,052 | 82 | $483,990 | $5,902 |
| Gonzaga University | 1,210 | $35,271,750 | $29,150 | 518 | $4,532,981 | $8,751 |
| Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Great Northern University | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Spokane Falls Community College | 445 | $2,666,678 | $5,993 | 149 | $772,092 | $5,182 |
| Spokane Community College | 593 | $4,444,632 | $7,495 | 257 | $1,442,637 | $5,613 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Spokane | 59 | $394,835 | $6,692 | 62 | $487,005 | $7,855 |
| Studio Beauty School | 31 | $147,107 | $4,745 | 36 | $215,387 | $5,983 |
| Eastern Washington University | 1,186 | $10,384,326 | $8,756 | 618 | $3,957,127 | $6,403 |
| Glen Dow Academy of Hair Design | 39 | $280,897 | $7,202 | 29 | $166,310 | $5,735 |
| Northwest HVAC/R Training Center | 10 | $36,749 | $3,675 | 8 | $44,500 | $5,563 |
