The Evergreen State College
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 2,160 students.
About This School
The Evergreen State College is a public institution located in Olympia, Washington with approximately 2,160 undergraduate students enrolled. The Evergreen State College has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 96%. The average net price after financial aid is $24,319 per year. The graduation rate is 41%, and the typical graduate earns $36,900 within 10 years of enrollment.
The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in unincorporated Thurston County, Washington, with an Olympia postal address. Founded in 1967, and offering classes in the fall of 1971, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a predetermined path of study. Full-time students can enroll in interdisciplinary academic programs, in addition to stand-alone classes. Programs typically offer students the opportunity to study several disciplines in a coordinated manner. Faculty write substantive narrative evaluations of students' work in place of issuing grades.
The numbers tell a mixed story here — a 44% graduation rate and 68% freshman retention suggest many students don't find their footing, which is worth taking seriously before enrolling. That said, if you're a self-directed learner who thrives without traditional grades or rigid structure, the interdisciplinary, design-your-own-curriculum model is genuinely distinctive and hard to find at a public school price. Median debt at graduation is a manageable $15,000, but post-graduation earnings of $36,900 after 10 years are modest, so this is best suited for students with a clear sense of purpose rather than those still figuring out direction.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 9% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2,160 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Washington
University of Washington
Seattle, WA · Public
Washington State University
Pullman, WA · Public
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA · Public
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA · Public
Bellevue College
Bellevue, WA · Public
Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA · Public
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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