Seattle University

Admission to Seattle University is relatively accessible, though its standing has softened over recent cycles. In the 2027 US News Best Colleges rankings, the institution placed 179th among national universities, moving downward from 139th in 2020. For the class entering in 2025, the acceptance rate reached 76.9%, showing that the vast majority of applicants receive an offer of admission. Despite this high acceptance rate, the school's yield rate stood at just 13.6%, indicating that only a modest fraction of admitted students ultimately decided to enroll. While this yield performance was higher than 67% of peer institutions in its comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities, it underscores that Seattle University is frequently weighed alongside competing choices rather than being an automatic destination. For applicants, the admissions bar is not particularly demanding, but the low yield rate reflects a competitive marketplace where admitted students frequently opt for alternatives.

Standardized test score reporting has declined dramatically at Seattle University in recent years, making test submissions an optional component for most incoming classes. By 2025, only 8% of enrolled first-year students submitted SAT scores, and just a tiny fraction provided ACT results. Among those who did provide scores, academic profiles remained competitive. The middle 50% composite score on the ACT spanned between 23 and 30. For the SAT, the median score among submitting students was 1310, placing it well above the median for its peer group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. Typical subscores in reading and math centered comfortably above national averages. While the university does not strictly mandate standardized testing for consideration, prospective applicants who choose to present test scores should target an SAT composite near 1310 to align with successful score submitters. Strong high school preparation and consistent classroom performance remain essential foundations for a compelling application.

Seattle University shows a clear academic focus on healthcare, business, and technology, though its largest programs do not always align with its highest-ranked specialties. In 2025, the top three undergraduate programs produced 37.5% of all bachelor's degrees, indicating moderate concentration. The largest undergraduate major was Registered Nursing with 244 graduates, followed by Computer Science and Psychology. While Registered Nursing confers the most degrees, the institution's highest national program rankings are in business and law, such as undergraduate Business Analytics, ranked 16th in 2027 by US News, and graduate Legal Writing, ranked 8th in 2026. On the employment side, 2023 earnings data show that graduates in technical and healthcare tracks achieve solid financial outcomes, with bachelor's degree recipients in Computer Science reporting median first-year earnings of $99,781. International students are relatively rare in nursing but represent a meaningful presence in technical disciplines. For prospective students, the university provides strong market-aligned professional training in the Pacific Northwest, particularly for those pursuing careers in clinical care, computing, and commercial management.

Seattle University enrolls a total student population of 7,189 across its undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in 2025. The demographic profile features strong Asian representation alongside an expanding international presence, particularly at the advanced degree level. Among the 888 first-year undergraduates, Asian students form the largest single racial cohort at 31%, while international freshmen represent 4.5% of the class. In contrast, international representation becomes much more prominent in the graduate school. Graduate students account for a substantial portion of the campus, and within this group, international students make up 17.9% of enrollment. Asian students also represent a steady proportion across continuing undergraduate cohorts and graduate divisions. In addition, women form the majority across every major student classification on campus. For incoming students, the university offers a mixed campus environment that pairs extensive local and West Coast demographic diversity in its undergraduate classrooms with a globally recruited graduate student body.

The age profile at Seattle University reveals two distinct student communities sharing the urban campus in 2025. Undergraduate enrollment is overwhelmingly traditional in age, with students aged 18 to 19 accounting for 41.3% of the undergraduate body, and those aged 20 to 21 making up another 41.3%. This creates a conventional collegiate environment centered on full-time study and campus routines for bachelor's degree seekers. In contrast, the graduate division serves an older, working-age demographic. The largest graduate cohort is between 25 and 29 years old, representing 33.7% of all graduate students, followed by meaningful shares of students in their early twenties and thirties. This generational division means daytime undergraduate student life operates alongside professional and post-baccalaureate students balancing academic training with professional goals.

International student enrollment at Seattle University has diverged sharply by study level over the past decade. Undergraduate international enrollment experienced a steady contraction, dropping to 7.5% of all undergraduates in 2025. Despite this decline, the university's undergraduate international proportion remains higher than 90% of peer schools in its comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. Conversely, the graduate division has expanded its international footprint significantly, with international students reaching 17.9% of the graduate cohort in 2025. International degree recipients are heavily concentrated in technical and quantitative subjects. Among 2025 graduates, international students earned 32.7% of all master's degrees, holding especially large shares in programs such as Data Science and Computer Science. At the undergraduate level, international graduates clustered primarily in Computer Science and business fields rather than healthcare. For prospective international applicants, the campus offers a well-established presence in graduate STEM and data disciplines, alongside an undergraduate community that remains more globally enrolled than most private university peers.

Students exploring higher education options in the Seattle metropolitan area have several nearby institutions to consider within short traveling distances. Located just 3.3 kilometers away, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a major public institution ranked 49th among national universities in the 2027 rankings. For another private university option within the city limits, Seattle Pacific University sits 3.5 kilometers away and is ranked 262nd among national universities. Slightly farther south, approximately 25 kilometers from Seattle, University of Puget Sound provides a private undergraduate-focused environment, holding the 100th spot among national liberal arts colleges. These neighboring institutions offer alternative academic profiles and campus settings close to central Seattle.

Campus safety reports at Seattle University show that policy violations account for the vast majority of logged incidents, while severe property and violent offenses occur at much lower volumes. In 2025, the university registered a crime rate of 14.6 per 1,000 students. Across the three-year span from 2023 to 2025, disciplinary actions represented the largest category of activity on campus, led by 364 liquor law disciplinary referrals and 152 drug disciplinary referrals. Beyond student conduct enforcement, property offenses constituted the main category of reported crimes, including 53 incidents of theft and several vehicle thefts over the same three-year window. Violent offenses were documented far less frequently in university records. For students living and studying on the Seattle campus, the safety record primarily reflects internal administrative enforcement of alcohol and substance regulations rather than widespread community crime, though urban vigilance regarding personal belongings remains appropriate.