Most beautiful colleges in the US? This campus in Washington state made the list
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a college.
Students must think about campus and class sizes, as well as the quality of education, available resources, research opportunities and much more.
How beautiful a campus can influence a “prospective student’s first impressions and ... sway the decision about college choice,” according to U.S. News & World Report.
With that in mind, U.S. News singled out 30 of the “most beautiful college campuses” across the country, showcasing spots with “stunning architecture, picturesque settings or spectacular landscaping.”
That list features two campuses in the Pacific Northwest — including one in Washington state.
What’s the most beautiful college campus in Washington state?
Only one Evergreen State spot made U.S. News & World Report’s list of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States: the University of Washington campus in Seattle near Lake Washington.
“The University of Washington gives students a big-city experience along with a taste of just about everything associated with the Pacific Northwest – lush greenery by a large body of water with mountain views in the distance,” U.S. News said.
The campus is also famous for its cherry trees, whose bright pink blossoms transform the liberal arts quadrangle every spring.
Other noteworthy features on campus include the “cathedral-like” Suzzallo Library “with its vaulted timber ceilings and 65-feet-tall stained-glass lancet windows” and Grieg Garden, which is filled with azaleas and rhododendrons, U.S. News said.
This isn’t the first time publications have praised the beauty of the University of Washington’s Seattle campus.
In 2023, College Rover included the Seattle campus on its list of the top 50 most beautiful campuses in the nation. The University of Puget Sound in Tacoma and Whitman College in Walla Walla also made the list.
Travel + Leisure ranked the University of Washington’s Seattle campus among the 30 most beautiful college campuses in the United States in 2025.
The University of Washington in Seattle topped WalletHub’s 2026 list of the best colleges in Washington state, thanks to its admission rate, graduation rate and other factors.
Did any other Pacific Northwest colleges make the list?
U.S. News & World Report also named Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, one of the 30 most beautiful college campuses in the nation.
In addition to views of the Willamette River and Mount Hood, the campus features formal gardens and hiking trails and “majestic brick buildings,” U.S. News said.