With awards from Best Choice Schools, College Values Online, and Best Colleges, Central Washington University is widely recognized as a leader in affordable online degrees in Washington. Not only is CWU about half the price of other schools on this list, but it also features a range of unique degrees that transcend the typical offerings of business and health care. Professional and Creative Writing, Aviation Management, and Law and Justice represent just a few examples of the degree programs at CWU that will help you discover your passion and make a difference - from the convenience of your own home.

Compared to Saint Martin's, the City University of Seattle probably seems like the College of the Future. Most notably, the online bachelor's program at CUS holds the U.S. News title for 27th best in the country, an accolade that has undoubtedly boosted its already enormous popularity. In fact, online undergraduate enrollment has climbed to nearly 60% in recent years. Throw in an outstanding graduation rate and tuition well-below $20,000 a year for in-state students and you have a digital college recipe for the digital generation. If that's not enough to make it a top online school in Washington, nothing will.

With just 19% of students enrolled in any distance learning courses at all, Saint Martin's University isn't exactly known in the state of Washington as a traditional online college. In fact, despite the wide range of departments which feature coursework online (and there are over 150 courses to choose from), there is just one major that is available completely online: Psychology. Yet the advantages of web-based studying at Saint Martin's are overwhelming. SMU will even let you "try out" online courses before enrolling to determine if it will suit your needs. For this reason and many more, SMU has earned a place in our Washington top online colleges ranking.