Online ITPrograms
2027 State Guide
Best Online IT Programs in Washington (2027)
Online IT programs in Washington come from schools in other states, because no school based here runs one we rank. 67.5 of every thousand jobs in Washington are in computer occupations, against 0.0 nationally.
- 6online options listed
- $103,910network and computer systems administrator median
- 239,720computer jobs
Key Points
- No school based in Washington runs a fully online IT program we rank, so these picks come from Indiana, Colorado and Oregon.
- Help desk work, the usual way in, has a $75,220 median in Washington.
- Washington's largest tracked IT jobs are computer systems analysts (24,120), help desk technicians (21,860) and IT managers (16,960).
Online IT Programs in Washington: Best Fits for Residents
No school based in Washington runs a program we rank, so these six picks balance published cost, transfer credit, distance and the jobs Washington hires for. Compare the full field in our national rankings.
-
Purdue University Global
Information Technology, MS
One rate for everyone: $25,200. Washington's computer systems analysts earn $74,470 to $197,600. 50% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $420 per credit$25,200 total for 60 credits
- Credits
- 60quarter credits
- Graduation rate
- 50%school-wide
- Median earnings
- $84,1331 year after
- Graduates in this field
- 2172023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLC, CAE-CD schoolHigher Learning Commission
-
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
Master of Science in Information Technology
Computer systems analysts run 2.03 times the national share in Washington. 19% graduation rate.
- Credits
- 48
- Graduation rate
- 19%school-wide
- Median earnings
- $84,1781 year after
- Graduates in this field
- 592023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLCHigher Learning Commission
- Format
- Courses from 5 weeks
-
Eastern Oregon University
Information Technology Management, Bachelor's
One rate for everyone: $60,750. It leads toward Washington's 4,430 web developers. Up to 135 of 180 credits can transfer.
- Online tuition
- $337.50 per credit$60,750 total for 180 credits
- Credits
- 180quarter credits
- Graduation rate
- 43%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 12023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- NWCCU, CAE-CD schoolNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Transfer credits
- Up to 135
-
University of the People
Information Technology, MS
It leads toward Washington's 24,120 computer systems analysts. Up to 18 of 36 credits can transfer.
- Program cost
- $5,940the school’s estimated total
- Credits
- 36
- Graduation rate
- 34%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 612023-24, all formats
- Format
- Courses from 9 weeks
- Transfer credits
- Up to 18
- Starts
- January, April, June, September, November
-
University of Management and Technology
Information Technology, BS
One rate for everyone: $46,800. Web developers run 2.77 times the national share in Washington. 33% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $390 per credit$46,800 total for 120 credits
- Credits
- 120
- Graduation rate
- 33%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 92023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- DEACDistance Education Accrediting Commission
- Format
- Courses from 10 weeks
-
Syracuse University
Cybersecurity Administration, BPS
One rate for everyone: $90,000. It leads toward Washington's 6,030 information security analysts. A CAE-CD school.
- Online tuition
- $750 per credit$90,000 total for 120 credits
- Credits
- 120
- Graduation rate
- 84%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 62023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- MSCHE, CAE-CD schoolMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Format
- Live and self-paced, courses from 8 weeks
- Transfer credits
- Up to 90
- Starts
- January, March, May, June, August, December
Tuition Discounts for Washington Residents
State Aid for Washington Residents
The Washington College Grant from the Washington Student Achievement Council is up to $13,000 a year, with some aid at up to $139,500 in income for a family of four. Ask the agency whether your online program qualifies before you count on it.
Regional Tuition Exchanges for Washington Students
One exchange reaches Washington. Ask each school whether its online IT programs take part.
- Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE, run by WICHE): no more than 150% of the school’s resident tuition at participating public colleges. It covers undergraduate study.
IT Jobs and Salaries in Washington
Washington’s best-paid IT role: IT managers, at $209,370; Washington’s lowest is $75,220, for help desk technicians. Washington’s largest IT group: 24,120 computer systems analysts.
| Role | Median pay | vs U.S. | Typical range | Jobs | Entry education | Salary guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Manager | $209,370 | +20% | $130,010 to $327,300 | 16,960 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network Engineer | $168,070 | +25% | $93,610 to $224,910 | 4,730 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Information Security Analyst | $154,940 | +20% | $96,730 to $211,720 | 6,030 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Web Developer | $130,440 | +41% | $70,520 to $172,060 | 4,430 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $129,410 | +22% | $74,470 to $197,600 | 24,120 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Database Administrator | $118,140 | +13% | $72,170 to $170,710 | 1,730 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $103,910 | +5% | $67,500 to $154,620 | 8,600 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network Support Specialist | $101,750 | +33% | $62,600 to $171,300 | 3,300 | Associate's degree | Salary guide |
| Help Desk Technician | $75,220 | +22% | $48,710 to $128,470 | 21,860 | Some college, no degree | Salary guide |
Median and percentile pay and local employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington statewide (Sources; BLS OEWS). Typical entry education: BLS Employment Projections. The range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
Against U.S. medians, the biggest Washington premium: web developers at $130,440 (+41%). Smallest edge in Washington: network and computer systems administrators, at $103,910 (+5%). 9 of 9 Washington roles out-earn the U.S. median.
Next in Washington: IT managers (16,960 jobs, $209,370) and network and computer systems administrators (8,600 jobs, $103,910). In Washington, bachelor’s-level roles are 73% of IT jobs; Washington students can compare online IT bachelor’s degrees. Below a bachelor’s in Washington: help desk technicians (21,860 jobs, $75,220) and network support specialists (3,300 jobs, $101,750). For those Washington roles, see online IT associate degrees.
IT Pay by Metro Area in Washington
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA pays network and systems administrators the most, at $112,530.
| Metro area | Computer jobs | Network and computer systems administrator median | Security analyst median | Help desk median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 194,970 | $104,440 | $161,780 | $78,330 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 47,850 | $102,950 | $65,880 | |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 7,680 | $112,530 | $126,850 | $67,500 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 5,780 | $94,670 | $106,190 | $63,460 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 3,000 | $97,500 | $68,330 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 2,590 | $96,470 | $63,960 | |
| Bellingham, WA | 1,990 | $100,520 | $105,470 | $62,400 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 970 | $100,120 | $68,250 |
Washington IT Pay vs. Neighboring States
Network and computer systems administrators earn more in Washington than in any bordering state.
IT Job Concentration in Washington
Washington has 239,720 people working in computer occupations, at a $136,830 median. Washington runs heavy in computer systems analysts (2.03x), information security analysts (1.38x) and help desk technicians (1.33x the U.S. share).
| IT job | Per thousand jobs | Vs. national share |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analyst | 6.79 | 2.03× |
| Help Desk Technician | 6.16 | 1.33× |
| IT Manager | 4.78 | 1.11× |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | 2.42 | 1.20× |
| Information Security Analyst | 1.70 | 1.38× |
| Network Engineer | 1.33 | 1.15× |
| Web Developer | 1.25 | 2.77× |
| Network Support Specialist | 0.93 | 0.99× |
| Database Administrator | 0.49 | 1.08× |
Employment and location quotients: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Washington
Washington’s labor market office projects the job to grow 29.4% from 2024 to 2034, with about 470 openings a year.
Compare online cybersecurity degrees or read the security analyst salary guide.
Tech Jobs in Washington: The Industries Behind Them
Industry employment, establishments and payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Average pay is annual payroll divided by employment.
IT Job Growth in Washington Through 2034
Washington’s labor market office projects information security analysts to grow fastest, by 29.4% from 2024 to 2034, and network and computer systems administrators to grow slowest, at 6.2%. Across the eight IT jobs below, it expects about 7,320 openings a year, from growth and from workers who retire or change fields. Nationally, the same job is projected to grow 28.5%.
| IT job | 2024 | 2034 | Growth | Openings a year | U.S. growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analyst | 4,010 | 5,190 | +29.4% | 470 | +28.5% |
| IT Manager | 16,030 | 19,020 | +18.7% | 1,700 | +15.2% |
| Computer Systems Analyst | 20,170 | 22,610 | +12.1% | 1,660 | +8.7% |
| Network Support Specialist | 4,590 | 5,120 | +11.6% | 400 | +1.8% |
| Help Desk | 21,640 | 23,800 | +10% | 1,810 | -3.7% |
| Network Engineer | 4,750 | 5,190 | +9.2% | 320 | +11.9% |
| Database Administrator | 4,080 | 4,450 | +9% | 280 | -0.6% |
| Network Administrator and Systems Administrator | 10,980 | 11,660 | +6.2% | 680 | -4.2% |
State projections, 2024 to 2034: Projections Central, from Washington’s labor market information office. U.S. growth is the national projection on the same basis.
How to Choose an Online IT Program in Washington
Washington students can start from $25,200 at Purdue University Global. Largest IT occupation: 24,120 computer systems analysts.
Our guide to choosing by state covers cost, residency, authorization and accreditation.
Online IT Programs in Other States
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Online IT Programs in Washington FAQ
Are there online IT programs based in Washington?
None in our rankings. Washington residents enroll with schools elsewhere; our first picks are the Information Technology, MS at Purdue University Global and the Master of Science in Information Technology at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs.
Which online IT program suits Washington residents best?
Weighing cost, transfer credit, distance and local jobs, we'd start with the Information Technology, MS at Purdue University Global in Indiana, at $25,200 in published tuition.
Can Washington residents get a tuition discount at out-of-state schools?
Washington takes part in WUE. WUE offers no more than 150% of the school’s resident tuition at participating public colleges. Ask the school whether its online IT programs count.
Which IT job is Washington known for?
Web developers stand out most in Washington: 4,430 jobs, 2.77 times the national share.
Is there consulting or contract IT work in Washington?
Computer systems design firms in Washington pay an average of $131,659, across 53,995 jobs.
Keep researching
Related Rankings and Guides
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state and metropolitan area estimates
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections by state (base year 2024, projected to 2034), produced by state labor market information offices
- Washington labor market information office, long-term occupational projections
- BEA, Regional Price Parities by state (SARPP), all items, 2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, by state
- WICHE, Western Undergraduate Exchange
- NC-SARA, State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement