The Evergreen State College

Key Highlights

• Public four-year college accredited by NWCCU
• Established in Olympia in 1971
• Additional Tacoma and Native Pathways study options
• Uses a highly customizable interdisciplinary undergraduate model

Student Life & Environment

Student life on the Olympia campus is shaped by both its natural setting and a student-directed culture. The college’s student-life pages describe registered organizations spanning arts, culture, politics, environmental issues, gaming, recreation, and identity-based community. Students can join or establish groups, participate in the Geoduck Student Union, contribute to the student-run Cooper Point Journal, or become involved with KAOS community radio and campus exhibitions. Because organizations register by academic year, applicants should check the current list rather than assume a particular club will continue unchanged. Recreation includes intercollegiate athletics, club activities, and access to the Costantino Recreation Center. The campus environment also supports walking, outdoor recreation, and engagement with the college’s forest, trails, farm, and shoreline. Wellness services provide medical and counseling support, while BLISS, veterans’ resources, TRIO services, and the Basic Needs Center address different student needs. On-campus accommodation includes apartment singles and residence-hall singles. Published 2026–27 rates include furnishings, utilities, and internet, and residents sign an academic-year housing agreement. Housing is not automatically assigned; students must first be admitted and then apply. The application calendar, room preferences, fees, meal arrangements, and contract conditions deserve early review, particularly for students who need accommodations or expect to leave campus before the end of the year.

Location & Surroundings

Evergreen’s primary campus is at 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW in Olympia. The setting is unusually wooded for a state college: official campus information describes roughly 1,000 forested acres, trails, a three-acre organic farm, and approximately 3,000 feet of Puget Sound beachfront. This gives students direct access to outdoor spaces while keeping them near Olympia’s services and public institutions. Two free Intercity Transit routes connect the campus with downtown Olympia, although students should check current schedules when planning a regular commute. The college also operates in Tacoma, where its program has roots in the Hilltop community and has occupied a permanent Sixth Avenue location since 2001. Tacoma offerings are not interchangeable with the full Olympia catalog; prospective students should filter the current catalog by location and confirm where their intended study is delivered. Native Pathways offerings also appear in Olympia, Tacoma, Peninsula, Quinault, and Salish Sea configurations. The practical experience therefore varies considerably by program: Olympia offers the residential, forested main-campus environment, while Tacoma and other locations are better understood as place-specific academic options rather than equivalent residential campuses.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–27, Evergreen publishes estimated annual undergraduate tuition of $8,643 for Washington residents, $12,519 for eligible Western Undergraduate Exchange students, and $32,805 for other nonresidents. Mandatory fees are estimated at $1,416. The institution’s full cost-of-attendance budgets are $33,630, $37,506, and $57,792 respectively after adding estimated books, housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses. These are planning budgets rather than an individual bill, and actual living and travel costs can differ. Published campus-housing prices for 2026–27 are $7,155 for a residence-hall single and $10,014 for an apartment single across the academic year, plus a $300 facilities and maintenance fee. The housing application fee is $50. The broader cost-of-attendance housing allowance is higher than these room-only rates and should not be treated as a quoted room charge. New degree-seeking undergraduates are also assessed a one-time $300 transition fee. Students should use the net-price calculator and review financial-aid eligibility before comparing offers. Evergreen lists grants, loans, work-study, scholarships, FAFSA support, and Washington’s WASFA route for eligible students. Academic and Career Advising assists with résumés, interviews, job searches, graduate-school planning, and broader career direction. Catalog filters can identify offerings with internship, research, or study-abroad possibilities. No current official earnings or placement figure was verified, so career value should be assessed through the student’s chosen academic plan, relevant experience, and the advising resources available rather than an unsupported outcome claim.