Metro area directory
Colleges in the Washington, D.C. Area
CampusPin lists 27 colleges and universities across the Washington, D.C. metro, 24 universities and 3 community colleges, with 4 public and 23 private institutions across 6 cities.
The Washington, D.C. metro spans the District and nearby Northern Virginia and Maryland communities such as Arlington, Fairfax, Bethesda, and College Park. The region concentrates research universities, policy- and government-focused programs, and law and international-affairs schools.
Washington, D.C. colleges by the numbers
- Public / private
- 4 public · 23 private
- 4-year / 2-year
- 24 universities · 3 community colleges
- Cities covered
- 6
- Largest by enrollment
- University of Maryland, College Park
- Lowest published tuition
- Montgomery College ($5,400)
- Published tuition range
- $5,400–$65,081
Among the 27 colleges in the Washington, D.C. area, University of Maryland, College Park is the largest by enrollment; Montgomery College has the lowest published in-state tuition at $5,400; Georgetown University is the most selective at a 13% acceptance rate. Published figures are sticker price, not net price, compare net price and outcomes on each profile.
Local labor market
Across all occupations in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an annual median wage of $68,430 (3,118,630 jobs), in its May 2024 OEWS estimate. This is a whole-economy figure for the metro, not a starting salary or a graduate or field-specific wage, but it is a useful gauge of local pay levels and cost of living when weighing colleges here.
Local pay for common roles
Annual median wage in this metro for occupations tied to popular majors (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
- General and Operations Managers$151,420
- Software Developers$150,880
- Mechanical Engineers$121,060
- Registered Nurses$101,800
- Accountants and Auditors$99,440
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,120
Local pay reflects the metro labor market, not what any one college's graduates earn. For how a school's cost lines up with student outcomes, see college cost vs. graduation and earnings.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024, all occupations (SOC 00-0000), CBSA 47900.
Colleges by city in the Washington, D.C. area
Washington (18)
- American UniversityUniv · Private
- Career Technical InstituteCC · Private
- Gallaudet UniversityUniv · Private
- George Washington UniversityUniv · Private
- Georgetown UniversityUniv · Private
- Howard UniversityUniv · Private
- Institute of World PoliticsUniv · Private
- Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of StudiesUniv · Private
- Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and FamilyUniv · Private
- Saint Michael College of Allied HealthCC · Private
- Strayer University-District of ColumbiaUniv · Private
- Strayer University-Global RegionUniv · Private
- The Catholic University of AmericaUniv · Private
- The Chicago School at Washington DCUniv · Private
- Trinity Washington UniversityUniv · Private
- University of the District of ColumbiaUniv · Public
- University of the Potomac-Washington DC CampusUniv · Private
- Wesley Theological SeminaryUniv · Private
Arlington (4)
Rockville (1)
North Bethesda (1)
College Park (1)
Compare and search across the Washington, D.C. area
Filter every District of Columbia college by tuition, size, acceptance rate, and setting, then pin and compare your shortlist side by side, no account required.
Other major U.S. metro areas
- Colleges in the New York City area
- Colleges in the Greater Los Angeles area
- Colleges in the Greater Chicago area
- Colleges in the Dallas–Fort Worth area
- Colleges in the Greater Houston area
- Colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area area
- Colleges in the Greater Boston area
- Colleges in the Greater Philadelphia area
Data sources & methodology
College listings for the Washington, D.C. metro are aggregated live from each institution's record, compiled from federal datasets and the institutions' own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. Colleges in the Washington, D.C. Area. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/colleges-in-metro/washington-dc