Best Online Computer Science Programs in Tacoma, WA (2026)

Tacoma, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs. Tacoma has a population of about 220,482. Median household income is $83,857 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $214,680 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Tacoma

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Tacoma, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Tacoma city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Tacoma. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA 0.6 miles from Tacoma BOC Score 83.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $10,163/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bates Technical College

Tacoma, WA 0.7 miles from Tacoma BOC Score 65.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,051
Avg net price $6,292/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,027
Out‑of‑state$12,165
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Tacoma Community College

Tacoma, WA 3.4 miles from Tacoma BOC Score 68.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,168
Avg net price $8,376/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Washington schools on the Washington computer science page.


Computer Science Wages Near Tacoma

Tacoma is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$167,280Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$150,567
Computer Systems Analyst$133,690Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$120,333
Computer Network Architect$172,650Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$155,401
Database Administrator$133,180Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$119,874
Database Architect$105,430Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$94,896
Information Security Analyst$161,780Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$145,617
Computer Network Support Specialist$104,610Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$94,158
Computer User Support Specialist$78,330Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$70,504
Web Developer$130,440Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$117,408
Web and Digital Interface Designer$133,760Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$120,396
Computer and Information Systems Manager$214,680Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$193,231

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Tacoma at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population220,482Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$83,857Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)111.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Pierce County1,697 workers, 654 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Tacoma-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Tacoma, WA?

Accredited schools offering computer science programs near Tacoma are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Tacoma?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Tacoma are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($214,680), Computer Network Architect ($172,650), Software Developer ($167,280). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in University Place instead of Tacoma?

University Place, WA is 4.8 miles from Tacoma and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Tacoma an affordable place to study computer science?

Tacoma’s median household income of $83,857 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Tacoma while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Tacoma

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Tacoma:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.