Best Photography Schools Near Ellensburg, WA (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ellensburg, Washington has 3 accredited schools offering photography programs. Ellensburg has a population of about 18,913. Median household income is $49,888 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Washington, the top-earning photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $72,710 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Photography Schools to Ellensburg

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer photography programs near Ellensburg, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ellensburg 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 Ellensburg. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 94.2 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Seattle University

Seattle, WA 96.9 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,272
Avg net price $34,662/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, WA 143.4 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
59.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,897
Avg net price $13,886/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,586
Out‑of‑state$25,959
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Peninsula College

Port Angeles, WA 153.6 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
58.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,078
Avg net price $9,246/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Photography Wages Near Ellensburg

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Washington, statewide)
Photographer$48,050
Graphic Designer$72,710

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.

Ellensburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,913Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,888Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+41.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ellensburg-Area Cities With Photography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near Ellensburg, WA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering photography programs near Ellensburg. The closest is Seattle Central College in Seattle, WA (93.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Seattle University (96.9 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles in Washington?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles in Washington are: Graphic Designer ($72,710), Photographer ($48,050). Wages for Ellensburg workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Yakima instead of Ellensburg?

Yakima, WA is 28.2 miles from Ellensburg and has its own set of local photography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ellensburg an affordable place to study photography?

Ellensburg’s median household income of $49,888 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ellensburg 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 Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in Ellensburg

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

Data verified: August 25, 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.

Back to Best Photography Schools in Washington: Online Programs (2026)