Lake Washington Institute of Technology

11605 132nd Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98034
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • Located just outside of Seattle, WA, Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) was founded in 1949, and is the only public institute of technology in the state of Washington. LWTech offers six bachelor`s degrees, 47 associate degrees, and 89 professional certificates in 44 areas of study, including STEM-focused programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
  • LWTech directly serves the communities of Kirkland, Redmond, Bellevue, Kenmore, Mercer Island, Bothell, Woodinville, Carnation, Duvall, North Bend, Fall City, Sammamish, Issaquah, Snoqualmie, Skykomish, Clyde Hill, and Medina. LWTech also serves students from outside our service area, as well as students from around the world

School Highlights

Lake Washington Institute of Technology serves 3,620 students (49% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 12:1 is higher than the state community college average of 11:1.
Minority enrollment is 49% of the student body (majority Asian and Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 50%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 3,620 students
  • Student:teacher ratio: 12:1
  • Minority enrollment: 49%
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Lake Washington Institute of Technology ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Washington for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 303 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
(WA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
Less than 2 yrs
Four or more years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
303 staff
353 staff
This chart display total faculty of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and community college average number of faculty in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Lake Washington Institute of Technology has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 12:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The Lake Washington Institute of Technology diversity score of 0.68 is less than the state average of 0.71. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
3,620 students
4,003 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and community college average number of enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
11:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and community college average student staff ratio of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
1,786 students
2,116 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
1,834 students
1,887 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of WA.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
290 students
384 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
1,786 students
2,116 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
11 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
1,834 students
1,887 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
140 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
n/a
1%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Asian
11%
8%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of Asian community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
9%
14%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
2%
5%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of Black community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
51%
50%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of White community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
6%
8%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
3%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
18%
7%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in WA.
Diversity Score
0.68
0.71
This chart display the diversity score of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the community college average diversity score of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
16%
28%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of WA by year, with the latest 2007-08 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
1.09%
2.2%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$43,800
$36,400
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Lake Washington Institute of Technology and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of WA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
45%
67%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$15,000
$11,794
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$7,498
$6,292
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Lake Washington Institute of Technology and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
100%
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • Lake Washington Institute of Technology, in Kirkland's Totem Lake area, serves local students from King and Snohomish counties, commuter students from areas like Port Townsend, Gig Harbor and Marysville, and international students from around the globe, including Japan, Tonga, Ireland, Indonesia and the Ukraine. Lake Washington Institute of Technology officially became part of the new community and technical college system on September 1, 1991; the institute became a degree-granting technical college with all the rights and responsibilities of a technical college as prescribed by state law. During the next three years the college replaced its two-year diplomas with Associate of Applied Science degrees. Twenty Association of Applied Science degrees were approved by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges to be offered to students by the college. LWTech offers the cutting-edge, professional career and technical training needed to rapidly and affordably qualify our students for opportunities in today's job market. With training opportunities in over 100 degree and certificate options in 39 programs, we have something for everyone - including some Bachelor degrees. Adult education programs are also offered. Lake Washington Institute of Technology is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

Frequently Asked Questions

What schools are Lake Washington Institute of Technology often compared to?
Lake Washington Institute of Technologyis often viewed alongside schools like Bellevue College by visitors of our site.
What is Lake Washington Institute of Technology's ranking?
Lake Washington Institute of Technology ranks among the top 20% of community college in Washington for: Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation).

School Calendar

View the Lake Washington Institute of Technology yearly calendar below. Note key dates such as:

Event
Date
Last day for 50% refund
April 22, 2024 (Monday)
Last Day to Withdraw from Classes
May 29, 2024 (Wednesday)
Last Day of Instruction of Spring Quarter
June 12, 2024 (Wednesday)
Last Day to Add Courses Without Instructor Signature
July 07, 2024 (Sunday)
Last Day to Register Online
July 07, 2024 (Sunday)

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 3,620 students
  • Student:teacher ratio: 12:1
  • Minority enrollment: 49%
  • Source: Verified school update

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For King County, WA public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,098 per year for in-state students and $7,784 for out-of-state students. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

King County, WA community colleges have a diversity score of 0.76, which is higher than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in King County, WA is Highline College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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