Our Story

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 12 bachelor's degrees, 42 associate degrees, and 70 professional certificates in 41 areas of study, including STEM-focused programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

LWTech offers programs in the

Our Community

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.

LWTech serves the Eastside and is located within the city of Kirkland, which is situated on the eastern shore of Lake Washington. Kirkland is home to companies such as GoDaddy, Google, Astronics and EvergreenHealth, and the college is within minutes from Microsoft and Nintendo.

The surrounding area offers numerous outdoor recreational opportunities and a wealth of diverse arts, entertainment and cultural attractions. Kirkland and Redmond are located just a few miles east of Seattle, and less than an hour from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Learn more about LWTech's Mission, Vision, Values, and Core Themes.

LWTech At A Glance

President

Dr. Amy Morrison

Trustees

John Suk, chair
Randy Scott, vice chair
Anne Hamilton
Robert Malte
Laura Wildfong

Year Founded

1949

Service Area

King and Snohomish counties

Legislative Districts

1, 5, 11, 12, 41, 44, 45, 48

Highest Enrolled Programs

Nursing
Early Childhood Education
Digital Gaming and Interactive Media
Computing and Software Development
Health Sciences

Enrollment

Headcount (all sources): 5,525
FTES (all sources): 2,864
Headcount (state-funded): 5,027
FTES (state-funded): 2,402

Students in Selected Programs

Bachelor's: 344
Apprentices: 132
I-BEST: 233
International: 205
Running Start: 242
Technical High School: 292
Worker Retraining: 237

Type of Student

Academic/transfer: 11%
Basic skills: 22%
Workforce education: 51%
Other: 16%

Race/Ethnicity*

Students of color: 52%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 2%
Asian: 21%
Black/African American: 8%
Hispanic/Latino: 22%
Pacific Islander: 1%
White: 59%

Attendance

Full-time: 51%
Part-time: 49%

Family and Finances

Students receiving need-based financial aid: 32%
Students with dependents: 34%

Gender

Female: 62%
Male: 38%

Median age

Notes

Data is from the 2022-23 academic year. Reflects headcount unless otherwise noted.

*Students of color percent based on unduplicated headcount. Students may be counted in more than one race, so race/ethnicity percentages may not total 100%. Percentages calculated on reported value.

Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.