City University of Seattle wins Seattle Times regional honor for fourth straight year

City University of Seattle has been named a Best in the PNW winner by The Seattle Times for the fourth year in a row, extending a streak of regional recognition announced Sept. 20. The honor underscores CityU’s focus on flexible education for working adults, military-connected students and others balancing school with other responsibilities.

Why it matters: - The repeat recognition gives City University of Seattle another public signal of regional standing in a crowded higher-education market. - The award also reinforces CityU’s appeal to working adults, military-connected students and other learners who need flexible degree options.

What happened: - City University of Seattle was recognized by The Seattle Times’ Best in the PNW for the fourth consecutive year. - The 2026 Best in the PNW winners were announced Sept. 20. - The annual program recognizes organizations across Washington and the Pacific Northwest based on community voting.

The details: - CityU has built its model around meeting students where they are for more than 50 years. - The university offers associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. - Degree areas include business and management, education, technology, health and social sciences. - CityU serves a student population that includes working adults, career changers, military-connected students and others seeking flexible pathways. - City University of Seattle was founded in Seattle in 1973. - The university is a private nonprofit institution dedicated to career-relevant education for working adults and students seeking flexible pathways. - CityU offers more than 60 programs from associate through doctoral degrees. - Suzanne Walsh, president of City University of Seattle, said the four-year streak is meaningful because the recognition comes from the community the university serves. - Walsh said students are balancing work, family, military service and other responsibilities while investing in their future.

Between the lines: - Community-voted awards tend to reward institutions that maintain visible local relationships, not just academic scale. - CityU’s messaging centers on access and flexibility, which fits a broader demand for education models that work for nontraditional students. - The university is framing the honor as validation from students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members rather than as a standalone trophy.

What's next: - City University of Seattle will likely continue leaning on the recognition in outreach to prospective students and regional partners. - The university’s next priority is sustaining the student support model that helped produce the repeat honor. - Walsh said the recognition is a reminder that the university’s work matters to students and Pacific Northwest communities.

The bottom line: - City University of Seattle turned a community-voted regional award into a four-year streak, and the win fits its long-running pitch as a flexible university for adults with complicated lives.