MastersInAI.org

Home > Artificial Intelligence Degree Hub > Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Programs in Washington
Last updated on November 19th, 2025

Washington State is home to the University of Washington (UW), the Allen Institute, and some of the biggest tech giants in the world. That makes it a top pick for anyone eyeing a graduate degree in artificial intelligence. Take a look at our Washington directory of Master’s in AI programs to learn what’s available. Not sure which school to choose? This guide is designed to direct you towards the right degree and the right Washington-based job after graduation.

Washington AI Highlights

  • If you wish to impress employers, aim for UW. It has the largest AI research & industry footprint in Washington. Having said that, there are other schools in our directory with some unusual strengths in artificial intelligence, including WSU’s interest in agtech and Seattle U and City U’s focus on applied AI. See our Schools section for more details on each institution.
  • Despite ups & downs, Seattle continues to be a hub of big tech. Amazon and Microsoft are the most well-known names in the city, but there are plenty of alternatives. You can also consider AI-related roles in fields such as healthcare and port logistics. We’re particularly intrigued by positive movements in Seattle’s fusion/energy sector. Take a look at our Landscape section to get a handle on opportunities.
  • Unsurprisingly, Seattle is an ultra-competitive arena for job hunters. AI positions may skew towards mid- and senior-level roles and applicants tend to have impressive résumés. So it pays to network early. Our Resources section features links to local AI conferences and meetups, including research-heavy events at the Allen Institute.

Artificial Intelligence Schools in Washington

Our directory of AI master’s degrees & graduate certificates in Washington is dominated by one name—UW. That’s good news for anyone looking for an engineering, robotics, or technical qualification from the best AI university in the Pacific Northwest. However, there are alternatives. Here’s how to sift through your options in AI, computer science, and data science.

Online Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Programs in Washington

Unlike other big-name R1 universities who are wary of distance learning, UW is more than happy to deliver its AI graduate programs in an online format. Look for the “Offered Online” tag in our Washington directory of master’s degrees & graduate certificates in AI to evaluate all of your options. Northwest, CityU, and Seattle U are also online-friendly.

The Artificial Landscape in Washington

Washington State has one of the most concentrated tech sectors in the USA. In a CompTIA report on the State of the Tech Workforce 2025, Seattle was the #2 Top Metro by Tech Economic Impact as a Percent of Local Economy (30%), just losing out to San Jose (53%). The state is also a massive center of artificial intelligence activity. You’ll usually find Washington in the top 3 states for AI Jobs Growth. What’s more, in a 2025 Brookings Metro report on Mapping the AI Economy, Seattle was identified as a Star Hub (though, intriguingly, it placed below Chicago and Atlanta).

  • Tech Sector: Think of the Greater Seattle area as the more conservative (or even dorkier) older brother of Silicon Valley. Microsoft and Amazon are the key anchors, but Seattle and its neighboring cities of Bellevue & Redmond are also home to Google, Meta, Apple, and NVIDIA. This reliance on Big Tech leads to boom & bust cycles—Microsoft and Amazon both went through nasty rounds of layoffs in 2025—but there’s still plenty of resilience left in the sector. In that same year, the largest AI employers continued to be Amazon and Microsoft (e.g. applied scientist/ML roles), followed by Google, Meta, Apple, NVIDIA, and ByteDance/TikTok. Other tech-related players in Seattle were also on the hunt for AI professionals (e.g. Salesforce/Tableau, Snowflake, Adobe, Oracle, Uber, Expedia, Zillow, and SAP Concur). And they tend to pay well. In the Software Engineering Pay Heat Map, Greater Seattle is second only to Silicon Valley.
  • Startups: AI momentum in Washington State often comes from the big guns (e.g. Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA, etc.) rather than early-stage startups. Seattle is a great place for talent density & customers, but many folks head south to Silicon Valley in order to acquire seed-stage capital. In Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025, Seattle ranked #15 in the Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking (just above Chicago) with an ecosystem value of $91B (2022 – 2024). You can get a sense of the landscape by reviewing this map of Greater Seattle Leading Startups and the GeekWire Startup List. In particular, examine the success stories of fusion/energy providers (e.g. Helion Energy and Zap Energy) and the Bellevue-based, AI-powered freight management startup GoodShip. GoodShip raised $25M in its Series B funding round in 2025.
  • Alternative Sectors: Although tech hogs the headlines in Washington, it’s not the only sector in town. Seattle is home to a deep-water port (think logistics opportunities), manufacturers, major healthcare providers, biomedical research, and a bunch of fascinating UW institutes. Anyone on the lookout for applied AI & engineering positions should be investigating companies such as PACCAR and Boeing. Health AI positions may also be found in places like the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, UW Medicine, and Optum. Research lovers could even consider working for the greater good. The Allen Institute has its very own Ai2 job board.

It almost goes without saying, but if you are looking for a Seattle AI job, be prepared for a tough hiring process! A number of posted AI roles in Greater Seattle will be senior-level/research-leaning. In other cases, you’ll be competing against extremely well-qualified peers. You can get ahead of the game by making connections with companies during your graduate studies, working on industry-sponsored projects during your master’s degree, and networking (see below).

Washington Artificial Intelligence Resources

Personal introductions are everything in a tight employment market. For this list of Washington/Seattle AI resources, we’ve included links to all kinds of startup & AI conferences, events, networking groups, meetups, and research institutes. GeekWire also posts articles on the latest tech news in the Pacific Northwest.

AI Events & Conferences in WA

AI Meetups & Networking in WA

AI University Research Centers in WA