The list from U.S. news and world report compares schools in their "2013 Best Colleges" rankings that operate most efficiently based on the amount they spend per student.
University spokesperson Paul Cocke says the honor is a direct result of the hard work of western's "dedicated faculty and staff."
He says university staff know that they are spending tax and tuition dollars, and they strive to be as efficient as possible.
Western is the only public university or college from the state of Washington on the list.
According to the 2013 U.S. News & World Report College Rankings, Western is the highest ranking public, master’s granting university in the Pacific Northwest.
Western also is ranked third among top public master’s-granting universities in the west, a region stretching from Texas to the Pacific.
