How we know it works
WSOS removes barriers to education and helps Washington students forge their path to high-demand STEM, health care, and trade careers in Washington state. Opportunity Scholars receive financial assistance, career training, and mentorship services that uniquely position them to meet our state’s workforce shortages.
The outcomes prove our model works.
Fueling Washington’s economy
Every scholarship impacts a Washington student, their family, and their community. WSOS is growing and so are the Scholars we serve.*
- 3,100 health care graduates + 1,887 currently enrolled
- 1,959 engineer graduates + 744 currently enrolled
- 1,606 science graduates + 654 currently enrolled
- 1,741 computer science graduates + 883 currently enrolled
- 3,882 other + 1,349 currently enrolled
*sources: page 23, 35, 55, and 56 from the 2025 Legislative Report
Most of the Scholars we serve are first-generation college students, students of color, and women.
Scholarship recipients are not selected based on protected class like race, ethnicity, or gender. The above stats are based on the 2025 Legislative Report.
“This scholarship means a lot to me. As a foster care youth and refugee, I have limited resources. This scholarship allows me to pursue my goals and focus on education without the added financial stress I might also be facing. This scholarship gives me hope and allows me to see myself as someone who can lead by example and bring hope to others in my community, if I can do it, they will also do it.”
Mapenzi, Opportunity Scholar
The proof is in our outcomes
Want more information on our impact? Review our latest Legislative Report.
Our annual Legislative Report provides an overview of the demographic, gender, socioeconomic, age, and regional characteristics of all Opportunity Scholars since the scholarship was first created in 2011. This report is produced for the Washington state legislature every year in December.
Still wanting more? Dive into our Impact Report archives.