Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building

Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building is a private nonprofit, two-year institution located in Port Hadlock, Washington, a rural community on the Olympic Peninsula. The school enrolls 86 students (IPEDS 2023) and holds a quality score of 44.67 out of 100. Its retention rate is 67% (IPEDS 2023).

The school offers specialized programs in Marine Engineering Technology/Technician at the one-to-two-year certificate level and Wooden Boatbuilding Technology/Technician at the two-to-four-year certificate level. These niche programs make the school one of the few institutions in the country dedicated exclusively to traditional and contemporary wooden boat construction and marine technology.

Located in Port Hadlock, WA, near the shores of Port Townsend Bay, the school's rural waterfront setting is directly suited to its hands-on curriculum. Students benefit from an immersive, craft-focused environment in a region with deep maritime heritage and an active wooden boat community.