SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – Washington Federal, Inc. (Nasdaq: WFSL) today announced earnings of $24,530,000, or $.22 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, compared to $7,911,000, or $.07 per diluted share, for the same period one year ago. Improved earnings resulted primarily from lower credit costs, which including the provision for loan losses and real estate owned (“REO”) expenses were $36,553,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, a decrease of $45,917,000, or 56%, from the previous year.