Central Washington University

Ellensburg, Washington · Public

Of 50 assessed programs, 48 leave graduates out-earning a typical Washington high-school graduate (about $40,611/yr) and 2 fall short. Another 139 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$11,846
$30k to $48k	$13,942
$48k to $75k	$16,022
$75k to $110k	$21,682
$110k and up	$26,719
All families (average)	$18,476

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

50 of 189 programs could be assessed 26% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical Washington high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$73,036	+$32,425	clears the bar	$18,500	0.6 yrs	257
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	$59,659	+$19,048	clears the bar	$20,205	1.1 yrs	246
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$54,530	+$13,919	clears the bar	$18,834	1.4 yrs	181
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	$61,604	+$20,993	clears the bar	$22,068	1.1 yrs	137
Criminal Justice	Bachelor's Degree	$60,761	+$20,150	clears the bar	$19,500	1.0 yrs	128
Air Transportation	Bachelor's Degree	$74,997	+$34,386	clears the bar	$20,000	0.6 yrs	107
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$74,442	+$33,831	clears the bar	$16,500	0.5 yrs	102
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Bachelor's Degree	$47,979	+$7,368	clears the bar	$13,000	1.8 yrs	97
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$63,608	+$22,997	clears the bar	$21,950	1.0 yrs	74
Social Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$58,680	+$18,069	clears the bar	$18,584	1.0 yrs	67
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$95,368	+$54,757	clears the bar	$19,435	0.4 yrs	60
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$41,971	+$1,360	clears the bar	$20,036	14.7 yrs	49
Human Services	Bachelor's Degree	$54,318	+$13,707	clears the bar	$17,523	1.3 yrs	47
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$51,008	+$10,397	clears the bar	$26,000	2.5 yrs	46
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	$72,838	+$32,227	clears the bar	$20,137	0.6 yrs	45
Construction Management	Bachelor's Degree	$97,651	+$57,040	clears the bar	$24,120	0.4 yrs	38
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$56,154	+$15,543	clears the bar	$21,166	1.4 yrs	36
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	$69,174	+$28,563	clears the bar	$23,950	0.8 yrs	36
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$44,089	+$3,478	clears the bar	$20,500	5.9 yrs	33
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	$45,152	+$4,541	clears the bar	$22,118	4.9 yrs	33
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	$62,435	+$21,824	clears the bar	$20,326	0.9 yrs	33
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$64,361	+$23,750	clears the bar	$14,385	0.6 yrs	30
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	$97,869	+$57,258	clears the bar	$25,333	0.4 yrs	28
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	$85,817	+$45,206	clears the bar	$25,891	0.6 yrs	26
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$33,800	-$6,811	falls short	$24,500	insufficient data	25
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$56,862	+$16,251	clears the bar	$21,065	1.3 yrs	23
Public Relations and Advertising	Bachelor's Degree	$66,538	+$25,927	clears the bar	$20,250	0.8 yrs	21
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	$84,871	+$44,260	clears the bar	$22,190	0.5 yrs	19
Geography and Cartography	Bachelor's Degree	$53,081	+$12,470	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$40,251	-$360	falls short	$24,000	insufficient data	19
History	Bachelor's Degree	$45,990	+$5,379	clears the bar	$22,250	4.1 yrs	19
Educational Administration	Master's Degree	$81,827	+$41,216	clears the bar	$32,338	0.8 yrs	18
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	$53,987	+$13,376	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Bachelor's Degree	$97,263	+$56,652	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Human Development and Family Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$54,858	+$14,247	clears the bar	$20,500	1.4 yrs	17
Counseling Psychology	Master's Degree	$75,017	+$34,406	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General	Master's Degree	$75,999	+$35,388	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Apparel and Textiles	Bachelor's Degree	$65,815	+$25,204	clears the bar	$17,249	0.7 yrs	15
English	Bachelor's Degree	$43,101	+$2,490	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Bachelor's Degree	$50,318	+$9,707	clears the bar	$21,250	2.2 yrs	9
Music	Master's Degree	$79,115	+$38,504	clears the bar	$14,817	0.4 yrs	9
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$88,799	+$48,188	clears the bar	$14,744	0.3 yrs	8
Management Science	Bachelor's Degree	$81,377 1-year earnings	+$40,766	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	$75,905	+$35,294	clears the bar	$19,687	0.6 yrs	7
Natural Resources and Conservation	Master's Degree	$62,984	+$22,373	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$50,776	+$10,165	clears the bar	$21,137	2.1 yrs	4
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Bachelor's Degree	$43,480	+$2,869	clears the bar	$22,883	8.0 yrs	4
Teacher Education (by level)	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$60,506	+$19,895	clears the bar	$19,972	1.0 yrs	0
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$60,299	+$19,688	clears the bar	$20,000	1.0 yrs	0
Nutrition Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$56,735	+$16,124	clears the bar	$20,306	1.3 yrs	0
Teacher Education (by subject)	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	74
IT Administration and Management	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	64
Marketing	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	50
Finance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	48
Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
Design	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Hospitality Management	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	23
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Business Administration	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Criminal Justice	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Human Resources	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Philosophy and Religious Studies, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Business/Managerial Economics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Insurance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Behavioral Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Behavioral Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
American Sign Language	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Human Resources	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Computer Software and Media Applications	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
IT Administration and Management	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Culinary Arts	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Nutrition Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Theatre	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Accounting	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Computer Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Education	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Public Policy Analysis	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Literature	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Geology and Earth Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Research Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Education	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Special Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Film and Photography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Public Health	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Accounting	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer Software and Media Applications	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Educational Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Special Education	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Special Education	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
School Counseling	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teacher Education (by level)	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teacher Education (by subject)	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Engineering Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Human Development and Family Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Gerontology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Historic Preservation and Conservation	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Museology/Museum Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Natural Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Data Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Data Analytics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Interdisciplinary Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($40,611/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.