Western Washington University

Bellingham, Washington · Public

Of 63 assessed programs, 55 leave graduates out-earning a typical Washington high-school graduate (about $40,611/yr) and 8 fall short. Another 88 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	$12,915
$30k to $48k	$14,147
$48k to $75k	$17,539
$75k to $110k	$24,301
$110k and up	$27,984
All families (average)	$21,193

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.

63 of 151 programs could be assessed 42% 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
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,224	+$12,613	clears the bar	$18,654	1.5 yrs	220
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$53,781	+$13,170	clears the bar	$20,352	1.5 yrs	209
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	$110,138	+$69,527	clears the bar	$18,583	0.3 yrs	151
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$38,460	-$2,151	falls short	$17,604	insufficient data	136
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$54,263	+$13,652	clears the bar	$19,207	1.4 yrs	117
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$71,886	+$31,275	clears the bar	$16,666	0.5 yrs	116
Marketing	Bachelor's Degree	$69,323	+$28,712	clears the bar	$17,166	0.6 yrs	116
Interdisciplinary Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$43,919	+$3,308	clears the bar	$17,500	5.3 yrs	104
Special Education	Bachelor's Degree	$64,780	+$24,169	clears the bar	$27,000	1.1 yrs	101
Human Services	Bachelor's Degree	$53,788	+$13,177	clears the bar	$19,500	1.5 yrs	95
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$49,640	+$9,029	clears the bar	$18,675	2.1 yrs	90
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$56,415	+$15,804	clears the bar	$17,887	1.1 yrs	81
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	$63,072	+$22,461	clears the bar	$24,700	1.1 yrs	79
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	$62,500	+$21,889	clears the bar	$20,043	0.9 yrs	75
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$64,123	+$23,512	clears the bar	$18,500	0.8 yrs	74
History	Bachelor's Degree	$46,000	+$5,389	clears the bar	$17,100	3.2 yrs	72
Teacher Education (by level)	Master's Degree	$74,041	+$33,430	clears the bar	$27,499	0.8 yrs	71
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	$57,697	+$17,086	clears the bar	$18,151	1.1 yrs	68
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General	Bachelor's Degree	$54,290	+$13,679	clears the bar	$21,595	1.6 yrs	67
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$35,161	-$5,450	falls short	$19,500	insufficient data	66
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$82,246	+$41,635	clears the bar	$20,567	0.5 yrs	66
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$50,027	+$9,416	clears the bar	$16,950	1.8 yrs	63
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$50,703	+$10,092	clears the bar	$21,727	2.2 yrs	63
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs	Bachelor's Degree	$53,428	+$12,817	clears the bar	$17,708	1.4 yrs	63
English	Bachelor's Degree	$46,571	+$5,960	clears the bar	$16,585	2.8 yrs	60
Design	Bachelor's Degree	$69,715	+$29,104	clears the bar	$19,833	0.7 yrs	60
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$97,723	+$57,112	clears the bar	$26,611	0.5 yrs	56
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$65,380	+$24,769	clears the bar	$17,500	0.7 yrs	54
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	$67,208	+$26,597	clears the bar	$22,969	0.9 yrs	52
Management Information Systems	Bachelor's Degree	$81,678	+$41,067	clears the bar	$21,667	0.5 yrs	48
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	$44,615	+$4,004	clears the bar	$19,798	4.9 yrs	47
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Bachelor's Degree	$50,079	+$9,468	clears the bar	$17,660	1.9 yrs	44
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$50,832	+$10,221	clears the bar	$17,395	1.7 yrs	43
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$58,622	+$18,011	clears the bar	$16,582	0.9 yrs	42
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	$55,793	+$15,182	clears the bar	$20,012	1.3 yrs	42
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$40,616	+$5	clears the bar	$19,500	3900.0 yrs	42
Finance	Bachelor's Degree	$75,730	+$35,119	clears the bar	$19,084	0.5 yrs	42
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Bachelor's Degree	$61,802	+$21,191	clears the bar	$14,334	0.7 yrs	39
International Business	Bachelor's Degree	$63,923	+$23,312	clears the bar	$20,166	0.9 yrs	35
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$38,858	-$1,753	falls short	$20,055	insufficient data	32
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	$51,508	+$10,897	clears the bar	$22,000	2.0 yrs	31
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$54,234	+$13,623	clears the bar	$19,781	1.5 yrs	30
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$77,048	+$36,437	clears the bar	$20,166	0.6 yrs	29
Educational Administration	Master's Degree	$129,722	+$89,111	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Sustainability Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$70,793	+$30,182	clears the bar	$19,086	0.6 yrs	22
Polymer/Plastics Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$92,439	+$51,828	clears the bar	$19,743	0.4 yrs	19
Manufacturing Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$85,314	+$44,703	clears the bar	$21,323	0.5 yrs	18
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$33,323 1-year earnings	-$7,288	falls short	$22,020	insufficient data	18
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Master's Degree	$80,873	+$40,262	clears the bar	$38,104	0.9 yrs	18
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	$63,833	+$23,222	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Geography and Cartography	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$34,230 1-year earnings	-$6,381	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Archeology	Bachelor's Degree	$38,243	-$2,368	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Nursing	Bachelor's Degree	$96,695	+$56,084	clears the bar	$9,369	0.2 yrs	15
IT Administration and Management	Bachelor's Degree	$72,675 1-year earnings	+$32,064	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Master's Degree	$73,371	+$32,760	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$40,623	+$12	clears the bar	$15,000	1250.0 yrs	13
Geography and Cartography	Bachelor's Degree	$29,931 1-year earnings	-$10,680	falls short	$19,970	insufficient data	13
Natural Resources and Conservation	Master's Degree	$56,460 1-year earnings	+$15,849	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$68,359	+$27,748	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$38,163	-$2,448	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Teacher Education (by subject)	Master's Degree	$48,078	+$7,467	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Bachelor's Degree	$46,770 1-year earnings	+$6,159	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$107,131	+$66,520	clears the bar	$24,000	0.4 yrs	0
Electrical and Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	32
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Biological and Physical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	$19,993	insufficient data	22
Mathematics and Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Data Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Geology and Earth Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Research Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Sustainability Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Accounting	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
School Counseling	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Anthropology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Design	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Music	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Computer and Information Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	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	2
IT Administration and Management	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Marine Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Geography and Environmental Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Outdoor Education	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Curriculum and Instruction	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Educational Administration	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Educational/Instructional Media Design	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Special Education	Master's Degree	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	$15,000	insufficient data	0
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Human Development and Family Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Botany/Plant Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Zoology/Animal Biology	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
Biological and Physical Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Historic Preservation and Conservation	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Historic Preservation and Conservation	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Accounting and Computer Science	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
Interdisciplinary Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Counseling Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Community Organization and Advocacy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Public Policy Analysis	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Social Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Criminology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Geography and Cartography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Urban Studies/Affairs	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Social Sciences, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Visual and Performing Arts, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Visual and Performing Arts, General	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Theatre	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Business	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Business	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Human Resources	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Natural Resources and Conservation	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Educational Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Teacher Education (by level)	Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Geography and Cartography	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

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.