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Western Washington University

⌖ Bellingham, WA · 61 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$130,182 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

19.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
−49%Modeled 10-year ROI
$58,459Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$130,182at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$264,7720
2
4
6
8
−$130,18210
Years after graduationBreak-even: 19.7 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$9,582
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$28,707
Sticker price
Average net price$21,193
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$30,359
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$21,193Average net price / year
$30,359Cost of attendance
$58,459Median earnings · year 5 after completion
64.6%Completion rate
93.3%Admission rate
13,544Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

78thEarnings percentile
59thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$35,723Year 1
$58,560Year 4
$58,459Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Educational Administration and Supervision · Master's Degree$129,7222Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$110,1383Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$107,1314Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$97,7235Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$96,6956Polymer/Plastics Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$92,4397Manufacturing Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$85,3148Accounting and Related Services · Bachelor's Degree$82,246

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in WA

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Ellensburg, WA

Central Washington University

Annual net price
$18,476
Observed earnings · year 5
$61,744
Modeled 10-year ROI
-34%
Open college profile →Cheney, WA

Eastern Washington University

Annual net price
$13,886
Observed earnings · year 5
$59,344
Modeled 10-year ROI
-39%
Open college profile →Bellevue, WA

Bellevue College

Annual net price
$11,430
Observed earnings · year 5
$59,260
Modeled 10-year ROI
-37%
Open college profile →Bothell, WA

Cascadia College

Annual net price
$12,281
Observed earnings · year 5
$56,170
Modeled 10-year ROI
-51%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree$129,722Not available
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$110,138$19,333
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$107,131$25,500
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$97,723Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$96,695$20,146
Polymer/Plastics EngineeringBachelor's Degree$92,439$21,656
Manufacturing EngineeringBachelor's Degree$85,314$21,425
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$82,246$20,567
Management Information Systems and ServicesBachelor's Degree$81,678$22,333
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$80,873Not available
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBachelor's Degree$77,048$20,942
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$75,730$20,610
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's Degree$74,041Not available
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsMaster's Degree$73,371Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$71,886$17,375
Sustainability StudiesBachelor's Degree$70,793$19,086
Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree$69,715$20,000
MarketingBachelor's Degree$69,323$17,498
Applied MathematicsBachelor's Degree$68,359Not available
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree$67,208$26,158
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree$65,380$19,121
Special Education and TeachingBachelor's Degree$64,780$29,284
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$64,123$19,000
International BusinessBachelor's Degree$63,923$22,250
PhysicsBachelor's Degree$63,833Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$63,072$26,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$62,500$22,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree$61,802$17,500
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical SciencesBachelor's Degree$58,622$19,500
JournalismBachelor's Degree$57,697$18,075
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$56,415$17,875
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$55,793$22,104
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, GeneralBachelor's Degree$54,290$24,055
SociologyBachelor's Degree$54,263$20,087
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$54,234$21,498
Human Services, GeneralBachelor's Degree$53,788$20,041
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$53,781$20,854
Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsBachelor's Degree$53,428$17,854
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$53,224$19,449
Neurobiology and NeurosciencesBachelor's Degree$51,508$22,000
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure StudiesBachelor's Degree$50,832$17,897
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$50,703$22,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$50,079$19,487
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$50,027$17,003
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$49,640$19,431
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasMaster's Degree$48,078Not available
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$46,571$19,500
HistoryBachelor's Degree$46,000$17,860
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree$44,615$19,899
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's Degree$43,919$19,500
Area StudiesBachelor's Degree$40,623$15,655
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree$40,616$20,500
MusicBachelor's Degree$38,858$20,055
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree$38,460$18,064
ArcheologyBachelor's Degree$38,243Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$38,163Not available
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$35,161$21,246
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign LanguageUndergraduate Certificate or DiplomaNot available$15,000
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyBachelor's DegreeNot available$23,040
Biological and Physical SciencesBachelor's DegreeNot available$19,574
Geography and CartographyBachelor's DegreeNot available$21,500

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.