U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 27 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 29% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $62,459. College Scorecard.
PLU Education (Elementary / Secondary): pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Education (Elementary / Secondary) nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses PLU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,609 | $58,519 | 2.2 years |
| $30–48k | $12,948 | $55,676 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,756 | $67,751 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $22,535 | $96,901 | 3.6 years |
| $110k+ | $26,915 | $115,735 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (51% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates 4 years after graduating ($66,848) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,629 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Education (Elementary / Secondary) at Washington colleges
Every Washington college we cover that reports Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Lutheran University | $66,848 | $19,500 | $19,589 | 69% |
| 2 | Western Washington University | $62,500 | $22,000 | $21,193 | 65% |
| 3 | Washington State University | $61,304 | $22,960 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 4 | North Seattle Collegemostly 2-year | $61,250 | $13,404 | $10,740 | 33% |
| 5 | Heritage University | $60,999 | $20,049 | $14,598 | 54% |
| 6 | Whitworth University | $60,010 | $27,000 | $26,534 | 71% |
| 7 | Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs | $60,010 | $27,000 | — | — |
| 8 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $59,736 | $17,342 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 9 | Central Washington University | $59,659 | $20,205 | $18,476 | 54% |
| 10 | Saint Martin's University | $59,433 | — | $28,119 | 52% |
| 11 | Northwest University | $58,134 | $23,168 | $22,288 | 71% |
| 12 | Eastern Washington University | $55,671 | $20,885 | $13,886 | 43% |
13 more Washington colleges offer Education (Elementary / Secondary) but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates
Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Training and Development Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at PLU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About PLU
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 69% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $66,990
- Full cost breakdown · all 40 majors · overview
Related majors at PLU
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Education—
PLU Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do PLU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median $66,848 four years after graduating and $57,624 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do PLU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Pacific Lutheran University is $19,500, about 29% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is PLU a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Washington?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn $66,848 four years out, $6,838 above the median for the same major across 12 Washington colleges ($60,010) and $19,025 above the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does PLU rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Washington?
Of 12 Washington colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Pacific Lutheran University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $102,920 in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA area and $63,970 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and training and development specialists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Pacific Lutheran University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pacific-lutheran-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).