Washington State University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt & careers

Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Washington State University earn a median $61,304 four years after graduating ($46,998 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $22,960. That is $13,481 above the U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates ($47,823 across 671 colleges), and ranks 3rd of 12 Washington colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$61,304

U.S. median for this major: $47,823.

College Scorecard field of study; 164 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$46,998

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$22,960

About 37% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$14,971 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $27,648. College Scorecard.

Washington State University Education (Elementary / Secondary): pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Washington State University graduates$61,304
Washington median (12 colleges)$60,010 (+$1,294)
U.S. median (671 colleges)$47,823 (+$13,481)

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 Washington State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$7,074$30,9131.5 years
$30–48k$8,971$39,2031.9 years
$48–75k$11,519$50,3382.4 years
$75–110k$18,426$80,5223.8 years
$110k+$24,726$108,0535.1 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($61,304) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,085 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.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Pacific Lutheran University$66,848$19,500$19,58969%
2Western Washington University$62,500$22,000$21,19365%
3Washington State University$61,304$22,960$14,97161%
4North Seattle Collegemostly 2-year$61,250$13,404$10,74033%
5Heritage University$60,999$20,049$14,59854%
6Whitworth University$60,010$27,000$26,53471%
7Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs$60,010$27,000——
8University of Washington-Seattle Campus$59,736$17,342$14,09185%
9Central Washington University$59,659$20,205$18,47654%
10Saint Martin's University$59,433—$28,11952%
11Northwest University$58,134$23,168$22,28871%
12Eastern Washington University$55,671$20,885$13,88643%

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

Washington$102,350
U.S.$63,970

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

Washington$102,670
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Training and Development Specialists

Washington$81,860
U.S.$69,280

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 Washington State University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Washington State University

Related majors at Washington State University

  • Education (Subject Teaching)$62,126

Washington State University Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions

How much do Washington State University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?

Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Washington State University earn a median $61,304 four years after graduating and $46,998 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.

How much debt do Washington State University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Washington State University is $22,960, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.

Is Washington State University a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Washington?

On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Washington State University earn $61,304 four years out, $1,294 above the median for the same major across 12 Washington colleges ($60,010) and $13,481 above the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Washington State University rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Washington?

Of 12 Washington colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Washington State University ranks 3rd. The highest is Pacific Lutheran University at $66,848.

What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?

A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $102,350 in Washington 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
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Cite this: “Washington State University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-state-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).