# Western Washington University: Biology (bachelor's)

Bellingham, WA. IPEDS 237011, CIP 26.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-washington-university/majors/biology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $33,871
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $50,027 (U.S. median for this major: $57,996 across 837 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $17,003 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in WA: 11 of 11 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the WA median for this major (11 colleges, $56,154): -$6,127
- Versus the U.S. median: -$7,969

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.43 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $50,027 minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,915 | $57,213 | 5.8 years |
| 30-48k | $14,147 | $62,671 | 6.4 years |
| 48-75k | $17,539 | $77,698 | 7.9 years |
| 75-110k | $24,301 | $107,653 | 11.0 years |
| 110k+ | $27,984 | $123,969 | 12.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Biology at WA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State University | $60,418 | $21,500 | $14,971 | 61% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $59,443 | $14,223 | $14,091 | 85% |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | $59,443 | $14,223 | $12,319 | 65% |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $59,443 | $14,223 | $10,163 | 63% |
| Seattle University | $58,242 | $22,417 | $34,662 | 76% |
| Central Washington University | $56,154 | $25,790 | $18,476 | 54% |
| Eastern Washington University | $56,083 | $21,666 | $13,886 | 44% |
| Gonzaga University | $55,707 | $26,496 | $35,119 | 86% |
| Pacific Lutheran University | $53,077 | $22,626 | $19,589 | 69% |
| University of Puget Sound | $52,645 | $24,654 | $38,394 | 68% |
| Western Washington University | $50,027 | $17,003 | $21,193 | 65% |

## Careers
- Biological technician (SOC 19-4020): median wage $47,310 Bellingham, WA, $60,800 WA, $57,510 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage $102,160 Bellingham, WA, $102,670 WA, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $134,220 Bellingham, WA, $182,480 WA, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).