Public Health: Illinois State University vs University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
11.0x
$64,084 tuition
11.8x
$51,268 tuition
Out-of-State
6.3x
$112,344 tuition
3.6x
$168,684 tuition
$704,918 10-yr earnings · Public
$606,596 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Illinois State University University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.0x 11.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.3x 3.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $64,084 $51,268
Year 1 Earnings $59,207 $46,016
10-Year Earnings $705K $607K
Median Debt $20,009 $15,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 4.1 months 4.0 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 60/100 57/100
Acceptance Rate 89.0% 83.0%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Public Health graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Public Health graduates.

Illinois State University University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $64,084 $51,268
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $112,344 $168,684
10-Year Projected Earnings $705K $607K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.0x 11.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.3x 3.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +41% +43%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Public Health (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Illinois State University University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $715K $705K $612K $612K $607K $543K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 11.2x 11.0x 9.5x 11.9x 11.8x 10.6x
DegreeWorth Score 61 60 53 58 57 52

For the full AI analysis of Public Health career paths, see the Illinois State University or University of Washington-Tacoma Campus program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Public Health graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$12,816
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$13,191/yr
Illinois State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
11.0x / 11.8x
Out-of-state: 6.3x / 3.6x

Career Paths

Public Health graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Physicists $166,290 1,700 +4.0% 75%
Medical and health services managers $117,960 62,100 +23.2% 43%
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620 27,400 +17.3% 48%
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $100,590 9,600 +8.7% 52%
Genetic counselors $98,910 300 +9.3% 50%
Physics teachers, postsecondary $97,360 1,300 +2.5% 42%
Epidemiologists $83,980 800 +16.2% 44%
Occupational health and safety specialists $83,910 14,900 +12.5% 33%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Public Health: Illinois State University or University of Washington-Tacoma Campus?
Illinois State University scores 60/100 while University of Washington-Tacoma Campus scores 57/100. University of Washington-Tacoma Campus has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Public Health?
Illinois State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 11.0x vs University of Washington-Tacoma Campus's 11.8x. That means University of Washington-Tacoma Campus grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Illinois State University and University of Washington-Tacoma Campus compare on Public Health earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $59,207 at Illinois State University vs $46,016 at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $704,918 vs $606,596 — a difference of $98,322.
How much does Public Health cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $64,084 at Illinois State University and $51,268 at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus. Median debt at graduation is $20,009 vs $15,500. Both programs lead to the same Public Health career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.