Program Analysis
At $32,334 per year, English graduates from Western Washington University earn slightly above the $30,427 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI English programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in English's typical career paths, with 61% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $16,585 represents roughly 6 months of the $32,334 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #85 of 493 nationally, this is a top-5% English program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $32,334 to $48,283 over five years — a 49% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.