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Teacher Education at Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $42,795/yr (3% vs median)

AI Risk High (43% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (444,600 openings/yr)

ROI 17.7x earnings multiple (5.9x out-of-state)

Ranked #21 of 348 Teacher Education programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Teacher Education graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$676K	$658K	$601K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	18.2x	17.7x	16.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.1x	5.9x	5.4x
Probability of Field Employment	78%	70%	55%
DegreeOutlook Score	71	70	74

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,144

Out-of-state: $111,412 (5.9x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$74,720

-101% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$24,700

6.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$65,749

54% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Western Washington University's Teacher Education program produces graduates earning $42,795/yr — within striking distance of the $41,690 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 17.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Teacher Education programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Teacher Education's typical career paths, with 43% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 11% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $24,700 represents roughly 7 months of the $42,795 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #21 of 348 programs, Western Washington University's Teacher Education program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $65,749 show a 54% jump from the $42,795 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Western Washington University

A 91% acceptance rate means Western Washington University is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 13,574 students in Bellingham, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Washington University →

Top Career Paths

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620/yr

Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary $101,390/yr

Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary $100,830/yr

View all 30 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Teacher Education at Other Schools

Other Majors at Western Washington University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Teacher Education at Western Washington University?

This program scores 70/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Teacher Education nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

Will AI replace Teacher Education careers?

With 43% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $600,970 in decade earnings vs $675,532 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →