Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at Central Washington University

Central Washington's Management Sciences program shows unusually strong first-year outcomes at $81,377—well above both the state median of $62,782 and national figures—but the numbers tell an unusual story. While debt appears manageable at an estimated $22,789 (based on national patterns for similar bachelor's programs), the sharp 20% earnings decline from year one to year four raises questions about what kind of positions these graduates initially land versus where they settle longer-term.

This earnings trajectory is the reverse of what you'd typically expect. Most bachelor's programs show graduates climbing in compensation as they gain experience, but here the peak comes immediately after graduation. That could suggest graduates are taking high-paying but potentially unsustainable roles, or perhaps the small sample size (data is suppressed due to few graduates) is producing volatility in the figures. Even at the lower fourth-year mark of $64,883, earnings remain solid—comparable to what peer programs produce—but the downward trend merits investigation.

For parents, the key question is whether that strong starting salary represents a real pattern or statistical noise from a limited cohort. Contact the program directly to understand typical graduate outcomes and career paths. If the first-year figure holds up, the low debt-to-earnings ratio makes this a reasonable bet, but don't bank on continued salary growth based on these estimates.