International Business at Eastern Washington University

In Washington state, international business graduates from the handful of programs that report data span a considerable range—from nearly $55,000 down to the mid-$30s—making Eastern Washington's estimated $48,000 first-year earnings look competitive but uncertain. Since the actual figures for this program aren't available due to small graduate samples, we're relying on the state median from just three comparable programs to estimate what EWU grads might earn.

The estimated $21,500 debt load, derived from similar-sized universities nationwide, translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45—well within manageable territory if the earnings estimate holds. That's about half a year's salary, which most financial advisors would consider reasonable. The program's estimated earnings sit almost exactly at the national median for international business degrees ($49,890), suggesting it delivers typical outcomes for this field rather than punching above or below its weight.

The challenge here is that with an admission rate above 90% and more than a third of students on Pell grants, EWU serves a population where even moderate debt matters significantly. If your student is drawn to international business specifically and wants to stay in Washington, this program appears positioned in the middle of the pack. Just recognize you're making this decision with borrowed confidence from peer schools rather than hard evidence from EWU's own graduates.