Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington's teaching program faces a significant Washington state challenge: its first-year salary of $41,914 trails the state median by more than $7,000, placing it in the 40th percentile among Washington teacher preparation programs. This gap matters because Washington teachers can earn considerably more than the national average—but EWU graduates aren't capturing that premium. Compared to Washington State University ($55,864) or even Central Washington University ($49,177), EWU grads start substantially behind their in-state peers.

The positive story here is strong earnings growth. The 27% jump from year one to year four ($53,164) suggests graduates do eventually find better-paying positions, possibly as they gain experience or move districts. The debt picture is reasonable at $23,009—slightly below the state median and translating to a manageable 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio. This isn't crushing debt, but it's not a bargain either given the initial salary lag.

For Washington families, the calculation is straightforward: your child will likely start $7,000 behind other state grads in their first teaching job. If staying in Washington for their career, that matters more than beating national averages. The program works best for students who either have geographic flexibility to teach elsewhere or are committed to sticking with teaching long enough to reach that year-four salary level.