Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Northwest University

Northwest University's education program produces unusually strong first-year earnings for teaching graduates—$49,499 puts them in the 95th percentile nationally and above the Washington state median of $44,922. The debt load of $23,168 is actually slightly lower than the state median, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 that's manageable for an entry-level teaching position. For context, most teacher prep programs struggle to break $42,000 in first-year earnings, so this is a meaningful advantage.

That said, the 60th percentile standing within Washington reveals something important: this isn't the state's strongest teaching program. Several Washington schools consistently place graduates above $53,000, suggesting stronger district connections or certification pathways. The sample size here is also quite small (under 30 graduates), which means these numbers could swing significantly year to year.

For families committed to teaching careers, this program offers solid financial footing—you're looking at debt that's less than half of first-year salary, which is rare in education. But if staying in Washington is the plan, it's worth comparing outcomes at Western Washington or Pacific Lutheran, where graduates earn $4,000-$8,000 more annually. That gap compounds quickly over a teaching career.