Special Education and Teaching at Saint Martin's University

When choosing a special education program in Washington, the range matters. Western Washington's graduates earn nearly $53,000 in their first year, while Eastern Washington's start around $42,000. Saint Martin's estimated outcomes, based on comparable private universities nationally, suggest earnings near $44,000—closer to the lower end of that state range, though slightly above the national median for special education programs.

The estimated $27,000 in debt aligns exactly with Washington's typical borrowing for this field, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. That's manageable territory for education careers, suggesting roughly six months of pre-tax income to cover student loans. However, it's worth noting that other Washington programs appear to deliver stronger earning potential with similar debt loads. The difference between $44,000 and nearly $53,000 isn't trivial when you're paying off loans on a teacher's salary.

Special education offers stable employment with clear career pathways, but the financial value here depends heavily on whether these estimates hold true for Saint Martin's specific outcomes. Given that the school serves a substantial population of Pell Grant recipients (40%), and with no published graduate data available, you're making this decision with limited visibility into actual results. If your child is set on this school for other reasons, the estimated numbers aren't alarming—but stronger data exists at Washington's public universities.