Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,292
Est. from WA median (3 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$25,000
Est. from national median (33 programs)

Analysis

Similar International Business programs in Washington suggest first-year earnings around $48,300, which lands right at the state median but trails behind what North Seattle College's graduates achieve by about $6,000. The estimated $25,000 in debt creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52—below the concerning 1.0 threshold and fairly typical for business programs. However, this debt estimate comes from national data across University of Puget Sound's programs rather than International Business specifically, so the actual burden could vary.

The challenge here is context: Puget Sound is a selective liberal arts college with strong academic credentials, yet comparable programs in Washington show a wide earnings range. North Seattle College's community college pathway produces notably higher outcomes, while Western Washington trails significantly lower at $38,400. Without specific data for Puget Sound's own International Business graduates, it's unclear whether the school's academic reputation translates into the higher end of that spectrum or simply matches the middle.

For parents considering this investment, the estimates suggest a financially viable program—debt payments would consume roughly 10-15% of gross income initially, which is workable. But given the $100,000+ total cost of attending Puget Sound, you'd want to verify these estimates with the career services office. Ask about actual job placement rates and starting salaries for recent International Business graduates before committing to a program where the published data is too limited to reflect its real-world performance.

Where University of Puget Sound Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all international business bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Washington

International Business bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Washington (9 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
University of Puget SoundTacoma$59,900$48,292*$25,000*
North Seattle CollegeSeattle$5,058$54,681**
Washington State UniversityPullman$12,997$48,292*$69,214$16,659*0.34
Western Washington UniversityBellingham$9,286$38,412*$60,844$22,250*0.58
National Median$49,890*$23,472*0.47
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with international business graduates

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Sustainability Officers

Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

General and Operations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Business Operations Specialists, All Other

All business operations specialists not listed separately.

Business Continuity Planners

Develop, maintain, or implement business continuity and disaster recovery strategies and solutions, including risk assessments, business impact analyses, strategy selection, and documentation of business continuity and disaster recovery procedures. Plan, conduct, and debrief regular mock-disaster exercises to test the adequacy of existing plans and strategies, updating procedures and plans regularly. Act as a coordinator for continuity efforts after a disruption event.

Sustainability Specialists

Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.

Online Merchants

Conduct retail activities of businesses operating exclusively online. May perform duties such as preparing business strategies, buying merchandise, managing inventory, implementing marketing activities, fulfilling and shipping online orders, and balancing financial records.

Security Management Specialists

Conduct security assessments for organizations, and design security systems and processes. May specialize in areas such as physical security or the safety of employees and facilities.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At University of Puget Sound, approximately 17% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 3 similar programs in WA. Actual outcomes may vary.