Journalism at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

UW-Seattle's journalism program starts graduates at $33,250—below both the state median ($35,196) and placing in just the 40th percentile among Washington journalism programs. That initial salary trails in-state competitors like Gonzaga ($36,767) and Washington State ($36,273). However, the trajectory tells a different story: by year four, earnings jump 77% to $58,676, well above what most journalism grads see nationally or in Washington.

The debt picture is unusually favorable. At $13,654, graduates carry roughly half the typical burden for journalism majors ($24,250 nationally, $20,290 in Washington). This puts the program in the 95th percentile for low debt nationally—a significant advantage given journalism's traditionally modest starting salaries. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41 means graduates owe less than half their first year's salary, manageable even during that slower-earning first year.

The caveat: this data represents fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes vary more than these medians suggest. Still, the combination of UW's flagship reputation, minimal debt burden, and strong mid-career earnings growth creates reasonable risk-reward dynamics for students committed to journalism. The real question is whether your child can weather that initial year at $33,250 while building the portfolio and connections that appear to drive later earnings.