Materials Engineering at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

UW's Materials Engineering program delivers solid value within Washington, though it sits slightly below the national median for this field. With $71,174 in starting earnings and just $20,915 in debt—less than three months of first-year salary—graduates enter the workforce with meaningful financial flexibility. Among Washington's two Materials Engineering programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile, significantly outearning Washington State's $49,560 median.

The 22% earnings growth to $86,838 by year four suggests graduates build valuable skills that employers increasingly reward. Nationally, this program falls at the 40th percentile, meaning about $3,000 below typical Materials Engineering graduates elsewhere. However, context matters: the debt load is also lower than the national median ($23,250), and the program's debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 is quite manageable for an engineering degree.

For Washington families prioritizing in-state tuition at a respected flagship university, this represents a practical path into materials engineering. The starting salary covers living expenses in Seattle while allowing aggressive debt paydown, and the strong mid-career trajectory suggests good long-term prospects. While top Materials Engineering programs nationally push earnings higher initially, UW graduates aren't far behind and carry less debt burden, making this a reasonable investment for students committed to the field.