Public Health at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

The University of Washington's public health program outperforms nearly every other program in the country, with first-year earnings of $46,016 placing it in the 94th percentile nationally—well above the national median of $37,548. More importantly for Washington families, graduates leave with just $16,490 in debt, less than half the typical national burden for this degree. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36 means graduates owe less than five months of their starting salary, making this one of the more financially manageable bachelor's degrees available.

The catch is competition within Washington state itself. While UW-Seattle's numbers look exceptional compared to programs nationwide, they're merely average within Washington—sitting at the 60th percentile among state schools. This suggests Washington has unusually strong public health programs overall, not that UW-Seattle underperforms. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates confirms these figures are reliable, and the 16% earnings growth over four years shows steady career progression rather than a stagnant trajectory.

For families weighing the investment, this program delivers clear value: competitive Washington-level earnings with significantly lower debt than you'd find at most programs elsewhere. If your student can gain admission to UW-Seattle, the combination of strong job prospects and manageable debt makes this a sound choice, especially compared to out-of-state alternatives that would likely cost more while delivering less.