Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

UW-Seattle's writing program graduates start at nearly $30,000 annually—solidly in the 60th percentile among Washington writing programs—but carry debt levels that rank among the lowest 5% nationally. At just under $18,000, graduates owe roughly half what peers at other schools typically face, and with steady earnings growth to $34,000 by year four, they're clearing debt faster than most in this field. Among the nine Washington schools offering this degree, UW-Seattle sits comfortably in the middle for earnings while maintaining significantly better debt outcomes than the state median of $20,644.

The starting salary isn't impressive in absolute terms—this is a field where even top programs struggle to break $35,000—but the debt picture transforms the equation. A 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates enter the workforce with manageable obligations, particularly important for a degree that often leads to careers in publishing, communications, or graduate school. The 14% earnings bump over four years suggests decent early-career progression, though you're still looking at mid-$30,000s rather than transformative income.

For families concerned about debt burden, this program delivers what UW-Seattle does best: flagship-quality education without crushing loans. The tradeoff is accepting that writing degrees generally don't lead to high starting salaries, regardless of institutional prestige. If your child is committed to this path, the combination of reasonable debt and steady if modest earnings growth makes this a defensible choice.