Special Education and Teaching at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

The estimated $26,000 in debt for this program sits below both state and national medians for special education degrees, which is encouraging. However, first-year earnings based on comparable programs nationally come in at $44,139—meaningfully below what other Washington special education programs typically produce. Western Washington graduates, for instance, earn nearly $9,000 more in their first year, while the state median sits at $47,398. That gap matters when you're managing loan payments on a teacher's salary.

Special education teachers are in high demand across Washington, and UW-Seattle's reputation could open doors that aren't reflected in these estimated first-year numbers. Teaching salaries also follow predictable step increases based on experience and education, so the initial earnings picture doesn't capture long-term trajectory. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 is manageable compared to many education programs, especially given that federal loan forgiveness programs specifically target teachers in high-need fields like special education.

The real question is whether UW's stronger name recognition translates into better job placement or advancement opportunities that justify potentially lower starting pay compared to peer programs in the state. Without actual outcome data for this specific program, parents should contact the education department directly to understand job placement rates and typical employer partnerships before committing.