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

Starting around $30,000 annually isn't typical for a bachelor's degree, but for writing programs nationwide, UW Tacoma actually performs slightly above average—landing in the 60th percentile among Washington schools. The bigger story is the debt picture: graduates leave with roughly $18,000, significantly less than the national program median of $25,000 and below the Washington state median too. That 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio means students can theoretically pay off their loans with seven months of their first-year salary, which is manageable for a humanities degree.

The steady earnings growth—about 14% from year one to year four—suggests graduates aren't hitting an immediate ceiling. They're building skills that translate to better-paying opportunities as they gain experience. Among Washington's writing programs, this ranks competitively, essentially matching UW Seattle's outcomes while serving a more economically diverse student body (40% receive Pell grants).

For families considering this path, the key advantage is low debt relative to career earnings. You're not looking at a high-earning career track, but you're also not gambling with $40,000+ in loans. If your student is genuinely drawn to writing and rhetoric work, this program delivers reasonable preparation without the crushing debt burden that often makes humanities degrees financially untenable.