Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at Western Washington University

The numbers here tell two conflicting stories, and the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means you should dig deeper before making any decisions. Fresh graduates earn just $19,512—well below Washington's median of $25,791 for this field and ranking at the 25th percentile statewide. That's concerning, especially since University of Washington and Washington State University graduates start earning 30-40% more in the same program.

However, the debt load is manageable at $17,500, lower than both state and national averages. More importantly, earnings more than double by year four, reaching $47,228—substantially higher than the national median. This suggests graduates may be starting in entry-level or part-time positions before moving into better-paying roles, which is common for students planning to pursue graduate work in speech-language pathology or audiology. Most clinical positions in this field require a master's degree.

The critical question is whether your child plans to continue to graduate school. If they're using this as a stepping stone to become a licensed speech-language pathologist, the low initial earnings matter less. But if they're planning to stop at a bachelor's degree, Western Washington's program appears to underperform compared to UW and WSU. Given the small sample, request specific placement data from the program directly—ask what percentage of graduates continue to grad school versus entering the workforce, and where they're getting accepted.