Polymer/Plastics Engineering at Western Washington University

Western Washington's polymer engineering program shows a significant earnings gap compared to the national market, though the story is complicated by being Washington's only program and having a very small graduating class. At $60,375 starting salary, graduates earn about $13,000 less than the national median for this specialized field—placing this program in just the 5th percentile nationally. That's a meaningful difference in a technical discipline where graduates typically command strong compensation.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $21,656, students borrow about $4,000 less than the national norm, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36. That means graduates can theoretically pay off their loans with about four months of pre-tax income. However, the concerning part is that this program ranks in the 95th percentile for debt nationally—meaning nearly all other polymer engineering programs send students out with even less debt, not more.

The major caveat here is sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates tracked, one or two data points can swing these numbers significantly. If your child is committed to polymer engineering and prefers staying in Washington, this is your only in-state option. But if they're willing to look elsewhere, other programs appear to offer both higher starting salaries and lower debt loads. Before committing, I'd want to understand why these graduates are earning 18% below the national average—is it regional industry presence, or something about career placement?