Music at Whitworth University

Whitworth's music graduates start just below the national median at $25,027, but show solid 22% earnings growth over four years—something many arts programs struggle to deliver. Within Washington, this program actually performs better than you'd expect from the national ranking, landing at the 60th percentile statewide and matching programs like Central Washington University. It trails only Northwest University among the state's mid-sized private options.

The debt picture is manageable by music program standards. At $26,000, it's exactly the national median for music degrees, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.04 suggests graduates can realistically handle their payments. That first-year salary of $25,000 is tight, but not unusually so for arts degrees, and the trajectory toward $30,000+ by year four provides some breathing room.

The caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one or two outliers could significantly skew these numbers. Still, for a family considering music programs in Washington, Whitworth appears to deliver middle-of-the-pack outcomes at a predictable cost. If your child is committed to music and prefers a smaller, faith-based environment, this won't derail their finances the way some arts programs can. Just make sure they understand that $25,000 starting salary and have a plan for those early years.