Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
18% gap between the two groups
10% gap between the two groups
4% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $7,074 |
| $30k–$48k | $8,971 |
| $48k–$75k | $11,519 |
| $75k–$110k | $18,426 |
| $110k+ | $24,726 |
How Washington State University compares
This college against the Washington and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Washington State University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Washington State University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's | $163,998 | — | +3,874% | Strong return |
| Construction Management | Associate's | $107,912 | — | +2,001% | Strong return |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Certificate | $156,036 | — | +1,754% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's | $141,180 | $64,792 | +1,696% | Strong return |
| Computer Engineering | Associate's | $110,492 | $19,902 | +1,661% | Strong return |
| Computer Science | Associate's | $108,566 | $20,000 | +1,607% | Strong return |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Associate's | $95,879 | — | +1,599% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Certificate | $138,196 | — | +1,456% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $100,264 | $18,546 | +1,406% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $92,146 | $18,836 | +1,181% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $142,779 | $53,547 | +1,132% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $89,281 | $20,780 | +1,080% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $90,097 | $25,000 | +1,055% | Strong return |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | $84,931 | $13,476 | +1,046% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $88,132 | $22,500 | +1,031% | Strong return |
| International Business | Associate's | $83,952 | $16,819 | +980% | Strong return |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Associate's | $77,036 | — | +970% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $82,433 | $19,500 | +910% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $82,094 | $19,500 | +901% | Strong return |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Certificate | $115,096 | $34,582 | +867% | Strong return |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Associate's | $81,392 | $22,175 | +857% | Strong return |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Doctoral | $144,700 | $137,435 | +807% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Certificate | $97,698 | — | +780% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $77,091 | $21,500 | +750% | Strong return |
| Architecture | Associate's | $68,744 | — | +693% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Washington State University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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