Programs & majors brief

Western Washington University Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at Western Washington University?

At Western Washington University, program-level earnings range from higher-paying technical and health fields to more moderate outcomes in large social-science and writing fields. Computer and Information Sciences reports median earnings of $110,138 four years after completion, with 151 degrees awarded.

Nursing follows at $96,695 across 15 degrees awarded. The contrast is clearest against larger programs with more moderate earnings.

Psychology had $53,224 in median earnings four years after completion and 220 degrees awarded. Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies recorded $38,460 with 136 degrees awarded.

The program mix therefore presents materially different earnings pictures by field.

Major mix · each dot ≈ 1% of completions

Share of reported completions in the bachelor’s programs included here. Each dot represents approximately 1% of those completions. Counts are credentials, not unique students; excluded programs are not zero activity.

  • Business423 · 12.2%
  • Social sciences372 · 10.8%
  • Education265 · 7.7%
  • Interdisciplinary studies237 · 6.8%
  • Psychology234 · 6.8%
  • Other1,929 · 55.8%

66 of 66 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer and Information Sciences, General 151 degrees awarded
$110,138
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 15 degrees awarded
$96,695
Polymer/Plastics Engineering 19 degrees awarded
$92,439
Manufacturing Engineering 18 degrees awarded
$85,314
Accounting and Related Services 66 degrees awarded
$82,246
Management Information Systems and Services 48 degrees awarded
$81,678

Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.

Compare all matching programs
Reported bachelor’s programs · earnings, program size and field ranks
ProgramDegrees awarded4-yr earningsField rank
Computer and Information Sciences, General151$110,138—
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing small degree count15$96,695—
Polymer/Plastics Engineering small degree count19$92,439—
Manufacturing Engineering small degree count18$85,314—
Accounting and Related Services66$82,246—
Management Information Systems and Services48$81,678—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology29$77,048—
Finance and Financial Management Services42$75,730—
Business Administration, Management and Operations116$71,886—
Sustainability Studies22$70,793—
Design and Applied Arts60$69,715—
Marketing116$69,323—
Applied Mathematics small degree count10$68,359—
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences52$67,208—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics54$65,380—
Special Education and Teaching101$64,780—
Economics74$64,123—
International Business35$63,923—
Physics small degree count16$63,833—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas79$63,072—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods75$62,500—
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services39$61,802—
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences42$58,622—
Journalism68$57,697—
Communication and Media Studies81$56,415—
Chemistry42$55,793—
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General67$54,290—
Sociology117$54,263—
Mathematics30$54,234—
Human Services, General95$53,788—
Natural Resources Conservation and Research209$53,781—
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs63$53,428—
Psychology, General220$53,224—
Neurobiology and Neurosciences31$51,508—
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies43$50,832—
Anthropology63$50,703—
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness44$50,079—
Biology, General63$50,027—
Political Science and Government90$49,640—
English Language and Literature, General60$46,571—
History72$46,000—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services47$44,615—
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other104$43,919—
Area Studies small degree count13$40,623—
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft42$40,616—
Music32$38,858—
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies136$38,460—
Archeology small degree count15$38,243—
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count6$38,163—
Fine and Studio Arts66$35,161—
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count18Too few graduates to report—
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Electrical and Computer Engineering32Too few graduates to report—
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics24Too few graduates to report—
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology small degree count18Too few graduates to report—
Statistics small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
Biological and Physical Sciences22Too few graduates to report—
Mathematics and Computer Science22Too few graduates to report—
Philosophy27Too few graduates to report—
Research and Experimental Psychology small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Geography and Cartography small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Dance small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Public Health small degree count16Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at Western Washington University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Psychology, General
220
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
209
Computer and Information Sciences, General
151
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
136
Sociology
117
Business Administration, Management and Operations
116
Marketing
116
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
104
Special Education and Teaching
101
Human Services, General
95

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions

How do Western Washington University majors rank nationally?

National program ranks are not reported for this school.

How Azimuth compares programs across colleges

Further analysis

A student's return at Western Washington University depends heavily on the field they choose. The university has 50 programs with published earnings data.

The degree mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 12.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Social Sciences follows at 10.8%, and Education is third at 7.7%.

Psychology is the largest single program at 220 degrees awarded, and its completers earn $53,224 four years after completion. Computer and Information Sciences awards 151 degrees and reports the highest four-year earnings among the five largest programs, at $110,138. Across all fields, 16.2% of degrees awarded are in STEM.

Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: methodology.

Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. About College Azimuth.