For the first time, a Washington state agency that compiles data about students as they move through public colleges into the workforce has broken out information about the earnings of University of Washington Bothell graduates.
One year after graduation, the median salaries of UW Bothell graduates with bachelor’s degrees are above the state median in nearly all of their fields — and consistently among the top three schools for earnings, according to the Education Research & Data Center (ERDC).
The numbers reflect the experience many students gain at UW Bothell, where team assignments and capstone projects in the community are typical.
“Many of our students are working while attending school and also have participated in internships and experiential learning opportunities to develop industry skills,” said Kim Wilson, interim director of career services. “Employers have shared that our students have an incredible work ethic, life experiences that build strong career competencies and show engagement and commitment.”
The Earnings for Graduates report covers 36 fields, from agriculture to visual arts, and UW Bothell is represented in 11 of them. Recent UW Bothell degrees in education, physics and gender, women and sexuality studies (GWSS) are not yet represented.
The report was published in the fall of 2017 and charted yearly earnings of graduates from 2008 through 2014 one year out from their graduation (earnings from 2009 through 2015).
Below are the results from the latest ERDC data for the 11 fields, comparing the median salary for UW Bothell graduates with the median salary of all students from all public colleges, one year after graduation.
| Field of study | UW Bothell median (one year out) | Statewide median (one year out) | Number of UW Bothell graduates | Number of statewide graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological | $32,000 | $31,000 | 62 | 3,390 |
| Business | $46,000 | $44,000 | 1,186 | 13,906 |
| Communication | $33,000 | $35,000 | 117 | 4,501 |
| Computer Science | $74,000 | $67,000 | 336 | 2,426 |
| Engineering | $65,000 | $63,000 | 58 | 3,404 |
| Health | $70,000 | $60,000 | 838 | 5,838 |
| Liberal Arts | $33,000 | $30,000 | 85 | 3,578 |
| Multi Studies | $36,000 | $32,000 | 277 | 1,732 |
| Philosophy | $34,000 | $32,000 | 296 | 651 |
| Psychology | $30,000 | $29,000 | 174 | 3,858 |
| Social Science | $38,000 | $34,000 | 31 | 9,477 |
Ninety percent of UW Bothell grads live and work in the state of Washington. They enter careers as valued professionals, well-positioned to increase their earnings over the years, said Sean Marsh, assistant vice chancellor of alumni engagement.
“Our graduates are getting real world experience at UW Bothell, and I think our industry partners have been quick to recognize what they bring to the table in many different fields,” Marsh said.
Graphic representations in the ERDC dashboard offer insights to legislators and other decision makers as well as education providers, parents and students.
The ERDC data are based on Washington state Employment Security Department employment insurance records for people who worked all four quarters of a calendar year. The data do not include federal employees, self-employed individuals, people who worked outside Washington, people who earned less than $14,000 annually or those who worked less than four quarters in the year.
In some field categories, data may be skewed by a low number of graduates in those fields. Results also vary over time, and it should be noted that income is not the only way to evaluate a school, program or degree.
