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Business · Finance Rank #21 of 431

Financeat University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Graduates earn $63,500/yr in their first year — about 15.0% above the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $931K; scenarios range from $788K to $992K depending on AI disruption.

Seattle, WA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
85 ELITE
87
Optimistic
83
Pessimistic
Earnings
$63,500
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$931K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Washington

First-year earnings of $63,500 at University of Washington-Seattle Campus come in 15% above the national median of $55,340 for Finance programs.

With a 18.4x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 21% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Finance career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $63,500 far exceeding the $13,856 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks #21 among 431 Finance programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

The $63,500-to-$106,265 earnings arc over five years reflects a 67% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$788K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score83/100
Earnings Multiple15.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$931K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score85/100
Earnings Multiple18.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$992K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score87/100
Earnings Multiple19.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Washington's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Finance graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
3
Financial risk specialists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$106,000/yr
High
4
General and operations managers
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 308,700 openings/yr
$102,950/yr
Moderate
5
Personal financial advisors
+9.6% 10-yr growth · 24,100 openings/yr
$102,140/yr
High
6
Financial and investment analysts
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 25,100 openings/yr
$101,350/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Finance

How University of Washington stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Pennsylvania
PA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$123K
1-yr earn
8.2x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
80
DW Score
$106K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
81
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
6.6x
ROI
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
79
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Wake Forest University
NC · Private nonprofit
78
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
4.4x
ROI
Also at University of Washington

Other top programs at University of Washington

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Washington, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Finance offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Finance trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Finance at University of Washington

What does a 85/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Finance at University of Washington-Seattle Campus?

At 85/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Finance at University of Washington-Seattle Campus?

The 55% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is University of Washington-Seattle Campus one of the best schools for Finance?

Among 431 Finance programs, University of Washington-Seattle Campus's #21 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.