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Business Administration at Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Business Administration, Management and Operations

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $53,402/yr (14% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (1,753,300 openings/yr)

ROI 17.9x earnings multiple (6.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #42 of 1,169 Business Administration programs Top 5%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Business Administration graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$679K	$664K	$587K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	18.3x	17.9x	15.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.1x	6.0x	5.3x
Probability of Field Employment	47%	43%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	79	78	72

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,144

Out-of-state: $111,412 (6.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$74,720

-101% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$16,666

3.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$80,761

51% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $53,402/yr, edging above the $46,892 national average for Business Administration — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 17.9x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $16,666 in median debt against $53,402 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #42 out of 1,169 programs, Western Washington University's Business Administration program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $53,402 to $80,761 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Western Washington University

Western Washington University has a 91% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, serving 13,574 students in Bellingham, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Washington University →

Top Career Paths

Chief executives $206,420/yr

Computer and information systems managers $171,200/yr

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

View all 42 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Business Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Western Washington University

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Western Washington University's Business Administration program score?

A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Western Washington University's Business Administration graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Business Administration careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Western Washington University rank so high for Business Administration?

The #42 ranking out of 1,169 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →