---
title: Washburn University — cost, debt & earnings (College Scorecard)
location: Topeka, KS
control: Public
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2026-06-10 release)
sourceUrl: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
---

# Washburn University

Topeka, KS · Public · Bachelor-granting

> Federal College Scorecard institution **medians** — not a prediction of any one student's outcome, and not a figure for any single program. Earnings/debt cover federally-aided students.

## The bottom line

| Figure | Value | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Typical earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,774 | recorded |
| Earnings range (25th–75th pct) | $32,138 – $69,324 | recorded |
| Typical federal debt | $12,500 | recorded |
| Debt of students who withdrew | $9,500 | recorded |
| Completion rate | 53% | recorded |
| Average annual net cost | $21,512 | recorded |
| % earning above a $28k HS-grad wage | 72% | recorded |
| Debt ÷ a year's earnings | 0.25× | derived |
| Earnings premium vs $28k HS benchmark | $21,774 | derived |

**53% of students finish** — the loans are owed whether or not you graduate, so read every figure below next to this number.

Typical **federal** loan debt is $12,500 (≈ 25% of a year's typical earnings here). Note: this counts federal loans only — not private loans, Parent PLUS, or family savings — so true borrowing is usually higher; and because dropouts borrow less, low-completion schools can show a deceptively low debt figure.

## Earnings by major (the number that decides "worth it")

> **Different measure — read on its own terms.** These are median earnings **1 year after completing the program** (early career, graduates only) — NOT the 10-years-after-entry school-wide figure above. Do not compare a program figure to the school figure; compare majors to each other. The Dept. of Education omits programs with too few graduates.

By program, early-career pay ranges from $24,101 to $117,447 across 33 program(s).

| Major | Credential | Pay (1 yr out) | Median debt |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $117,447 | $39,292 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Master's Degree | $95,212 | not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master's Degree | $56,084 | $26,200 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,332 | $22,062 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $53,602 | $18,622 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $50,713 | $9,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $49,785 | not reported |
| Law. | First Professional Degree | $48,996 | $77,330 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $46,968 | $21,725 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Associate's Degree | $46,833 | $18,500 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $46,551 | $21,136 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,645 | $20,500 |
| Engineering-Related Fields. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,090 | not reported |
| Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $43,016 | not reported |
| Social Work. | Master's Degree | $42,487 | $35,756 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. | Master's Degree | $41,604 | $41,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $40,896 | $18,912 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services. | Associate's Degree | $40,826 | $16,384 |
| Marketing. | Bachelor's Degree | $39,216 | $23,500 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $39,127 | $9,750 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,577 | $20,349 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,242 | not reported |
| Social Work. | Bachelor's Degree | $36,227 | $23,873 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | Bachelor's Degree | $35,746 | $18,375 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,706 | $19,616 |
| Biology, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,467 | not reported |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $31,947 | $5,500 |
| Legal Support Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $31,862 | $20,000 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $31,826 | $30,974 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $29,952 | $5,500 |
| Precision Metal Working. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $27,682 | $8,250 |
| Fine and Studio Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $24,910 | not reported |
| Psychology, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $24,101 | $24,075 |

## What this is — and is NOT

Institution-wide medians from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. **Not** a prediction of what you would earn or owe, **not** a figure for any single program (a CS and a fine-arts graduate of the same school diverge enormously), **not** proof the school caused the outcome (selection, not causation), and **not** a "best college" ranking. Explore Washburn University by field of study at the official Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?156082

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Structured data (JSON-LD), each figure labeled by epistemic status: `/education/washburn-university-ks.jsonld` · all schools: `/education`