10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$22,572at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Private nonprofit · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Seattle University
Seattle, WA · 49 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 47 · Federal debt reported for 28
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$22,572 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
9.3 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+7%Estimated return after 10 years
$79,122Observed earnings · year 5
$40,305Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $5,643 per year below this threshold.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $15,702 housing and food allowance plus $1,913 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$161,220
$12,000Annual price+$113,220
$24,000Annual price+$65,220
$35,000Current college-wide context+$21,220
$36,000Annual price+$17,220
$48,000Annual price−$30,780
$60,000Annual price−$78,780
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Washington run 7% above the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$34,662Average net price / year
$72,124Cost of attendance
$19,883Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$211/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$79,122Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.5%Completion rate
76.9%Admission rate
1,307Average SAT score
28ACT midpoint
4,062Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Seattle University
What does Seattle University cost?
Seattle University reports an average annual net price of $34,662 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Seattle University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $79,122 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Seattle University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $19,883. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Seattle University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 49 field-and-degree records for Seattle University; 47 report year-4 earnings and 28 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
7,983Students enrolled at any point
4,454Undergraduate students
3,529Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
75% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
403 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
72% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$73,201Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$73,371Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$77,240Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income69%
Middle income78%
Higher income82%
Undergraduate student composition
White29%
Black8%
Hispanic16%
Asian28%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$53,941Year 1
$79,426Year 4
$79,122Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Computer Science · Master's Degree$185,6072Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$167,2803Business Administration, Management and Operations · Graduate/Professional Certificate$150,5024Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$132,7955Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$129,9556Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$128,3147Computer Science · Graduate/Professional Certificate$118,5368Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$111,410Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $78,906 reported+62%vs same-degree national median$19,750federal debt2Business Administration, Management and OperationsGraduate/Professional Certificate · $150,502 reported+59%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree · $93,491 reported+43%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's Degree · $62,385 reported+43%vs same-degree national median$24,583federal debt5Criminal Justice and CorrectionsMaster's Degree · $89,830 reported+35%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsMaster's Degree · $167,280 reported+34%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in WA
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Spokane, WA
Gonzaga University
- Annual net price
- $35,119
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $78,362
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +4%
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
- Annual net price
- $35,671
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,391
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -40%
Walla Walla University
- Annual net price
- $23,329
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $71,100
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -5%
Saint Martin's University
- Annual net price
- $28,119
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $65,190
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -31%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 49 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Master's Degree | $185,607 | Not available | 0 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $167,280 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $150,502 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $132,795 | Not available | 0 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $129,955 | Not available | 1 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $128,314 | $24,980 | 43 |
| Computer Science | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $118,536 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $111,410 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $105,471 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $102,249 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $99,791 | $24,000 | 7 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $97,466 | $23,734 | 1 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $96,218 | $20,467 | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $94,446 | Not available | 0 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $93,491 | Not available | 0 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $90,918 | $25,000 | 0 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Master's Degree | $89,830 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $88,308 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $82,592 | Not available | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $81,559 | $24,000 | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $81,464 | $27,775 | 0 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $80,592 | $23,281 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $79,881 | Not available | 0 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $79,675 | Not available | 0 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $78,906 | $19,750 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $76,832 | Not available | 0 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $74,018 | $21,247 | 0 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $72,518 | $20,750 | 6 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $72,360 | $22,979 | 48 |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $70,622 | Not available | Not reported |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $69,201 | Not available | 1 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $64,098 | $23,500 | Not reported |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $63,465 | $20,250 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $63,443 | $20,449 | Not reported |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $62,385 | $24,583 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Master's Degree | $61,415 | Not available | Not reported |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $61,021 | $18,250 | Not reported |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $60,291 | $24,500 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $58,242 | $22,417 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $57,993 | $19,500 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Seattle University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.