Master's+3% vs national median4,785 grads tracked
Education at Western Illinois University
Ranked 121st of 335 master's programs in Education by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$62,354
middle 50%: $50,324 – $75,933
Median · 5 years out
$72,237
middle 50%: $58,775 – $88,427
Median · 10 years out
$81,296
middle 50%: $65,507 – $99,333
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Education (master's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Western Illinois University Education master's graduates earn $62k in their first year. Medians reach $72k at five years and $81k at ten years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
5.3 yrs
≈ $5,699 total interest
Same major at other universities
Cleveland State University
$72,786 · 5 yrs out
College of Saint Scholastica
$72,585 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - River Falls
$72,484 · 5 yrs out
Texas Woman's University
$72,471 · 5 yrs out
Texas Southmost College
$72,466 · 5 yrs out
Western Governors University
$72,243 · 5 yrs out
Charleston Southern University
$72,156 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$72,096 · 5 yrs out
Concordia College - Moorhead
$72,014 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University - Central Texas
$71,969 · 5 yrs out
Fayetteville State University
$71,850 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$71,714 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Western Illinois University
Education (Doctorate)
$163,593 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$107,538 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$98,269 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Master's)
$97,417 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Master's)
$97,160 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,133 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Bachelor's)
$96,422 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$84,414 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$82,090 · 5 yrs out
Construction Management (Bachelor's)
$82,014 · 5 yrs out
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (Bachelor's)
$81,320 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$80,729 · 5 yrs out
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