How much money do Pacific Lutheran University graduates make and which majors earn the most upon graduating? Six years after enrolling, alumni who are working have average earnings of $37,200 per year. After ten years, graduates earn $52,300 on average.
In terms of specific areas of study, the following is a ranking of degree programs by the median first-year starting salaries for PLU graduates.
The undergraduate degree which initially pays the highest is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing with a median starting salary of $67,400 followed by Computer and Information Sciences paying $65,700 and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods graduates who have a median starting income of $43,900 .
Looking at post-graduate and doctorate students, those completing the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degree) program rank first with a median initial income of $87,100 followed by Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) at $58,700 and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degree) who earn $53,400 .
Note about salary data: First year earnings data are aggregated by the US Department of Education and analyzes IRS reported income for Pacific Lutheran University graduates who received federal financial aid in the form of grants or loans. Not all graduates or fields of study are represented as data for some degree programs are omitted for privacy purposes.
| Major | Earnings |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degree) | $87,100 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor’s Degree) | $67,400 |
| Computer and Information Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) | $65,700 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) | $58,700 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degree) | $53,400 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degree) | $46,600 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor’s Degree) | $43,900 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) | $39,900 |
| Political Science and Government (Bachelor’s Degree) | $32,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) | $30,300 |
| Social Work (Bachelor’s Degree) | $30,100 |
| Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $29,900 |
| Sociology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $29,700 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor’s Degree) | $29,200 |
| History (Bachelor’s Degree) | $24,600 |
| Anthropology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $23,700 |
| Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) | $23,400 |
| Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) | $21,400 |
| Music (Bachelor’s Degree) | $18,200 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=236230 IPEDS survey and College Scorecard data for Pacific Lutheran University.