Special Education and Teaching: Towson University vs Western Washington University
Head-to-Head
| Towson University | Western Washington University | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 12.4x | 17.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.9x | 5.8x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $45,224 | $37,144 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $53,331 | $52,912 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $559K | $642K |
| Median Debt | $17,089 | $27,000 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.8 months | 6.1 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 55/100 | 61/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 82.8% | 91.3% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Special Education and Teaching graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Special Education and Teaching graduates.
| Towson University | Western Washington University | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $45,224 | $37,144 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $113,304 | $111,412 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $559K | $642K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 12.4x | 17.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.9x | 5.8x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +8% | +26% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Special Education and Teaching (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| Towson University | Western Washington University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $567K | $559K | $527K | $658K | $642K | $592K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 12.5x | 12.4x | 11.6x | 17.7x | 17.3x | 15.9x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 57 | 55 | 54 | 63 | 61 | 60 |
For the full AI analysis of Special Education and Teaching career paths, see the Towson University or Western Washington University program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Special Education and Teaching graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Special Education and Teaching graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education teachers, postsecondary | $72,090 | 5,600 | +2.1% | 49% |
| Special education teachers, secondary school | $69,590 | 11,100 | -1.6% | 30% |
| Special education teachers, all other | $67,430 | 2,900 | +1.1% | 48% |
| Special education teachers, middle school | $64,880 | 6,300 | -1.9% | 31% |
| Special education teachers, preschool | $62,190 | 2,100 | +1.4% | 20% |
| Interpreters and translators | $59,440 | 6,900 | +1.7% | 88% |