Gender Studies Degree in Kent, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Gender Studies degree analysis for Kent, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$64K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Kent
Cost of Living
115.8
index (100 = avg)
Gender Studies in Kent, WA Overview
Kent, Washington (pop. 136,588) has 6 colleges offering Gender Studies programs. The local cost of living index of 115.8 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,440/month. Although national enrollment in Gender Studies has been declining, graduates with skills in Critical Theory and Research Methods remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Kent is approximately $57,900.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,433/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,467/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
47%
Gender Studies Salary in Kent (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Kent's cost of living index of 115.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Gender Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Kent adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.
Gender Studies ROI Calculator for Kent
Estimate your return on investment for a Gender Studies degree using local Kent tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Kent avg aid: $12,467/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$104,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,370
vs HS diploma in Kent
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Kent
$45,608
Lifetime earnings premium ($150,540) minus total education cost ($104,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Gender Studies in Kent
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Kent for Gender Studies
Kent State University
public
$12,886/yr
$51,544 total
University of Kent
public
$10,829/yr
$43,316 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Kent Community College
$5,759/yr
Top Employers for Gender Studies in Kent
Kent offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Gender Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Kent Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Gender Studies Job Titles
Gender Studies in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$60K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$61K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$57K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$89K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$59K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$61K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$62K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Kent
Chinese Studies
$64K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$58K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$58K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$49K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$51K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$58K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$49K starting · 5 yr ROI
Gender Studies Degree in Kent — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Gender Studies ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Kent.