Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Albany State University

Teaching in Georgia requires patience, and Albany State graduates need to exercise it with their own earnings. Starting at just over $39,000—about $2,600 below the state median and roughly $2,800 under the national average—this program sits in the 40th percentile among Georgia teacher education programs. That's middle-of-the-pack performance in a state where top programs like Georgia Gwinnett and UGA launch graduates into the mid-$40,000s right away.

The upside is manageable debt. At $31,000, Albany State graduates carry about $4,500 more than the national median but significantly less than many peers. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79, the financial burden is workable on a teacher's salary, particularly given the public sector loan forgiveness options available to educators. The modest 9% earnings growth to $42,545 by year four tracks with typical teacher salary schedules in Georgia.

For families drawn to Albany State's mission (65% of students receive Pell grants), this program offers a reliable path into teaching without crushing debt. But parents should understand their graduate will start several thousand dollars behind peers from stronger Georgia programs—a gap that compounds over a 30-year career. If in-state options like Georgia State or UGA are accessible, they deliver notably better starting positions for similar credential costs.