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

Arkansas State's teacher education program sits below both state and national benchmarks, with graduates earning around $36,800—roughly $3,000 less than the typical Arkansas teaching graduate and $5,000 below the national median. What's more concerning is that earnings remain essentially flat over the first four years, while competitors like University of Arkansas and John Brown University report significantly higher starting salaries in the low-to-mid $40,000s. At the 21st percentile nationally and 40th percentile in Arkansas, this program underperforms most alternatives.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $21,424, graduates borrow about $3,400 less than the Arkansas average and $4,600 less than the national median. This creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, meaning graduates owe roughly seven months' salary—reasonable for a teaching career. For context, over 80% of similar programs nationwide carry higher debt loads.

For families committed to teaching careers in Arkansas, this program provides an affordable entry point with debt that won't overwhelm a teacher's salary. However, the earnings gap compared to other Arkansas schools is substantial enough that families should seriously consider whether the University of Arkansas or other in-state options—which show $10,000+ higher earnings—might justify slightly higher upfront costs, especially given teaching salaries typically follow set scales where your starting point matters long-term.