Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Asbury University

This private Christian college sits toward the bottom of Kentucky's teacher education market, with peer programs suggesting first-year earnings around $35,300—roughly $8,000 below what similar programs nationally produce. That's a significant gap when you're entering a profession already known for modest starting salaries. The estimated $27,000 in debt, while close to national norms for teacher education programs, represents nearly 10 months of that first year's salary.

The comparison to Kentucky's top programs is sobering. University of Louisville graduates in this field earn $56,000 their first year—about $21,000 more than what comparable programs in the state typically yield. Even public alternatives like Eastern Kentucky University or Western Kentucky University appear to position graduates better in the job market, based on their reported outcomes. For a profession where certification matters more than institutional prestige, paying private school tuition for below-median results deserves careful consideration.

Your child will likely find teaching jobs with this degree—Kentucky needs teachers. But between the estimated earnings lag and the debt burden, you're looking at tighter financial margins in those crucial early career years. If Asbury offers something specific your family values deeply, factor that in. Otherwise, the public university options in Kentucky show stronger financial outcomes for aspiring teachers.