Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Augustana University

Augustana's teacher education graduates earn slightly above the national median at $44,290, but here's the complication: they're landing in the bottom half of South Dakota programs, where the typical teacher education graduate earns about $800 more annually. In a state where teaching salaries are relatively consistent across districts, this gap suggests Augustana grads may be entering the profession at a slight disadvantage compared to peers from Black Hills State or Dakota State, who start $3,000-$4,000 higher.

The positive news is the debt load—at $27,000, graduates carry typical debt for this field and will owe about 61 cents for every dollar earned in their first year. That's manageable for a teaching salary, especially since South Dakota's cost of living is below the national average. However, the near-flat earnings trajectory (actually dipping 1% over four years) reflects the reality of teaching pay scales rather than program quality. Teachers everywhere hit raises slowly early in their careers.

For families committed to keeping their child in South Dakota to teach, spending Augustana's tuition premium makes sense only if the school's smaller classes and personalized attention justify starting a few thousand behind other state programs. If cost is the primary concern, the state's public universities deliver similar or better starting positions at lower tuition rates. The debt is reasonable either way, but the earnings gap relative to in-state alternatives shouldn't be ignored.