Special Education and Teaching at Bellarmine University

Bellarmine's special education program falls short of national earnings benchmarks but performs solidly within Kentucky's competitive teacher preparation landscape. Graduates earn about $40,800 in their first year, which trails the national median by roughly $3,300 but sits comfortably above Kentucky's state median. Among Kentucky's 14 special education programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile—ahead of established programs at Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State, though behind flagship options like UK.

The $27,000 median debt sits right at both national and state medians, creating a manageable debt load with a 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's better than most education programs nationally. The concerning element is the slight earnings dip from year one to year four, though this likely reflects Kentucky's teacher salary schedules rather than a program-specific issue. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data sample, these numbers could shift with additional reporting.

For Kentucky families keeping their child in-state, this represents a middle-tier option that gets graduates into the classroom with reasonable debt. The admission accessibility (94% acceptance rate) means your child won't face significant entry barriers. However, if maximizing earning potential is the priority, UK's program shows higher outcomes with similar debt levels, making it worth the comparison for families who can access it.