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

Brescia's education program sits at a crossroads: the estimated $27,000 in debt aligns reasonably with typical teacher preparation costs, but the estimated $35,282 first-year salary—derived from seven similar Kentucky programs—falls nearly $8,000 below the national median for education majors. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 means graduates would owe roughly nine months of their first year's salary, which is manageable but leaves little cushion in a profession known for modest starting pay. For context, University of Louisville's education graduates earn $56,000, demonstrating that Kentucky teacher salaries vary dramatically by district and subject area.

The challenge here is uncertainty. With 43% of students receiving Pell grants, many Brescia families can't afford surprises. The suppressed data means we don't know if this specific program performs better or worse than the state average—whether graduates secure positions in higher-paying districts or find themselves competing for limited openings in rural areas. What we do know is that Kentucky's education job market rewards certain specializations and locations far more generously than others, and without actual outcomes data, you're operating on educated guesses about where Brescia graduates land.

If your child has a backup plan or is targeting high-demand subjects like special education or STEM fields—where starting salaries jump considerably—this debt load is reasonable. But if they're passionate about elementary education in Kentucky without geographic flexibility, prepare for tight finances early in their career.