Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Brigham Young University-Idaho

BYU-Idaho's teacher education program delivers one clear advantage: graduates typically carry just $13,680 in debt—less than half what most teachers nationally owe ($26,221) and well below Idaho's state median of $25,540. For an accessible institution with a 97% admission rate, this debt management deserves recognition. The program performs decently within Idaho too, ranking in the 60th percentile among the state's teacher training programs, though it trails University of Idaho graduates by about $3,200 annually.

The concern here is familiar to teacher education: earnings start modestly and barely grow. At $42,094 in year one, graduates earn slightly below the national median, with only 3% growth over four years. That's typical for teaching, where salary schedules often plateau early, but it means your child won't see the income acceleration common in other fields. The low debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 makes these loans manageable—graduates can expect to handle monthly payments without undue stress.

For students committed to teaching who value BYU-Idaho's environment, this program makes financial sense primarily because of its debt advantage. The career trajectory is what teaching delivers everywhere: stable but flat earnings. Your child won't struggle with loan payments, but they also shouldn't expect significant salary growth beyond what district-wide raises provide.