Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo

This Buffalo program performs better than most New York teaching programs for earnings—landing at the 60th percentile statewide—but carries debt that's substantially higher than both state and national norms. At $26,531, graduates leave with nearly $8,000 more debt than the typical New York program and almost double the national median of $13,608. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.14 means graduates owe more than their entire first year's salary, which creates real payment pressure on a $23,210 starting income.

The broader concern is that associate-level teaching credentials generally lead to paraprofessional positions rather than full teaching roles, explaining why even the national 75th percentile only reaches $28,337. With two-thirds of Bryant & Stratton students receiving Pell grants, this debt load hits a financially vulnerable population particularly hard. The program sits in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of similar programs leave students with less to repay.

For families considering this path, the math is challenging: monthly payments on $26,531 will consume a significant chunk of take-home pay from an entry-level education support job. If your child is set on education, exploring four-year teaching programs with stronger financial aid packages—or starting at a community college with lower borrowing—would likely provide better economic footing for a career that typically requires additional credentials anyway.