Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Carroll College

Teaching programs in Montana typically start graduates around $38,000—roughly $5,000 below the national median for education majors. Carroll's estimated $27,000 debt load, derived from comparable private colleges nationally, sits slightly above what Montana education graduates typically carry ($23,278). That translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70, which means roughly 8-9 months of gross first-year salary would be needed to cover the debt if every dollar went toward repayment.

The challenge here is Montana's teaching market itself. Peer programs across the state cluster tightly in the $28,000-$39,000 range for first-year earnings, suggesting limited salary variation regardless of where you train. Carroll's selectivity (SAT scores averaging 1170, 73% admission rate) and small Pell grant population (18%) indicate a more traditional private college experience, but that environment comes with higher borrowing than Montana's public universities typically require.

For families weighing this investment, the key question is whether Carroll's smaller classes and campus culture justify taking on about $4,000 more debt than the state median when starting salaries appear roughly equivalent across Montana programs. Teaching offers meaningful work and long-term stability, but the early earnings remain modest statewide. If your child is committed to education and values Carroll's community, the debt is manageable—just understand that the financial return will build gradually over a career rather than in those crucial first years.