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

The $27,000 in estimated debt here sits right at the state median for education programs, which might seem manageable—until you consider that comparable programs across Wisconsin typically produce first-year earnings of $43,829. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 means graduates would need to dedicate more than half their first year's salary just to clear student loans, a tight squeeze on a teacher's paycheck. The estimation here matters: because Carthage's actual graduate outcomes aren't reported, we're relying on what similar Wisconsin education programs produce, which ranges from about $44,000 to $47,000 at the state's stronger programs.

What's concerning is that teaching salaries don't climb steeply over time, and Wisconsin's starting figures for subject-area educators are already clustered around $44,000—roughly matching the national median. If your student is financing this education primarily through loans, they'll be managing that $27,000 burden on a salary that may stay relatively flat. Programs at UW-Stout or UW-Platteville report meaningfully higher early earnings (over $46,000), suggesting that choice of school does matter even within this field.

Without actual data from Carthage's own graduates, you're betting on peer program performance. If teaching is the goal, prioritize programs with lower debt loads or demonstrably stronger placement outcomes—ideally both.