Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Elon University

Elon's teacher education program graduates start at $47,095—about $5,400 above the national median and roughly $5,500 above North Carolina's typical starting salary for this field. At the 88th percentile nationally, these are strong initial outcomes, though the program sits at the state's 60th percentile, suggesting North Carolina has several solid teaching programs competing for top spots. The $20,000 median debt is notably manageable, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 that most education graduates would envy.

The concern here is the earnings trajectory: graduates actually earn $2,500 less four years out than they did initially. This likely reflects North Carolina's teacher salary schedules and retention challenges rather than program quality, but it's worth understanding. The small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) also means individual circumstances could be skewing these numbers more than usual.

For families committed to teaching in North Carolina, this program offers a reasonable path—lower debt than most NC alternatives and respectable starting pay. Just recognize that unlike many careers, teaching salaries in this state don't show the typical early-career growth, so that first-year number may represent your peak earning years for quite some time. If your child is drawn to education, the financial setup here won't be the obstacle.