Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Elon University

Elon's private school tuition produces an estimated $27,000 in debt for teaching graduates—$1,000 more than the state median—while similar North Carolina programs suggest first-year earnings around $42,000. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 isn't catastrophic, but it's worth noting that several public universities in the state are placing their teaching graduates into slightly higher-paying positions while presumably charging less.

The troubling context here is Elon's student body composition: only 9% receive Pell grants, suggesting most families are paying premium prices at a school with a 67% admission rate. For teacher education specifically, where starting salaries are largely determined by state pay scales rather than institutional prestige, that private school premium becomes harder to justify. Programs at NC State and East Carolina are getting their graduates into $45,000+ starting positions—roughly $3,000 more annually than what comparable programs suggest for this field statewide.

Teaching is a reliable profession with clear career ladders, and the estimated debt load here is manageable on a teacher's salary. But if you're considering Elon, calculate whether the additional cost over public alternatives makes sense when your child will likely earn the same as a UNC-Greensboro or Appalachian State graduate once they're in a classroom. The data limitations here make it even more important to ask Elon directly about their education graduates' actual placement rates and starting districts.