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

Evangel's teacher education program produces graduates earning roughly $35,000—about $8,000 below the national median for this degree but essentially matching Missouri's typical outcome. While that lands them in the 19th percentile nationally, they're comfortably middle-of-the-pack within Missouri (40th percentile), where teacher salaries run lower than many states. The debt burden of $30,175 is actually quite high for teaching graduates; it's higher than the national median and places Evangel in the 95th percentile for debt among similar programs.

The concerning part is the economics: a 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio on a starting salary under $35,000 means significant monthly loan payments relative to take-home pay. Four years out, earnings barely budge—just $700 more than year one—which is typical for teaching but offers little relief as loans come due. Compare this to Missouri State in the same city, where graduates earn $38,000, or nearby College of the Ozarks at $37,000, both with likely lower debt loads.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means one or two outliers could skew these numbers considerably. If your child is committed to teaching in Missouri and specifically drawn to Evangel's faith-based mission, understand they'll face tighter finances than at public alternatives. The debt load relative to Missouri teaching salaries is the real red flag worth discussing.