Education at Felician University

New Jersey's education programs typically produce first-year earnings around $55,579, making Felician's estimated $38,660—drawn from national benchmarks—a significant gap worth understanding. That $17,000 difference matters considerably when you're carrying $27,000 in debt, putting the loan balance at about 70% of first-year income. Education graduates often accept lower starting salaries knowing they're entering a field with steady raises and job security, but comparative data from Monmouth University shows that New Jersey teachers can command substantially higher starting positions.

The debt figure itself isn't alarming—it tracks closely with both state and national medians for education degrees. But paired with earnings that fall well below New Jersey's typical outcomes, the financial picture becomes tighter than it should be for this field. Education majors generally benefit from loan forgiveness programs and predictable salary schedules, which can offset modest starting pay. However, when peer programs in the same state are producing graduates who earn 44% more in their first year, you have to ask what accounts for the difference—whether it's placement networks, district relationships, or credential preparation that varies between institutions.

Given the uncertainty here—these are estimated figures, not Felician's actual graduate outcomes—investigate where this program's recent graduates are teaching and at what starting salaries. The gap between this estimate and New Jersey's median could narrow considerably if Felician has strong placement in competitive districts. If not, that $17,000 earnings difference compounds over a career.