Education at Florida College

A debt load of $27,000 for a bachelor's degree in education puts Florida College graduates at roughly the national median but notably above what's typical for Florida education programs, which cluster around $21,000. Combined with first-year earnings estimates of $38,928—derived from other Florida education programs—this creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69, which falls into manageable territory but leaves less cushion than many Florida competitors offer.

The earnings figure itself aligns with both state and national medians for education degrees, suggesting graduates should expect typical entry-level teacher salaries rather than standout compensation. What matters here is the debt differential: if nearby programs like Florida Gulf Coast produce similar earnings with $6,000 less debt on average, that gap compounds over the standard 10-year repayment period. For a field with relatively compressed salary scales—where advancement depends more on years of service than on your undergraduate institution—carrying extra debt offers little strategic advantage.

For parents, the question becomes whether Florida College's specific program qualities justify that additional borrowing. The lack of reported graduate outcomes (due to small cohort sizes) means you're making this decision without seeing how this particular program's alumni actually fare. If your child has admission offers from Florida public universities with education programs, those represent lower-risk paths to the same credential and similar starting salaries.