Special Education and Teaching at Florida International University

FIU's special education program shows troubling first-year earnings of just $36,598—well below Florida's state median of $48,147 and ranking in only the 25th percentile among Florida programs. That's roughly $12,000 less than what graduates from similar programs at Florida Atlantic or Miami Dade College earn. While the 56% earnings growth by year four brings salaries to a more respectable $57,130, that initial struggle matters for a profession already known for modest pay.

The debt picture adds another concern. At $20,031, graduates here carry slightly less than the state median, but relative to those weak first-year earnings, the 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio means new teachers are managing debt equivalent to more than half their annual income. For context, this program ranks in the 88th percentile nationally for debt burden—meaning 88% of similar programs leave graduates with less debt relative to what they earn.

The small sample size here is critical: with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers might not reflect typical outcomes. But if they're accurate, parents should ask hard questions about why FIU's special education graduates start so far behind peers across Florida. Special education teachers are in high demand everywhere—graduates shouldn't face such a significant earnings disadvantage right out of the gate. Look closely at Florida Atlantic or USF as alternatives that deliver stronger initial placement outcomes.