Special Education and Teaching at Fontbonne University

Fontbonne's special education program carries a debt burden nearly double what graduates at comparable Missouri schools face—$45,511 versus a state median of $26,250—while first-year earnings land just below the state average. The 40th percentile state ranking suggests middling outcomes compared to Missouri peers, but that debt load is the real concern. You're looking at graduates owing more than their entire first-year salary, a particularly tough position for teachers entering a profession with compressed salary scales.

The small sample size here matters. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data, one or two outliers could skew these numbers significantly. That said, the pattern is hard to ignore: every top-ranked Missouri program manages lower debt while delivering similar or better earnings. Missouri State and Northwest Missouri State, for instance, place graduates at roughly the same salary with about half the debt burden.

For families weighing this option, the question comes down to whether Fontbonne offers something specific—location, support services, teaching approach—that justifies the premium. Nearly half the student body receives Pell grants, suggesting the school serves students who may be price-sensitive. If your child has admission offers from Missouri State or other state schools, the financial math strongly favors those alternatives unless there's a compelling non-financial reason to choose Fontbonne.