Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at George Mason University

Among Virginia's 18 teacher education programs, George Mason stands in the 80th percentile for graduate earnings—a significant advantage in a state where the median starting salary for this degree is just $34,184. Mason graduates earn $45,108 in their first year, nearly $11,000 more than the typical Virginia teacher prep program and above the national median as well. Only Shenandoah and Regent produce higher earners in the state, but both carry considerably higher price tags.

The debt picture is reasonable for an education degree: $24,250 represents about half of first-year earnings, which is manageable for teachers following standard 10-year repayment plans. While earnings growth to $49,777 by year four isn't explosive, it's steady and reflects the structured pay scales most teachers navigate. The real story here is Mason's ability to place graduates in better-paying districts or roles compared to most Virginia competitors.

For Virginia families, this represents one of the stronger values in teacher education. You're getting above-average outcomes at an accessible public university price point. If your child is committed to teaching in Virginia, Mason offers a clear earnings advantage over programs like VCU, Old Dominion, or Radford without the private school tuition premium.