Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Graceland University-Lamoni

Graceland University's teacher education program leaves graduates earning roughly $6,000 less than the typical Iowa teacher education graduate—a meaningful gap in a profession where starting salaries are already modest. While the program ranks at the 40th percentile within Iowa, that's cold comfort when even the state median sits around $43,000, and the top programs in the state are placing graduates at $45,000-$48,000. The earnings actually tick slightly downward by year four, suggesting limited mobility in those crucial early career years.

The $27,000 debt load matches both state and national medians, which sounds reasonable until you calculate what it means monthly: at current interest rates, that's roughly $300/month on a take-home pay of maybe $2,500. For a new teacher already stretching to afford basics on an educator's salary, that's not nothing. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 isn't catastrophic, but it assumes steady employment and no major financial surprises—risky assumptions for anyone starting out.

If your child is passionate about teaching in Iowa, they should understand they're likely starting $6,000-$12,000 behind peers from stronger in-state programs, with the same debt burden. That gap compounds over time. Iowa has 27 programs offering this degree, including several public universities that might offer better value. The question isn't whether teaching is worthwhile—it's whether Graceland specifically positions graduates for success in Iowa's education market.