Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Hannibal-LaGrange University

Hannibal-LaGrange graduates earn roughly $33,000 in their first year—already $9,000 below the national median for teaching programs and $4,800 below Missouri's typical starting point. More concerning is the downward trajectory: by year four, earnings drop to just under $30,000, a 10% decline that suggests graduates struggle to secure full-time teaching positions or advance professionally. While the program performs at Missouri's 40th percentile (middle of the pack statewide), it lands in the 5th percentile nationally, placing it among the lowest-earning teacher prep programs in the country.

The $25,250 debt burden is reasonable compared to other teacher education programs, but when paired with these earnings, it creates financial strain. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 means graduates owe nearly a full year's salary, and with earnings declining rather than growing, loan repayment becomes progressively harder. Compare this to Missouri's stronger programs like UMKC ($40,000) or Mizzou ($37,000), where graduates earn 25-30% more right from the start.

For parents considering this program, understand that your child would likely enter teaching earning less than peers from other Missouri institutions, with that gap persisting—and potentially widening—over time. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to choose Hannibal-LaGrange specifically, the state's public universities offer significantly better economic outcomes for future teachers at comparable or lower debt levels.