Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Hardin-Simmons University

Hardin-Simmons graduates earn about $3,000 less than the typical Texas teacher education graduate, landing below the state median despite ranking well nationally. While first-year earnings of $48,334 beat the national average by $5,000, that's the wrong comparison—most students choosing this program will be competing for teaching jobs in Texas, where it ranks in just the 40th percentile. The gap widens when you look at top programs in the state: Houston Christian and TCU graduates are pulling in nearly $10,000 more annually.

The debt picture offers some consolation. At $27,709, graduates leave with manageable loans that represent just 57% of first-year earnings—a healthy ratio for a teaching career. The debt burden is actually lower than most competing programs nationally, and earnings growth remains steady if modest at 5% over four years.

For parents, the calculus is straightforward: this program delivers solid value if your child is committed to teaching and wants the smaller-school experience Hardin-Simmons offers. But if maximizing starting salary matters—and in teaching, where pay scales are relatively fixed, starting salary does matter—there are stronger options within Texas at comparable debt levels. Consider whether the institution's other attributes justify accepting below-median Texas teacher earnings.