Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Idaho State University

Idaho State's subject-specific teaching program starts notably behind its competitors but shows something unusual for education: meaningful salary growth. While first-year earnings of $35,629 trail every other Idaho program—landing nearly $6,000 below the state median—the 26% jump to $44,780 by year four suggests graduates gain ground as they establish themselves in teaching roles. That said, this catch-up still leaves them earning roughly what peers at University of Idaho and BYU-Idaho make right out of the gate.

The debt picture provides some relief: at $23,199, graduates carry about $2,300 less than the state median and roughly $3,000 less than the national benchmark. That lighter load makes the challenging early earnings more manageable, though the 40th percentile state ranking indicates this program still delivers below-average outcomes for Idaho. Parents should understand their child will likely start their teaching career earning less than half their in-state peers, which matters during those lean first years when student loan payments begin.

For families committed to teaching in Idaho, the combination of reasonable debt and solid earnings trajectory makes this workable, but stronger programs exist in-state. If your child has admission offers from University of Idaho or Boise State, those provide better starting positions without requiring years to catch up.