Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Indiana University-Southeast

Teaching careers typically follow stable salary schedules, which makes Indiana University-Southeast's backwards trajectory worth examining carefully. Starting at $43,243—solidly middle-of-the-pack among Indiana teaching programs—graduates see earnings drop 7% by year four to just over $40,000. This decline could reflect part-time work or career exits, but it's concerning when peer programs like Butler ($50,707) and IU-Northwest ($48,497) show substantially stronger year-one outcomes. At 60th percentile statewide, IU-Southeast trails most other IU campuses in the system.

The $24,145 debt load offers some consolation. It's below both state and national medians, creating a 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio that new teachers can reasonably manage. However, this favorable debt picture doesn't fully offset the earnings gap—Butler grads earn $7,500 more annually while carrying comparable debt burdens. For families prioritizing total cost of attendance, IU-Southeast delivers accessible education for a teaching career, but students should understand they're accepting lower earning potential compared to other Indiana programs. If your child is committed to teaching in Indiana, the state's uniform salary schedules will eventually compress these differences, but the starting point matters for those crucial early career years when many teachers decide whether to stay in the profession.