Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global

An associate's degree in teacher education from Indiana Wesleyan's online campus comes with significant uncertainties due to its tiny graduating class, but the available numbers suggest graduates struggle to build financial momentum. With first-year earnings of $23,523 against nearly $25,000 in debt, graduates face an immediate challenge: their debt exceeds what they earn in their first year.

The relative performance tells a split story. While this program ranks in the 60th percentile among Indiana's teacher education associate programs, that's largely because the state baseline is quite low—the median Indiana graduate in this field earns the same $23,523. Nationally, the program falls to the 39th percentile, with typical programs producing $25,000 earners. The debt level is actually better than most (5th percentile nationally), but that advantage matters less when earnings barely cover living expenses, let alone loan payments.

For parents considering this path, understand that an associate's in teacher education typically serves as a stepping stone—perhaps toward a paraprofessional role or continued bachelor's study—rather than a direct route to classroom teaching, which requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in most states. The small sample size means these numbers could shift dramatically year to year, but the combination of modest earnings and debt near 100% of first-year income suggests this specific credential offers limited standalone value without additional investment in education.