Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at King University

King University's teacher education program sits in an unusual spot: earnings lag most Tennessee competitors, yet debt comes in lower than typical for the state. First-year teachers from this program earn about $36,600—roughly $4,300 below Tennessee's median for teacher education graduates and $5,200 below the national benchmark. That 20th percentile national ranking is concerning, though the program does reach the 40th percentile among Tennessee schools, suggesting the state's teaching market may be particularly challenging overall.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $22,750, graduates borrow slightly less than both state and national medians, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 that's manageable for a teaching career. However, competing Tennessee programs demonstrate what's possible: Lipscomb graduates earn $11,000 more in their first year, and even Carson-Newman manages $7,000 higher starting salaries.

The critical caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 recent graduates in the data, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. For families committed to teaching in the Bristol area who value King's approach, the modest debt load matters. But if your child is weighing multiple Tennessee programs, the earnings gap versus top performers is hard to ignore, especially as teaching salaries typically follow rigid schedules where starting position matters long-term.