Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at King's College

King's College graduates entering teaching careers face below-average starting salaries—around $35,000 in year one, which trails both the Pennsylvania median ($42,781) and national average ($41,809) by roughly $7,000. Among Pennsylvania's 69 education programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs produce better-earning graduates. The gap is substantial: top-tier PA programs like Lebanon Valley and Elizabethtown see their graduates earn $50,000+, nearly 50% more than King's alumni.

The $27,000 debt load sits right at state and national medians, which sounds reasonable until you pair it with those lower earnings. A 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe about nine months of their first-year salary—manageable but tight on a teacher's budget. Modest growth to $37,507 by year four suggests steady but unspectacular career progression. Keep in mind the sample size here is small (under 30 graduates), so these figures may not fully represent typical outcomes.

For families committed to teaching, this program gets you credentialed, but the financial picture lags behind many Pennsylvania alternatives. If staying local to Wilkes-Barre matters, that's worth factoring in. Otherwise, exploring higher-performing PA education programs could mean significantly better starting pay for similar debt.