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

Lewis University's teacher education program trails most Illinois competitors, placing in just the 40th percentile statewide. First-year graduates earn $41,130—about $3,000 less than the Illinois median and $7,000 behind nearby Elmhurst University. More concerning, the program underperforms even the national median, suggesting the issue isn't simply Illinois's higher cost of living.

The $26,000 debt load matches both state and national norms, so the challenge here is primarily on the earnings side. The 18% salary growth to $48,326 by year four helps narrow the gap, though graduates still lag behind most state peers. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 is reasonable for teaching—a profession with well-documented modest starting salaries but strong benefits and job security.

For families considering this program, the math is straightforward: your child will likely earn less as a teacher graduating from Lewis than from most other Illinois education programs, while paying similar tuition. If Lewis offers substantial financial aid or your child has compelling reasons to attend (location, campus fit, specific faculty), it could work. But purely from an earnings standpoint, exploring options like Elmhurst or the University of Illinois campuses would likely yield better returns on the same debt investment.