Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Marywood University

Marywood's teaching program graduates earn about $2,400 less than the typical PA teacher education graduate, landing in the 40th percentile statewide—a meaningful gap when Pennsylvania's top programs like Elizabethtown and Messiah consistently produce starting salaries near $51,000. That $8,000-$9,000 difference compounds over a career and may reflect geographic placement patterns or the types of teaching positions graduates secure.

The modest debt load ($27,000) helps offset the below-median earnings somewhat. At 0.65 times first-year income, this debt burden is quite manageable for a teaching salary, and the 11% earnings growth to $46,583 by year four shows the typical teacher salary progression. Still, even after four years, graduates trail Pennsylvania's stronger programs by $3,000-$4,000 annually.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. If your child has offers from higher-ranked PA programs at similar cost, those appear safer bets. But for families prioritizing Scranton's location or Marywood's specific teaching approach, the debt picture won't derail a teaching career—just expect starting salaries closer to $42,000 than $50,000.