Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Massachusetts College of Art and Design

At first glance, $39,251 seems low for any bachelor's degree, but Massachusetts College of Art's teaching program actually outperforms 60% of similar programs in the state—where the median sits at $38,734. The debt load of $27,000 is manageable for a teaching credential, landing in the 25th percentile nationally (meaning lower than most programs), and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 suggests graduates can reasonably handle their loan payments on a teacher's salary.

The challenge is that art education roles typically don't command premium salaries, and Massachusetts' high cost of living makes that $39,000 stretch thinner than it would elsewhere. You're essentially trading financial upside for the opportunity to train teachers in visual arts—a meaningful career path but not a lucrative one. The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means one or two outliers could shift these numbers significantly in either direction.

If your child is committed to teaching art specifically, this program delivers solid preparation without crushing debt. But they should enter with eyes open: this is a calling more than a moneymaker, and they'll need to budget carefully in expensive Boston. Consider whether they'd be open to teaching in districts with better pay scales or loan forgiveness programs for educators.