Education at Milligan University

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 suggests this education degree could be manageable, though comparable programs nationally point to modest starting salaries around $38,660—slightly above Tennessee's typical $36,540 for education majors. At an estimated $27,000 in borrowing, graduates would face monthly loan payments of roughly $300 over ten years, consuming about 10% of their take-home pay. That's workable for a teaching career, though not especially comfortable given educators' known salary constraints in the early years.

What's harder to assess is whether Milligan offers advantages that justify choosing it over Tennessee's other education programs, particularly when a school like Tusculum produces similar earnings at lower typical debt levels. The modest Pell Grant percentage (23%) and relatively high SAT scores suggest Milligan serves a more affluent student body, which may mean less generous aid packages for middle-income families. For education majors specifically—where earnings are fairly standardized due to public school pay scales—the school's brand matters less than the credential itself and your child's ability to secure a teaching position in a decent-paying district.

If your family qualifies for aid that brings the debt below $25,000, this becomes a straightforward proposition aligned with state and national norms. Above that threshold, you'd want strong non-financial reasons to choose Milligan over less expensive in-state alternatives.