Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Minnesota State University-Mankato

Minnesota State's teacher education program produces outcomes squarely in the middle of the pack—slightly above national averages but trailing most other Minnesota programs. First-year teachers earn $43,307, which edges out the national median by a few hundred dollars but falls roughly $1,000 short of what graduates from other Minnesota programs typically make. Among the state's 26 teacher preparation programs, this one ranks in the 40th percentile, meaning six out of ten programs deliver better initial earnings.

The debt picture is reasonable at $26,082, resulting in a manageable 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's important for a teaching career, where salaries increase predictably but slowly—graduates here see just 5% growth over four years, reaching $45,619. This is typical for education, where union contracts and step schedules largely dictate compensation regardless of where you got your degree.

For families choosing between Minnesota programs, this represents a serviceable option at a school with a 91% admission rate, but it's worth noting that several in-state alternatives—including some private colleges and Metropolitan State, a public institution—consistently place graduates into higher-paying positions. If your child is considering teaching in Minnesota, comparing job placement support and student teaching networks across programs matters more than the modest differences in starting salary, though those differences do persist over time.