Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Montana State University

Montana State's education program sits in an interesting position: it underperforms the national average by about $4,300 annually, landing in just the 23rd percentile nationwide. But within Montana, it's actually above-average, ranking 60th percentile in the state and earning roughly $4,000 more than University of Montana graduates. Given that most education majors teach in their home state, that state comparison matters more than the national one.

The $26,000 debt load is exactly average nationally and slightly above Montana's typical debt for education programs. With first-year earnings of $37,500, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 is reasonable for teaching—you're looking at a manageable but not trivial debt burden. The modest 8% earnings growth to $40,365 by year four reflects typical teacher salary schedules rather than concerning stagnation.

The real question is whether teaching in Montana makes financial sense. If your child plans to stay in-state and you're comparing Montana options, MSU performs decently—only Carroll College's graduates earn significantly more. But if they're considering out-of-state teaching positions or comparing this to non-teaching careers, the below-average national earnings become more relevant. For a Montana resident committed to teaching in Montana, this represents a solid local option with manageable debt.