Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Mount Vernon Nazarene's teaching program lands squarely in the middle among Ohio schools, but significantly trails the national field—ranking in just the 15th percentile nationally while reaching the 40th percentile statewide. Starting teachers earn $35,268, about $6,500 less than the national median for education graduates and $650 below Ohio's median. The debt load of $27,000 is manageable relative to first-year earnings (0.77 ratio), but that calculation doesn't account for the ongoing challenge of building wealth on a below-average teaching salary.

The modest 7% earnings growth over four years reflects the compressed salary structure common in education, where starting pay and mid-career pay remain relatively flat. More concerning is the gap between this program and Ohio's stronger teaching schools: graduates from Ohio Dominican and Capital University start nearly $7,000 higher, a meaningful difference when compounded over a teaching career. Given that Mount Vernon admits most applicants and charges private university tuition, families should weigh whether they're getting comparable value to state universities like Bowling Green, where graduates earn $5,000 more annually.

If your child is committed to teaching and specifically drawn to Mount Vernon's faith-based mission, the debt level won't derail their finances. However, for a purely economic decision, Ohio offers multiple programs that prepare teachers just as effectively while delivering better salary outcomes from day one.