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

Northeastern State University's teaching program carries a puzzling problem: graduates earn slightly above the national median initially ($42,150 versus $41,809), but then their earnings actually decline by 4% over four years. Meanwhile, graduates from Oklahoma Christian, Oral Roberts, and three other in-state programs all earn $45,000 or more—putting NSU in the bottom half of Oklahoma teaching programs despite the state's competitive education job market.

The debt load of $23,807 looks manageable at first glance, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 that should be payable within about five years. However, this figure becomes less reassuring when earnings stagnate rather than grow. Teaching salaries typically follow predictable advancement schedules, so the backward drift here raises questions about whether graduates are securing stable positions or ending up in substitute or part-time roles.

For families considering NSU's teaching program, the 99% admission rate and high Pell grant enrollment (42%) signal accessibility for first-generation college students. But spending four years earning a teaching degree only to watch your salary decline isn't what any parent wants to see. At a minimum, compare the job placement rates and district partnerships at those five higher-performing Oklahoma programs—University of Central Oklahoma alone produces graduates earning nearly $4,000 more annually. That difference compounds to over $100,000 across a 30-year teaching career.