Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Old Dominion University

Old Dominion's teaching program starts graduates at $33,690—roughly $10,000 below the national median and slightly under Virginia's typical starting salary for subject-area teachers. But here's what matters more: by year four, earnings jump 31% to $44,081, essentially closing the gap with stronger programs. While this sits at just the 40th percentile statewide (behind George Mason and VCU), it matches the trajectory you'd expect from Virginia's public school salary schedules, where pay increases steadily with experience regardless of where you earned your degree.

The $25,000 debt load is actually lower than both state and national medians for this program, which softens the below-average starting salary. That 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than a year's salary—manageable on a teacher's income, especially as earnings grow. The real question is whether your child wants to teach in Virginia long-term, since the salary progression here appears fairly standardized across institutions.

For families prioritizing affordable teacher preparation over institutional prestige, this works. The 91% admission rate and strong Pell grant enrollment (37%) suggest Old Dominion serves students who need accessible pathways into teaching. Just understand that starting salaries will be tight, and the financial payoff depends entirely on staying in the classroom long enough to move up the pay scale.