Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Pacific Lutheran University

Pacific Lutheran's teacher education graduates earn $57,683 their first year—nearly $34,000 more than the national median for this program and roughly $8,500 above Washington State University, the state's top earner. That 95th percentile national ranking is striking, though the 60th percentile state ranking reveals something important: Washington pays teachers well overall, so PLU's advantage looks more modest when compared locally. Still, beating WSU's outcomes while maintaining reasonable debt ($29,740, which sits in the 5th percentile nationally) creates a favorable financial foundation for new teachers.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in about six months of gross income—uncommon in education programs where many graduates face heavier burdens. For context, the typical teacher education program nationally leaves students with debt requiring roughly seven months of first-year earnings to repay. PLU's combination of above-average debt with significantly above-average earnings shifts that equation considerably.

One significant caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers. A few high earners in administrative roles or specialized teaching positions could skew the median upward. That said, if PLU consistently places graduates in Washington's higher-paying districts or provides credentials that command premium salaries, this represents genuine value—just verify current placement patterns before assuming these results will replicate.