Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Palm Beach Atlantic University

Palm Beach Atlantic's teacher education program falls short of what Florida students should expect, with first-year earnings of $39,151 landing in just the 25th percentile statewide. This is particularly concerning when you consider that Florida's median for this program is $46,328—meaning graduates here earn about $7,000 less annually than their peers across the state. Even the state's community colleges are producing better outcomes: Miami Dade College and Florida SouthWestern State College graduates both earn over $51,000.

The $24,500 debt load looks reasonable on paper—below the national median and creating a manageable 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio. Earnings do grow to $45,325 by year four, which helps. But here's the problem: that four-year mark still doesn't catch up to where Florida teachers typically start. For a private university charging premium tuition, these outcomes suggest students would get better value at Florida's public institutions, which dominate the state's top performers in teacher education.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers, but the gap between this program and Florida's median is too substantial to ignore. If your child is committed to teaching in Florida, state universities and even community colleges offer stronger salary prospects from day one.