Special Education and Teaching at Pima Community College

A $46,000 starting salary might sound discouraging for special education teachers, but here's the critical context: Among Arizona programs, Pima Community College actually lands at the 60th percentile for earnings. The state's median for this credential matches Pima's exactly at $46,052, suggesting this reflects Arizona's teacher salary reality rather than a program-specific weakness. The real advantage here is cost—at $15,200 in debt versus nearly $24,000 nationally, Pima delivers a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, meaning graduates can expect to earn about three times their debt in their first year.

The challenge is that this salary significantly trails the $56,000 national median for special education post-bacc programs, placing Pima in just the 15th percentile nationally. But that comparison may mislead, as teacher salaries vary dramatically by state and district. Arizona's education funding has historically lagged other states, which likely explains much of this gap rather than any deficiency in Pima's program itself.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means individual circumstances could swing these numbers considerably, but the low debt burden remains the program's strongest selling point. For someone committed to teaching special education in Arizona, this is an affordable path to certification. Just ensure your child understands that teaching salaries in Arizona start lower than many other states—and that's a funding reality, not a program quality issue.