Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Point Loma Nazarene University

Point Loma's teacher education graduates start at nearly $47,000—a remarkable figure that places them in the 80th percentile among California programs and well above the state's $32,480 median. In San Diego's expensive market, this program actually ranks second in the state for first-year earnings, trailing only William Jessup by a narrow margin. That $14,500 premium over the typical California teaching graduate translates to real purchasing power in a high-cost region.

The $25,000 debt load is reasonable for an education degree, coming in slightly below the national median and resulting in a manageable 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates owe roughly half their first-year salary—a sustainable position for a teaching career. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift considerably year-to-year, and it's worth confirming this performance holds across multiple cohorts.

For families concerned about their child entering teaching with crushing debt in California's expensive housing market, this program delivers notably stronger earning potential than most in-state alternatives. The higher starting salary provides crucial breathing room that most California teaching programs simply don't offer, though prospective students should verify current placement rates in San Diego's competitive school districts.