Education at Roberts Wesleyan University

Roberts Wesleyan's education program costs $32,000 in debt to reach a starting salary of $35,712—which sounds modest until you realize this outperforms two-thirds of education programs nationally. Among New York's nine education programs, this sits at the median for both earnings and debt, a respectable position given that teaching salaries in the state tend to be higher than the national average. The 0.90 debt-to-earnings ratio falls well within manageable territory for a field where loan forgiveness programs are common for public school teachers.

The real caution here is the sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates means next year's numbers could look quite different. That said, the pattern makes sense: teachers in New York's Rochester region typically start around this salary level, and Roberts Wesleyan places graduates into positions that match state norms. With 40% of students receiving Pell grants, the school serves a mix of economic backgrounds, and the debt load, while not trivial, ranks in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of education programs leave students with more debt.

For a family committed to teaching, this program delivers on-par results for New York state. The debt is manageable on a teacher's salary, especially with income-driven repayment or forgiveness options. Just recognize that these numbers rest on a small sample and could shift as more data becomes available.