Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Rollins College

Rollins graduates enter teaching with nearly $6,000 more debt than the typical Florida education major, yet their first-year earnings of $47,671 fall short of the state's top programs—all of which start above $50,000. While Rollins ranks in the 92nd percentile nationally, that comparison is less relevant than the Florida context: you're paying private school prices in a state where public universities dominate teaching preparation and often deliver better salary outcomes.

The declining earnings trajectory—dropping to $45,892 by year four—raises questions about career advancement or employment stability, though with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these figures could reflect individual circumstances rather than program-wide trends. The 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable for a teaching career, but Florida's median education debt of $20,995 suggests many families are finding more affordable paths to the same profession.

For anxious parents: if your child is committed to teaching in Florida, compare this carefully against options like Florida Gulf Coast or Stetson, where graduates start stronger financially. Rollins' selective admissions and campus experience have value, but the education job market doesn't reward private credentials the way some fields do—a teaching certificate from Miami Dade carries the same weight in the classroom while leaving graduates with far less debt.