Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Southwest Baptist University

Southwest Baptist University's teacher education program produces graduates earning $35,507 their first year—about $7,500 below the national median for this field. That's a significant gap, though with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these figures may not capture the full picture. More concerning is the slight earnings decline by year four, suggesting graduates aren't seeing the typical salary progression that comes with teaching experience and advanced certifications.

Here's the twist: while this program ranks only in the 20th percentile nationally, it sits right at Missouri's median for teacher education programs. Translation? Missouri's teacher salaries lag behind much of the country, but Southwest Baptist isn't underperforming relative to other in-state options. The $25,762 debt load is manageable for teaching careers—lower than the national program median—yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.75.

For Missouri families planning to stay in-state, this program won't disadvantage their graduate compared to most alternatives except perhaps Mizzou or Missouri State. But parents should understand their child is entering a field where Missouri's compensation trails national standards significantly. If geographic flexibility matters post-graduation, moving to a higher-paying state could boost earnings by $10,000+ annually compared to staying in Missouri.