Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Spring Arbor University

Spring Arbor's teaching program sits below average in Michigan, landing in the 40th percentile among the state's 30 teacher education programs. While graduates start at $42,172—roughly $1,000 below both state and national medians—more concerning is the earnings trajectory. Four years out, median pay actually drops to $40,802, a 3% decline that's unusual even in teaching. This suggests graduates may be struggling to secure full-time positions or are cycling through part-time roles. Compare this to Grand Valley State or Hope College, where teachers earn $4,000-$5,000 more right out of the gate.

The debt picture offers a bright spot: at $28,360, graduates borrow slightly less than the state median and considerably less than most private institutions. Still, owing 67% of your first year's salary is standard territory for teaching programs. The real issue is that this debt burden doesn't ease much over time when earnings stagnate or decline.

Important caveat: these numbers come from a small graduating cohort, so individual experiences will vary more than usual. For families committed to Spring Arbor for faith-based reasons, understand you're accepting below-market outcomes. If teaching preparation is the priority, Michigan's public universities deliver stronger results at similar or lower debt levels.