Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at St. Andrews University

St. Andrews' teacher education program lands squarely in the middle of the pack, with graduates earning $41,296 their first year—roughly on par with the national median but slightly below North Carolina's $41,645 average. Among NC's 46 teacher education programs, this ranks in the 40th percentile, meaning about 60% of comparable in-state programs yield higher starting salaries. The gap is meaningful: top NC programs like NC A&T ($49,099) and Elon ($47,095) produce graduates earning 15-20% more right out of the gate, suggesting that school choice matters significantly in this field even within the same state.

The debt picture is manageable at $25,596, translating to a 0.62 ratio with first-year earnings—well within sustainable territory for most graduates. This is actually slightly better than both the state and national debt medians. For a program serving 48% Pell-eligible students, keeping borrowing near the median represents reasonable financial stewardship.

The caveat: with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these numbers could swing considerably year to year. If your child is committed to teaching in North Carolina, they'll start their career earning about what most NC teachers earn, with debt that won't overwhelm a teacher's salary. But if maximizing early-career earnings matters, several in-state alternatives consistently deliver stronger financial outcomes without necessarily requiring higher debt loads.