Special Education and Teaching at SUNY College at Geneseo

SUNY Geneseo's special education program produces first-year earnings of $37,229—below both the New York state median ($38,978) and well below the national average ($44,139). However, the debt load of $23,250 is notably lighter than typical programs in this field, creating a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio that's more manageable than many education programs. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, but the pattern suggests graduates enter teaching positions at standard entry-level salaries while avoiding the heavier debt burdens common at other NY institutions.

The real concern here is the 11th percentile national ranking for earnings. Even accounting for the small sample, graduates earn roughly $7,000 less in their first year compared to special education teachers from typical programs nationwide. Within New York, the program sits at the 40th percentile—middle of the pack for the state but trailing programs like CUNY Medgar Evers ($49,413) and Pace ($62,346) by substantial margins. For a selective SUNY campus (average SAT of 1296, 64% admission rate), these outcomes are underwhelming.

For parents, the lower debt provides breathing room during those crucial early career years, which matters for a field with notoriously modest starting salaries. But if your child can access higher-earning programs within the SUNY system or secure comparable aid elsewhere, that might be worth exploring given the significant earnings gap.