Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Tabor College

In Kansas, teacher education programs typically send graduates into first-year positions earning around $44,000, and Tabor's estimated outcomes align closely with that state median. The estimated $30,125 in debt sits above both the state median ($24,125) and national benchmark ($26,221) for this field, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 that's manageable but not exceptional. For context, Kansas State and Wichita State produce slightly higher earnings while other public universities in the state track very closely to these projections.

The higher debt load compared to peer programs deserves attention. While teaching careers offer stability and pension benefits that raw first-year earnings don't capture, starting nearly $6,000 above the state's typical debt means your child would be managing larger monthly payments on a teacher's salary. Similar programs at Kansas public universities suggest this premium doesn't translate into meaningfully higher starting salaries—the differences are measured in hundreds of dollars, not thousands.

For families considering Tabor, the key question is whether the small liberal arts college experience justifies the additional borrowing. The debt isn't unmanageable for a teaching career, but it's real money that compounds over a 10-year repayment period. If your child values Tabor's faith-based mission and campus environment enough to absorb that extra cost, teaching salaries will support repayment. If finances are the primary concern, Kansas offers multiple public alternatives with comparable outcomes and lower typical debt loads.