Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Taylor University

Taylor University's teacher education program graduates earn slightly below Indiana's median for subject-specific teaching programs—landing at $44,028 versus the state's $46,104. Among Indiana's 33 programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile, meaning six out of ten comparable programs produce higher-earning graduates. Meanwhile, Franklin College and University of Indianapolis graduates are earning $5,000-6,000 more annually, suggesting Taylor's outcomes lag behind peer institutions despite a higher admission rate and stronger average SAT scores.

The program does deliver one notable advantage: relatively low debt. At $21,500, graduates owe about $5,000 less than both state and national medians, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.49. That means graduates aren't overly burdened—they'd allocate roughly half their annual salary to pay off loans completely, which is reasonable for an entry-level teaching position.

The bigger concern is earnings stagnation. Four years post-graduation, salaries remain virtually unchanged at $44,084, which is unusual even for teaching, where advancement typically brings modest raises. With a small sample size (under 30 graduates), these numbers may not fully represent typical outcomes, but they're what we have. For families prioritizing teaching careers in Indiana, this program keeps debt manageable but appears to underperform compared to nearby alternatives with similar admission profiles.