Special Education and Teaching at Tennessee Wesleyan University

Tennessee's special education programs cluster tightly around $44,000 in first-year earnings, and estimates based on comparable programs suggest Tennessee Wesleyan graduates likely fall within this range. What deserves your attention here is the debt load: at an estimated $27,000, this would exceed the state median of $19,398 for special education programs by nearly 40%. Similar bachelor's programs nationally carry median debt of $26,717, which provides some context—but Tennessee programs typically do better.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 isn't alarming on its own for education degrees, where starting salaries are predictable but earnings grow steadily with tenure in school systems. Special education teachers also face strong demand nationwide, which translates to job security. However, peer programs in Tennessee—including public universities like Middle Tennessee State and University of Memphis—produce similar first-year outcomes while graduates carry significantly less debt. Carson-Newman, another private institution, shows earnings in the same range but presumably with different debt profiles.

The practical question is whether Tennessee Wesleyan's specific advantages—smaller class sizes, campus culture, or specialized preparation—justify the higher estimated borrowing compared to state alternatives. With 38% of students receiving Pell grants, the school serves financially diverse families, but you'll want to verify actual financial aid packages before assuming these estimates apply to your situation. If the final debt load approaches these estimates, compare what Tennessee's public programs offer before committing.