Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Texas Southmost College

The brutal reality here is that graduates are earning just $10,576 one year after completing this program—placing them in the bottom 10% of Texas teacher education programs and bottom 5% nationally. Even four years out, when earnings climb to $27,844, they remain below what graduates from programs at Austin Community College ($46,430) or Navarro College ($32,872) earn right away.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could swing considerably year to year, but the pattern is troubling even with that caveat. At $7,750, debt levels are relatively modest—lower than both the state ($10,688) and national ($13,608) medians—which prevents this from being a complete disaster. Still, when your first-year earnings barely exceed $10,000, even moderate debt feels heavy.

For families in Brownsville considering this path, the question isn't just about this program versus nothing—it's about whether nearby alternatives might offer better outcomes. The data suggests that if your child is serious about teacher education at the associate's level, looking at how other Texas community colleges place their graduates is worth the effort. This program's track record, at least with this cohort, doesn't justify confidence that it's preparing students for immediate earning potential in education careers.