Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at The College of New Jersey

The College of New Jersey produces education graduates earning $56,231 right out of the gate—crushing the national median of $41,809 by more than $14,000 and placing them in the 95th percentile nationally. That's exceptional for a teaching degree, especially with a manageable debt load of $26,000 that graduates could reasonably pay down on a teacher's salary.

The complication emerges in the New Jersey context. While these graduates earn well above what teachers make nationally, they're essentially hitting the state median for education majors, landing at the 60th percentile among New Jersey programs. Schools like Stockton and Rider edge slightly ahead. More concerning is the slight earnings decline between years one and four—from $56,231 to $54,977—which likely reflects the realities of New Jersey's teacher compensation structure rather than any program weakness. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 remains solid, meaning graduates carry less than half their first-year salary in loans.

For families committed to education careers, this program delivers strong preparation at a reasonable price. Your child will earn more than most teachers nationwide and graduate with debt they can handle. Just understand that New Jersey's competitive education market means these strong outcomes are fairly typical for the state, not exceptional—and teacher salaries may plateau early in their careers.