Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at The College of Saint Rose

Starting at $33,564, Saint Rose's teacher education graduates earn roughly 20% below New York's median for this program and land in just the 5th percentile nationally. While ranking in the 40th percentile within New York sounds middle-of-the-pack, that's misleading—the state's median itself sits well below national averages, and top programs like Monroe and Manhattan produce graduates earning $58,000 to $48,000 in their first year. The $27,000 debt load is manageable in absolute terms, but paired with these starting salaries, it creates a tighter financial situation than most education programs.

The positive story here is the earnings trajectory: graduates see 36% growth by year four, reaching $45,733. That's competitive with national and state benchmarks at the four-year mark, suggesting the low starting point reflects regional teacher salary scales rather than program quality issues. Still, those first few years matter enormously for loan repayment and financial stability.

For families committed to teaching in New York's capital region, this program can work—the debt is reasonable and earnings eventually normalize. But if your child has options at programs like Nazareth or even College of Staten Island CUNY, where starting salaries run $10,000+ higher, those create a significantly smoother financial runway into the profession.