Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at University of Connecticut-Avery Point

The first-year earnings here look startling—$25,777 puts this program in the 5th percentile nationally—but that figure deserves skepticism. Teacher certification programs often show depressed initial earnings because many graduates finish student teaching or secure positions mid-year rather than immediately post-graduation. The 126% jump to $58,220 by year four tells a more credible story about actual teaching salaries in Connecticut. Even accounting for Connecticut's high cost of living, that four-year mark exceeds both the national median ($43,082) and what the typical Connecticut graduate in this program earns ($27,715).

The caveat matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, we're looking at a snapshot that could easily shift year-to-year. The $25,000 debt load is reasonable for a teaching degree, matching Connecticut's state median exactly. But the real question is whether UConn's Avery Point campus—with its 87% admission rate and modest SAT scores—provides enough of an edge to justify choosing it over Central or Eastern Connecticut State, where graduates earn $45,000+ even in early-career measurements. Those schools have larger, more stable data samples too.

If your child is already at Avery Point or has specific reasons to attend there, the long-term earnings suggest they'll land in a decent place. Just don't expect the program to open doors that Connecticut's dedicated teaching colleges wouldn't open more reliably.