Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at University of Jamestown

University of Jamestown's teacher education graduates earn nearly $50,000 in their first year—putting them in the 95th percentile nationally and outperforming three-quarters of all similar programs across the country. With a debt load of $27,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, graduates clear their loans in roughly six months of gross pay. That's a strong financial foundation for entering education, where starting salaries often strain budgets.

The North Dakota picture adds nuance. While Jamestown's outcomes exceed the national median by nearly $8,000, they land at the 60th percentile within the state, edging just above the ND median of $45,438. Dickinson State leads state programs at $49,811, but Jamestown essentially matches that performance. In a state where education programs generally pay well—North Dakota's median starting salary beats the national figure by over $3,600—this program holds its own.

The caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers. Still, for families concerned about teacher salary viability, Jamestown demonstrates that graduates can launch careers without crushing debt burdens. The combination of manageable loans and above-average earnings creates breathing room that many education grads don't get.