Education at University of Minnesota-Duluth

Minnesota's teaching job market tells an unusual story: UMN-Duluth education graduates earn $45,678 in their first year—crushing the national median by more than $13,000 and landing in the 95th percentile nationally. But zoom into Minnesota specifically, and this program sits squarely in the middle of the pack at the 40th percentile, just shy of the state's $46,119 median. The Twin Cities campus edges ahead by about $900, which matters little given the robust teacher salaries statewide. What's more concerning is the backward trajectory: earnings actually decline 4% by year four, suggesting either career changes or stagnant pay scales in the region.

The debt picture is manageable at $25,978—right at the national median for education programs but running about $3,000 higher than Minnesota's average. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, graduates should handle loan payments comfortably on a teacher's salary. The real question is whether Duluth's campus offers specific advantages over other Minnesota options that justify the slightly higher debt load.

For families committed to keeping a future teacher in Minnesota, this program works fine financially. The earnings are solid by national standards, and the debt is reasonable. Just understand you're paying middle-of-the-pack Minnesota prices for middle-of-the-pack Minnesota outcomes—and that early salary bump may not grow as expected.