Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at University of Phoenix-Arizona

University of Phoenix's teacher education program saddles graduates with nearly double the debt burden of typical Arizona teaching programs while delivering below-average earnings. With $43,822 in median debt compared to the state median of $25,583, graduates face a concerning financial reality that the modest $41,281 starting salary struggles to justify.

The earnings picture offers little consolation. At the 40th percentile among Arizona teacher programs, graduates earn less than peers from Arizona State ($47,331), University of Arizona ($46,172), and Northern Arizona University ($45,032). Even with four years of experience, earnings barely budge to $42,546—a mere 3% increase that fails to meaningfully improve the debt burden. The program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally for debt levels, meaning 95% of similar programs nationwide require less borrowing.

For parents weighing this investment, the numbers tell a stark story: your child would graduate with significantly more debt than necessary while earning less than graduates from the state's public universities. The 1.06 debt-to-earnings ratio means nearly a full year's salary just to cover educational debt. Given Arizona's strong public university options for teacher preparation, University of Phoenix represents an expensive path to the same career destination with a much heavier financial burden.