Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at University of Providence

In Montana, teaching programs typically launch graduates into salaries around $38,000—nearly $5,000 below the national median for education majors. University of Providence's program appears to follow this pattern based on comparable Montana programs, with estimated first-year earnings of $38,364 and estimated debt of $27,000. While that 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in manageable territory compared to many fields, teaching careers start slower than most bachelor's degrees, and Montana's teacher salaries lag behind states with stronger education funding.

The debt figure here exceeds Montana's typical $23,278 for education programs, though it aligns closely with the national median. For a profession where salary schedules are largely standardized and advancement comes gradually through years of service rather than performance, that extra $3,700 in borrowing matters more than it might in fields with higher earning potential. Similar programs at Montana State University Billings show marginally better first-year outcomes, suggesting some variation even within the state's constrained market.

If your child is committed to teaching in Montana—where smaller districts and rural communities dominate the job market—this program offers a viable path. But the financial reality is stark: teaching salaries in Montana won't provide quick debt payoff or much cushion for other financial goals in those early years. Before committing to this estimated $27,000 debt load, secure concrete scholarship information directly from Providence and compare your actual aid package against what Montana's public universities might offer.