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

Starting salaries for teachers are never lavish, but University of Southern Maine's graduates are earning $34,843—about $8,200 below the national median for subject-specific teaching programs and roughly $900 below Maine's state median. While the 40th percentile ranking among Maine programs suggests this is fairly typical for the state, it's worth noting that Saint Joseph's College graduates in this field start nearly $7,000 higher. The debt load of $26,500 is manageable relative to earnings (0.76 ratio), though it's slightly above what students at comparable Maine programs typically carry.

The small sample size here is crucial context—with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few outliers could skew the picture significantly. That said, the pattern is concerning enough to warrant attention: even in a state where teaching salaries tend to run lower than the national average, USM grads are starting near the bottom of the pack. For students committed to teaching in Maine, this may simply reflect broader market realities. But families should verify current placement rates and compare starting contracts carefully, especially since nearby University of Maine produces graduates with similar first-year earnings at comparable debt levels.

If teaching is the goal and Maine is home, this program can work—just don't expect the degree to provide much financial cushion in those critical early career years when loan payments begin.