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

With a small cohort to work from, the University of St. Thomas appears to position its teacher education graduates right at Minnesota's median—earning $44,360 both one year and four years out. The debt load of $27,000 is reasonable for a private Catholic university, particularly when compared to the national teacher education average. However, the flat earnings trajectory raises questions about career progression, and graduates lag behind several other Minnesota programs, including some that charge similar tuition.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 is manageable, especially given that teaching careers often come with benefits like pension plans and loan forgiveness programs that aren't captured in these numbers. Still, parents should note that graduates from nearby Concordia College at Moorhead and several other institutions are earning roughly $3,000-4,000 more annually—a gap that compounds over a career. The zero earnings growth between years one and four might reflect Minnesota's teacher salary schedules, which require additional credentials for advancement, rather than program quality issues.

For families choosing between Minnesota teacher prep programs, St. Thomas delivers middle-of-the-pack outcomes at what's likely a higher price point than state universities. The small sample size makes it hard to draw firm conclusions, but if your child is committed to teaching and values St. Thomas's Catholic identity and Twin Cities location, the financial picture is workable—just not notably advantageous compared to alternatives.