Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Wake Technical Community College

The numbers here tell a troubling story, even accounting for the small sample size. Graduates earn just $16,949 in their first year—$8,000 below the national median for this program and roughly $7,000 below North Carolina's median. While earnings do climb 42% by year four, they still only reach $24,092. Meanwhile, graduates carry $20,582 in debt, creating a debt-to-income ratio that's financially precarious in those crucial early years. Other North Carolina community colleges—Stanly, Guilford Tech, and Haywood—place their teaching credential graduates in positions earning $28,000 to $32,000 from the start.

The 25th percentile ranking within North Carolina means three-quarters of similar programs in the state produce better outcomes. This matters because community colleges typically serve local markets, so geographic comparisons are especially relevant. The concern isn't just that starting salaries are low—many teaching assistant and paraprofessional roles do pay modestly—but that the debt burden is nearly identical to programs producing significantly higher earnings. At Stanly Community College, for instance, graduates earn almost double in year one while carrying similar debt loads.

If your child is set on education, this data suggests exploring other North Carolina community colleges with stronger placement records. The small sample size means next year's cohort could perform differently, but right now the risk-reward calculus doesn't favor Wake Tech for this particular credential.