Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Washburn University

Kansas teaching programs cluster tightly in the mid-$40,000s, and based on comparable programs across the state, Washburn's subject-specific education track appears to land right in the middle of this pack. With estimated first-year earnings around $43,900 and debt near $23,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 suggests graduates could manage their loans on a starting teacher salary—though it won't be comfortable. Similar programs at larger state schools like Wichita State show somewhat higher earnings, but the differences are modest enough that location and fit matter more than the numbers suggest.

The teaching profession's built-in salary schedules mean that where you teach matters far more than where you graduated. Kansas teacher salaries vary significantly by district, and programs across the state prepare graduates for the same certification exams and hiring pools. The estimated debt load here sits below both state and national medians for education programs, which offers some breathing room in a field where loan forgiveness programs (like Public Service Loan Forgiveness) can be valuable tools for managing educational debt over time.

For families committed to teaching as a career path, this program's estimated outcomes align with what to expect from Kansas education programs generally. The real variable isn't the credential—it's the district where your child ultimately lands a job and whether they'll stick with teaching long enough to benefit from pension systems and loan relief programs.