Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at Wichita State University

Wichita State delivers solid preparation for teaching careers with notably manageable debt—graduates leave with $30,250, landing in the 5th percentile nationally (meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with more). First-year earnings of $43,764 place this program above both national and Kansas medians, though it trails the state's top programs like Washburn and Friends University by roughly $2,700-$2,800. The 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio translates to about eight months of salary, which is reasonable for an education degree at a public university with a 95% acceptance rate.

The practical reality: Kansas teaching salaries mean most graduates will take several years to clear their debt, but Wichita State keeps that burden lighter than most alternatives. Among Kansas education programs, this lands solidly in the middle of the pack for earnings (60th percentile) while offering better debt outcomes than most in-state competitors. The program's robust graduate sample gives confidence these numbers reflect actual outcomes rather than statistical noise.

For families prioritizing affordability in teacher preparation, Wichita State accomplishes the mission—graduates enter classrooms earning typical Kansas teacher pay without the debt load that often forces career changes. It's not the highest-earning education program in the state, but the combination of reasonable debt and steady earnings makes it a practical choice for aspiring teachers.