Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at William Carey University

William Carey's education program punches significantly above its weight, with graduates earning $52,790—outperforming every other Mississippi education program by at least $11,000 annually. That's 33% more than the state median and even tops the national 75th percentile. Among Mississippi's 13 teacher prep programs, this ranks in the 80th percentile, which translates to real financial breathing room for teachers entering one of the profession's lower-paying states.

The debt picture is reasonable at $25,524, producing a healthy 0.48 debt-to-earnings ratio that graduates should be able to manage on a teacher's salary. While slightly below Mississippi's median debt for education programs, the substantially higher earnings more than compensate. This combination—manageable debt paired with top-tier in-state outcomes—makes this program unusually strong value for education students committed to teaching in Mississippi.

The caveat: these numbers come from a small cohort, so individual results may vary more than at larger programs. Still, the $13,000 earnings gap between William Carey and Mississippi State isn't noise—it suggests something meaningful about job placement, specialization focus, or district connections. For families willing to attend a smaller private university, this program delivers outcomes that dwarf its in-state competition.