Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Winona State University

Winona State's teaching program produces outcomes that sit comfortably above national averages but trail notably behind Minnesota's competitive teacher preparation landscape. While graduates earn $44,002 in their first year—slightly above the national median of $43,082—they're earning about $350 less than the typical Minnesota teaching graduate. More telling: among the state's 26 programs, this ranks in just the 40th percentile, with several Minnesota schools placing graduates who earn $3,000-4,000 more annually.

The debt picture is reasonable at $26,762, creating a manageable 0.61 ratio to first-year earnings that's better than two-thirds of similar programs nationwide. The challenge lies in the minimal earnings growth: salaries inch up only 3% over four years to $45,468, typical for teaching positions where pay scales move slowly. This means that initial placement largely determines long-term earning potential.

For families considering Minnesota teaching programs, the question becomes whether Winona State's accessibility (69% admission rate) justifies accepting lower earnings than peers at Concordia Moorhead or St. Olaf might achieve. The debt is manageable and the program is solid, but if your child can gain admission to one of Minnesota's higher-performing teaching programs, the extra $3,000-4,000 annually adds up to $120,000-160,000 over a 40-year career—worth considering against any tuition differential.