Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods: is this non-credential program (preparatory coursework/teacher certification) worth it?
National picture across 9 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$54,617 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$54,617Median year-4 earnings
$16,755Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$54,617Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
36thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
9Reporting programs
9With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $35,034
- Federal debt
- $15,500
- Reporting programs
- 46
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $38,349
- Federal debt
- $13,568
- Reporting programs
- 184
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,730
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 742
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,135
- Federal debt
- $20,089
- Reporting programs
- 7
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $58,916
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 385
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $87,754
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 7
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $59,670
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,842
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 7
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,617
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 9
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$51,497National median$54,61775th percentile$70,925
9 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College$80,4402California State University, Monterey Bay$79,2413Alliant International University-San Diego$70,9254California State University, Chico$64,9435University of North Texas$54,6176Wilson College$53,8347Central New Mexico Community College$51,4978University of Iowa$51,1279Seton Hill University$47,479Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Education Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1081 · 11 crosswalk linksElementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationSOC 25-2021 · 8 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 8 crosswalk linksMiddle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2022 · 7 crosswalk linksKindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationSOC 25-2012 · 6 crosswalk linksPreschool Teachers, Except Special EducationSOC 25-2011 · 6 crosswalk linksTeachers and Instructors, All OtherSOC 25-3099 · 3 crosswalk linksSelf-Enrichment TeachersSOC 25-3021 · 2 crosswalk linksAdult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsSOC 25-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 1 crosswalk linksTeaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationSOC 25-9042 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Baton Rouge, LA | $80,440 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,151 |
| 2 | California State University, Monterey BayNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Seaside, CA | $79,241 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,663 |
| 3 | Alliant International University-San DiegoNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | San Diego, CA | $70,925 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 4 | California State University, ChicoNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Chico, CA | $64,943 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,480 |
| 5 | University of North TexasNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Denton, TX | $54,617 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,649 |
| 6 | Wilson CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Chambersburg, PA | $53,834 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,741 |
| 7 | Central New Mexico Community CollegeNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Albuquerque, NM | $51,497 | Not available | Baseline needed | $4,621 |
| 8 | University of IowaNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Iowa City, IA | $51,127 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,531 |
| 9 | Seton Hill UniversityNon-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | Greensburg, PA | $47,479 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,204 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.