Best Teacher Education Schools by Graduate Salary & ROI (2026)

679 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Teacher Education, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Teacher Education graduate earns $41,412/yr across 679 schools.

What do Teacher Education graduates do? See career paths and salaries →

Why a Public School in Washington State is #1

Western Washington University’s top rank isn't an accident; it's a pipeline. For decades, it has been a premier training ground for educators in Washington, a state with strong unions and competitive teacher pay. Graduates from its well-respected program feed directly into high-demand school districts across the Puget Sound, securing solid starting salaries over $53,000. WWU combines the focused reputation of a "teacher's college" with the affordability and quality of a top public university.

The Secret Weapon: Florida's State Colleges

You might not recognize names like Florida SouthWestern State College (#2) or St Petersburg College (#4), but they are ROI powerhouses for one simple reason: an unbeatable cost-to-earnings ratio. As part of the Florida College System, they offer four-year teaching degrees for a fraction of the cost of a traditional university—with total tuition as low as $10,728. Graduates enter a large, high-demand job market, resulting in staggering ROI figures like 46.2x that outperform nearly every other program in the country.

Florida's Formula for Teacher Ed Dominance

The fact that 9 of our top 20 schools are in Florida reveals a powerful state-level strategy. Florida uniquely allows its state colleges (historically 2-year institutions) to offer bachelor's degrees in high-need fields like education. This creates an incredibly affordable pathway to a teaching license. When you combine this low-cost supply with the massive, constant demand for teachers in one of the nation's fastest-growing states, you get a system that consistently produces the best financial outcomes for its graduates.

AI Won't Replace You, It Will Be Your Assistant

Don't let the 41% AI risk score scare you; this field is one of the most AI-proof careers you can choose. That number doesn't represent job replacement, but rather the portion of tedious tasks—like grading, finding lesson materials, and administrative paperwork—that AI will soon handle. This frees you up to focus on the deeply human work that AI can't touch: managing a classroom, fostering emotional growth, and inspiring students. Your job is becoming less about administration and more about connection.

Programs Ranked
679
Avg Earnings
$41,412/yr
Avg DW Score
52/100
AI Risk
High
41% task exposure

All Teacher Education Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

# School DW Score Earnings ROI
1 Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA · Public
77
79–78
$53,133/yr 17.5x
2 Florida SouthWestern State College
Fort Myers, FL · Public
74
76–74
$51,448/yr 35.7x
3 Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL · Public
74
77–75
$50,178/yr 26.5x
4 St Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL · Public
74
77–74
$49,672/yr 46.2x
5 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL · Public
73
76–74
$50,736/yr 21.7x
6 Bowie State University
Bowie, MD · Public
73
75–74
$52,619/yr 15.2x
7 Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD · Public
73
75–74
$53,215/yr 18.0x
8 Weber State University
Ogden, UT · Public
73
75–74
$51,861/yr 19.6x
9 Pierce College District
Lakewood, WA · Public
73
75–73
$55,849/yr 28.8x
10 Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL · Public
73
75–73
$50,951/yr 20.3x
11 College of Central Florida
Ocala, FL · Public
72
76–73
$48,537/yr 44.0x
12 Miami Dade College
Miami, FL · Public
72
74–72
$51,545/yr 44.4x
13 University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · Public
72
74–72
$53,054/yr 12.3x
14 College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, NY · Public
72
79–73
$41,997/yr 23.1x
15 Utah Tech University
Saint George, UT · Public
72
76–72
$47,619/yr 21.1x
16 University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT · Public
72
74–72
$54,604/yr 13.8x
17 Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA · Public
72
76–73
$47,359/yr 15.9x
18 Georgia Gwinnett College
Lawrenceville, GA · Public
72
75–72
$48,203/yr 27.0x
19 Saint Johns River State College
Palatka, FL · Public
71
75–71
$46,448/yr 41.5x
20 University of South Florida
Tampa, FL · Public
71
74–71
$50,442/yr 18.5x
21 Utah Valley University
Orem, UT · Public
71
74–71
$49,497/yr 19.0x
22 Nevada State University
Henderson, NV · Public
71
75–72
$48,634/yr 19.7x
23 University of Alaska Southeast
Juneau, AK · Public
70
72–70
$52,875/yr 18.0x
24 Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, FL · Public
70
74–71
$48,612/yr 43.0x
25 University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL · Public
70
74–70
$47,210/yr 18.9x
26 Polk State College
Winter Haven, FL · Public
70
74–70
$48,210/yr 34.8x
27 University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL · Public
70
71–70
$60,917/yr 9.2x
28 University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · Public
70
73–70
$49,475/yr 14.1x
29 North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC · Public
70
73–70
$49,099/yr 17.7x
30 Southern Utah University
Cedar City, UT · Public
70
74–71
$47,832/yr 18.4x
31 University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL · Public
69
73–70
$46,646/yr 18.8x
32 Daytona State College
Daytona Beach, FL · Public
69
74–69
$44,869/yr 36.9x
33 Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL · Public
69
74–69
$45,696/yr 21.1x
34 Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA · Public
69
73–69
$46,077/yr 20.3x
35 Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
Kirkland, WA · Private nonprofit
69
72–69
$49,499/yr 10.0x
36 Florida International University
Miami, FL · Public
68
74–69
$44,522/yr 19.2x
37 Northwest Florida State College
Niceville, FL · Public
68
73–69
$44,340/yr 35.0x
38 South Florida State College
Avon Park, FL · Public
68
73–69
$45,639/yr 35.0x
39 University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI · Public
68
71–68
$50,401/yr 10.8x
40 Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD · Public
68
71–69
$50,544/yr 11.9x
41 Towson University
Towson, MD · Public
68
71–69
$51,749/yr 11.2x
42 Kean University
Union, NJ · Public
68
70–69
$54,447/yr 9.8x
43 Stockton University
Galloway, NJ · Public
68
69–68
$59,371/yr 8.3x
44 Washington State University
Pullman, WA · Public
68
72–69
$46,998/yr 11.1x
45 University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY · Public
68
72–68
$45,901/yr 17.3x
46 University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA · Public
68
73–69
$46,099/yr 22.6x
47 University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK · Public
67
70–68
$51,619/yr 13.9x
48 Florida State College at Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL · Public
67
72–68
$45,008/yr 36.5x
49 Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA · Public
67
71–68
$46,903/yr 14.3x
50 Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Shreveport, LA · Public
67
70–67
$48,717/yr 14.9x

Scores calculated using College Scorecard, BLS, and AI task-exposure data. See full methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Teacher Education?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score, Western Washington University ranks #1 for Teacher Education with a score of 77/100 and graduate earnings of $53,133/yr.
How much do Teacher Education graduates earn?
Across 679 schools, Teacher Education graduates earn an average of $41,412/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $60,917/yr.
Is Teacher Education a good major for AI resistance?
Teacher Education has an average AI task exposure of 41%, rated "High". This field has moderate AI exposure — some career paths are more resilient than others.

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