Subject-Area Teachingat Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduates earn $43,875/yr in their first year — about 5.0% above the national Subject-Area Teaching average. Base-case 10-year earnings $500K; scenarios range from $478K to $501K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduates earn $43,875/yr, edging above the $41,690 national average for Subject-Area Teaching — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Subject-Area Teaching programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Subject-Area Teaching's typical career paths, with 43% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $29,000 represents roughly 8 months of the $43,875 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #127 of 348 Subject-Area Teaching programs, Southwest Minnesota State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Southwest Minnesota State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Subject-Area Teaching
How Southwest Minnesota State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Southwest Minnesota State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southwest Minnesota State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Subject-Area Teaching offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Subject-Area Teaching trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Subject-Area Teaching at Southwest Minnesota State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Subject-Area Teaching at Southwest Minnesota State University?
A score of 59/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Subject-Area Teaching field.
Will AI replace Subject-Area Teaching careers?
With 43% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $478,026 in decade earnings vs $500,722 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.