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Subject-Area Teaching at Wartburg College

Waverly, IA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $45,677/yr (10% vs median)

AI Risk High (43% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (444,600 openings/yr)

ROI 2.5x earnings multiple

Ranked #254 of 348 Teacher Education programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Subject-Area Teaching graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$523K	$520K	$494K
Earnings Multiple	2.6x	2.5x	2.4x
Probability of Field Employment	78%	70%	55%
DegreeOutlook Score	50	48	51

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$204,160

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$90,416

56% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$27,000

7.1 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$52,111

14% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $45,677/yr, edging above the $41,690 national average for Subject-Area Teaching — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The financial case is thin at 2.5x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.

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 6% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $27,000 represents roughly 7 months of the $45,677 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #254 of 348 Subject-Area Teaching programs, Wartburg College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $52,111 are relatively flat compared to the $45,677 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About Wartburg College

Wartburg College has a 99% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a compact campus enrolling 1,446 students in Waverly, IA. The average net cost of $90,416 over four years represents a 56% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at Wartburg College →

Top Career Paths

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620/yr

Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary $101,390/yr

Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary $100,830/yr

View all 30 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Subject-Area Teaching at Other Schools

Other Majors at Wartburg College

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Subject-Area Teaching at Wartburg College?

A score of 48/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Subject-Area Teaching. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

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 $494,019 in decade earnings vs $523,457 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is Wartburg College a hidden gem for Subject-Area Teaching?

After financial aid, the average student pays $90,416 over four years — 56% below the $204,160 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →