Program Analysis
Graduates earn $40,544/yr, roughly in line with the $41,412 national median for Teacher Education. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 7.7x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Teacher Education's typical career paths, with 30% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 2% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $22,446 represents roughly 7 months of the $40,544 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #387 of 679 Teacher Education programs, Western Illinois University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $44,479 are relatively flat compared to the $40,544 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.