Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 626 college programs, at a typical net price.
The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.
What Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas pays
Career outlook for Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas graduates
The job market for the occupations Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary school teachers, except special education | 1,422,700 | -2.0% | $62,340 | Bachelor's degree |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 1,094,500 | -1.6% | $64,580 | Bachelor's degree |
| Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 633,700 | -2.0% | $62,970 | Bachelor's degree |
| Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors | 370,100 | +11.9% | $46,180 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Coaches and scouts | 306,500 | +6.4% | $45,920 | Bachelor's degree |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas vs similar majors
How Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas stacks up against the closest fields in Education on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Education · this major | Educational Administration and Supervision | Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | International and Comparative Education | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 33 F | 77 B | 70 B | 72 B |
| ROI verdict | Break-even | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $55,395 | $80,022 | $77,056 | $75,621 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $47,850 | $68,314 | $54,749 | $57,925 |
| ROI vs cost | +28% | +310% | +254% | +255% |
| Typical debt | $25,326 | $36,853 | $50,612 | $39,156 |
| Colleges offering it | 626 | 559 | 6 | 5 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Master's | $94,522 | — | +3,686% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $74,538 | $15,504 | +2,443% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $72,392 | $13,857 | +2,334% | Strong return |
| 4 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | Certificate | $92,452 | $20,500 | +2,265% | Strong return |
| 5 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Professional | $78,890 | — | +1,920% | Strong return |
| 6 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Certificate | $82,804 | $20,500 | +1,801% | Strong return |
| 7 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Certificate | $84,333 | $24,573 | +1,783% | Strong return |
| 8 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Certificate | $89,280 | $19,100 | +1,765% | Strong return |
| 9 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Certificate | $95,314 | — | +1,697% | Strong return |
| 10 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $69,509 | $15,178 | +1,661% | Strong return |
| 11 | College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY | Certificate | $83,888 | — | +1,643% | Strong return |
| 12 | CUNY City College New York, NY | Certificate | $80,560 | $20,504 | +1,475% | Strong return |
| 13 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $73,048 | $14,265 | +1,432% | Strong return |
| 14 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Master's | $77,682 | — | +1,347% | Strong return |
| 15 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA | Master's | $88,988 | — | +1,281% | Strong return |
| 16 | California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | Certificate | $85,395 | $34,166 | +1,216% | Strong return |
| 17 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Certificate | $92,111 | $27,925 | +1,194% | Strong return |
| 18 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX | Master's | $95,973 | — | +1,096% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of North Texas Denton, TX | Master's | $76,239 | — | +898% | Strong return |
| 20 | Boston University Boston, MA | Master's | $91,745 | — | +858% | Strong return |
| 21 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | Associate's | $76,020 | — | +831% | Strong return |
| 22 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN | Master's | $102,252 | $80,489 | +778% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | Master's | $96,321 | $85,723 | +768% | Strong return |
| 24 | St. Francis College Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $76,003 | — | +755% | Strong return |
| 25 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Associate's | $65,728 | — | +744% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.