Teacher Education at Central College

Pella, IA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
52 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
53
Optimistic
52
Base Case
58
Pessimistic
Earnings $44,000/yr (6% vs median)
AI Risk High (30% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (412,300 openings/yr)
ROI 5.6x earnings multiple
Ranked #294 of 679 Teacher Education programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Teacher Education graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $464K $466K $452K
Earnings Multiple 5.5x 5.6x 5.4x
Probability of Field Employment 76% 72% 62%
DegreeOutlook Score 53 52 58

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$83,952
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$89,412
-7% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,000
7.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$45,342
3% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Central College's Teacher Education graduates start at $44,000/yr — above the $41,412 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 5.6x 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 3% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $27,000 represents roughly 7 months of the $44,000 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #294 of 679 Teacher Education programs, Central College scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Five-year earnings of $45,342 are relatively flat compared to the $44,000 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About Central College

A 79% acceptance rate means Central College is accessible to most applicants, a compact campus enrolling 1,062 students in Pella, IA.

See all programs and financial aid at Central College →

Top Career Paths

Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490/yr
Education teachers, postsecondary $72,090/yr
Training and development specialists $65,850/yr
View all 11 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

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Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Teacher Education at Central College?
A score of 52/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Teacher Education field.
Will AI replace Teacher Education careers?
With 30% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $452,389 in decade earnings vs $464,161 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →