Program Analysis
At $47,714 per year, Teacher Education graduates from Wheaton College earn slightly above the $41,412 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
The financial case is thin at 2.8x — decade earnings barely exceed the cost of attendance. The value proposition here is driven by factors beyond pure ROI.
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 4% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $25,000 represents roughly 6 months of the $47,714 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #347 of 679 Teacher Education programs, Wheaton College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $49,942 are relatively flat compared to the $47,714 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.