U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 288 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 49% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,867. College Scorecard.
ECU Education (Elementary / Secondary): pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Education (Elementary / Secondary) nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses ECU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,046 | $43,700 | 3.0 years |
| $30–48k | $11,699 | $50,891 | 3.5 years |
| $48–75k | $14,904 | $64,832 | 4.5 years |
| $75–110k | $20,417 | $88,814 | 6.1 years |
| $110k+ | $23,028 | $100,172 | 6.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates 4 years after graduating ($47,970) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,454 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Education (Elementary / Secondary) at North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon University | $63,041 | $20,000 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 2 | North Carolina Central University | $53,794 | $31,880 | $15,359 | 42% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $51,778 | $24,000 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 4 | Winston-Salem State University | $51,520 | $30,000 | $13,479 | 47% |
| 5 | High Point University | $51,469 | $24,500 | $38,707 | 74% |
| 6 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | $50,733 | — | $17,432 | 42% |
| 7 | Fayetteville State University | $50,732 | $30,087 | $7,892 | 38% |
| 8 | Wingate University | $50,391 | $25,925 | $20,748 | 46% |
| 9 | Elizabeth City State University | $50,146 | — | $6,364 | 44% |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $49,209 | $13,640 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 11 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $49,034 | $23,250 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 12 | Catawba College | $48,982 | $20,655 | $17,879 | 47% |
| 13 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $48,824 | $21,500 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $48,399 | $24,763 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 15 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $48,024 | $20,130 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 16 | Campbell University | $47,989 | $21,500 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 17 | East Carolina University | $47,970 | $23,625 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 18 | University of Mount Olive | $47,411 | $35,963 | $18,853 | 52% |
| 19 | Mars Hill University | $47,176 | — | $19,910 | 45% |
| 20 | Western Carolina University | $47,105 | $24,714 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 21 | Belmont Abbey College | $46,372 | $27,000 | $24,639 | 47% |
| 22 | Appalachian State University | $46,057 | $21,500 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 23 | Lees-McRae College | $45,862 | $15,000 | $28,340 | 42% |
| 24 | Gardner-Webb University | $45,110 | $27,000 | $17,674 | 55% |
| 25 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | $44,131 | $27,000 | $20,689 | 48% |
19 more North Carolina colleges offer Education (Elementary / Secondary) but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates
Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Training and Development Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at ECU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ECU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 63% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $55,146
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at ECU
- Education (Subject Teaching)$49,247
- Special Education$48,410
- Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language—
ECU Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do ECU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of East Carolina University earn a median $47,970 four years after graduating and $42,690 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do ECU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of East Carolina University is $23,625, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is ECU a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in North Carolina?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of East Carolina University earn $47,970 four years out, $854 below the median for the same major across 25 North Carolina colleges ($48,824) and $147 above the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ECU rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in North Carolina?
Of 25 North Carolina colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, East Carolina University ranks 17th. The highest is Elon University at $63,041.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $55,490 in the Greenville, NC area and $63,970 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and training and development specialists.
Is ECU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing ECU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “East Carolina University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/east-carolina-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).