U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 249 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU 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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 4.2 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 4.6 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 6.2 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 7.8 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 9.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($47,462) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,801 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | University of Iowa | $51,338 | $27,000 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 2 | Morningside University | $50,717 | $27,000 | $31,320 | 50% |
| 3 | Central College | $50,707 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 4 | Luther College | $50,164 | $27,000 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 5 | Coe College | $49,498 | $27,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 6 | Grand View University | $49,409 | $27,000 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 7 | Drake University | $49,289 | $27,000 | $29,127 | 74% |
| 8 | Clarke University | $48,048 | $27,000 | $24,479 | 56% |
| 9 | Cornell College | $47,762 | $27,000 | $23,634 | 62% |
| 10 | Mount Mercy University | $47,713 | $30,687 | $20,168 | 58% |
| 11 | Wartburg College | $47,698 | $25,757 | $32,908 | 64% |
| 12 | Northwestern College | $47,640 | $25,995 | $25,907 | 66% |
| 13 | Saint Ambrose University | $47,634 | $28,000 | $24,691 | 61% |
| 14 | Iowa State University | $47,462 | $25,000 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 15 | Loras College | $47,172 | $27,000 | $20,716 | 68% |
| 16 | Simpson College | $46,495 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 17 | Upper Iowa University | $45,945 | $37,646 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 18 | University of Northern Iowa | $45,885 | $26,059 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 19 | Buena Vista University | $45,573 | $41,996 | $18,846 | 62% |
| 20 | William Penn University | $45,099 | $32,642 | $22,601 | 33% |
| 21 | Dordt University | $43,531 | $21,500 | $25,807 | 70% |
| 22 | University of Dubuque | $42,296 | $28,109 | $23,386 | 40% |
| 23 | Graceland University-Lamoni | $40,390 | $27,000 | $18,504 | 42% |
3 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Education (Subject Teaching)$52,622
- Education—
ISU Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do ISU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $47,462 four years after graduating and $45,512 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do ISU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Iowa State University is $25,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is ISU a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Iowa?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Iowa State University earn $47,462 four years out, $178 below the median for the same major across 23 Iowa colleges ($47,640) and $361 below the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Iowa?
Of 23 Iowa colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 14th. The highest is University of Iowa at $51,338.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $62,430 in the Ames, IA area and $63,970 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and training and development specialists.
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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: “Iowa State University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).