U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 35 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% 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 $49,783. College Scorecard.
Northwestern College 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 Northwestern College'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 | $27,059 | $111,483 | 10.2 years |
| $30–48k | $19,503 | $80,352 | 7.3 years |
| $48–75k | $20,572 | $84,757 | 7.7 years |
| $75–110k | $24,265 | $99,972 | 9.1 years |
| $110k+ | $29,539 | $121,701 | 11.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($47,640) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,979 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 Northwestern College, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northwestern College
- Acceptance rate: 80% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 66% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,802
- Full cost breakdown · all 42 majors · overview
Related majors at Northwestern College
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Special Education—
Northwestern College Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do Northwestern College Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Northwestern College earn a median $47,640 four years after graduating and $42,441 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do Northwestern College Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Northwestern College is $25,995, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Northwestern College a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Iowa?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Northwestern College earn $47,640 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 23 Iowa colleges ($47,640) and $183 below the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northwestern College rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Iowa?
Of 23 Iowa colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Northwestern College ranks 12th. 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 $60,580 in Iowa and $63,970 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and training and development specialists.
Is Northwestern College the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Northwestern College 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: “Northwestern College Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northwestern-college/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).