U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 79 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 51% 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 $19,601. College Scorecard.
Shepherd University 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 Shepherd University'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 | $7,906 | $34,865 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $7,753 | $34,191 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $10,107 | $44,572 | 2.7 years |
| $75–110k | $14,000 | $61,740 | 3.8 years |
| $110k+ | $15,866 | $69,969 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($48,992) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,297 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 West Virginia colleges
Every West Virginia college we cover that reports Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia University | $51,537 | $24,621 | $15,634 | 65% |
| 2 | Shepherd University | $48,992 | $25,000 | $11,363 | 51% |
| 3 | West Liberty University | $44,539 | $26,139 | $15,366 | 60% |
| 4 | Concord University | $44,168 | $20,209 | $9,966 | 39% |
| 5 | Glenville State Universitybachelor's & associate | $44,090 | $23,625 | $14,006 | 34% |
| 6 | West Virginia State University | $43,924 | $26,932 | $11,139 | 39% |
| 7 | Marshall University | $43,659 | $25,886 | $7,502 | 51% |
| 8 | West Virginia University at Parkersburgbachelor's & associate | $39,681 | $11,182 | $1,807 | 9% |
5 more West Virginia 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 Shepherd University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Shepherd University
- Acceptance rate: 97% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,358
- Full cost breakdown · all 33 majors · overview
Shepherd University Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do Shepherd University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Shepherd University earn a median $48,992 four years after graduating and $46,549 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do Shepherd University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Shepherd University is $25,000, about 51% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Shepherd University a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in West Virginia?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Shepherd University earn $48,992 four years out, $4,863 above the median for the same major across 8 West Virginia colleges ($44,129) and $1,169 above the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Shepherd University rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in West Virginia?
Of 8 West Virginia colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Shepherd University ranks 2nd. The highest is West Virginia University at $51,537.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $79,470 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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: “Shepherd University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/shepherd-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).