U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 23 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 48% 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 $38,618. College Scorecard.
Southern Adventist 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 Southern Adventist 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 | $19,123 | $86,054 | 5.5 years |
| $30–48k | $20,421 | $91,895 | 5.9 years |
| $48–75k | $22,849 | $102,821 | 6.6 years |
| $75–110k | $26,679 | $120,056 | 7.7 years |
| $110k+ | $30,751 | $138,380 | 8.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (38% 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 ($50,119) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,601 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee 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 | Vanderbilt University | $55,188 | — | $15,846 | 94% |
| 2 | Southern Adventist University | $50,119 | $24,250 | $24,345 | 49% |
| 3 | Lee University | $48,382 | $23,832 | $18,878 | 63% |
| 4 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | $46,925 | — | $14,836 | 48% |
| 5 | Austin Peay State University | $46,900 | $25,000 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 6 | Middle Tennessee State University | $46,252 | $22,500 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $46,029 | $22,517 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 8 | Tennessee State University | $45,886 | $29,000 | $15,796 | 34% |
| 9 | Lipscomb University | $44,328 | $21,500 | $24,739 | 72% |
| 10 | University of Memphis | $44,293 | $28,439 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 11 | King University | $44,219 | $22,750 | $22,347 | 48% |
| 12 | Milligan University | $44,167 | $27,000 | $21,365 | 63% |
| 13 | East Tennessee State University | $43,687 | $15,000 | $15,983 | 53% |
| 14 | Tennessee Technological University | $43,264 | $14,566 | $14,246 | 58% |
| 15 | Freed-Hardeman University | $43,057 | $23,125 | $21,574 | 71% |
| 16 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $42,481 | $21,000 | $10,701 | 53% |
| 17 | Carson-Newman University | $42,340 | $26,500 | $20,251 | 53% |
| 18 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $42,332 | — | $16,813 | 53% |
| 19 | Lincoln Memorial University | $40,508 | — | $20,406 | 50% |
11 more Tennessee 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 Southern Adventist University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Adventist University
- Acceptance rate: 66% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,723
- Full cost breakdown · all 92 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Adventist University
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Special Education—
- Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language—
- Education, Other—
Southern Adventist University Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do Southern Adventist University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Southern Adventist University earn a median $50,119 four years after graduating and $43,283 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do Southern Adventist University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Southern Adventist University is $24,250, about 48% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Southern Adventist University a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Tennessee?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Southern Adventist University earn $50,119 four years out, $5,826 above the median for the same major across 19 Tennessee colleges ($44,293) and $2,296 above the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Adventist University rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Tennessee?
Of 19 Tennessee colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Southern Adventist University ranks 2nd. The highest is Vanderbilt University at $55,188.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $59,830 in the Chattanooga, TN-GA area and $63,970 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and training and development specialists.
Is Southern Adventist University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Southern Adventist University 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: “Southern Adventist University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-adventist-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).