U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 101 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 54% 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 $27,636. College Scorecard.
SOU 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 SOU'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 | $11,830 | $51,342 | 3.0 years |
| $30–48k | $12,466 | $54,102 | 3.2 years |
| $48–75k | $15,813 | $68,628 | 4.0 years |
| $75–110k | $22,415 | $97,281 | 5.7 years |
| $110k+ | $24,181 | $104,946 | 6.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($53,584) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,035 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 Oregon colleges
Every Oregon 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 | George Fox University | $56,768 | $25,000 | $31,679 | 72% |
| 2 | Western Oregon University | $54,761 | $25,458 | $17,237 | 47% |
| 3 | University of Portland | $53,963 | $27,000 | $28,210 | 80% |
| 4 | Pacific University | $53,674 | — | $35,273 | 67% |
| 5 | Southern Oregon University | $53,584 | $28,906 | $16,732 | 43% |
| 6 | Linfield University | $52,429 | $27,000 | $26,536 | 70% |
| 7 | Eastern Oregon University | $48,894 | $27,000 | $17,148 | 43% |
| 8 | Bushnell University | $46,716 | — | $20,789 | 56% |
5 more Oregon 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 SOU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SOU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 43% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,175
- Full cost breakdown · all 48 majors · overview
Related majors at SOU
- Education—
SOU Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do SOU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Southern Oregon University earn a median $53,584 four years after graduating and $41,136 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do SOU Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Southern Oregon University is $28,906, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is SOU a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Oregon?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Southern Oregon University earn $53,584 four years out, $45 below the median for the same major across 8 Oregon colleges ($53,629) and $5,761 above the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SOU rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Oregon?
Of 8 Oregon colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Southern Oregon University ranks 5th. The highest is George Fox University at $56,768.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $65,830 in the Medford, OR 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: “Southern Oregon University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-oregon-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).