U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 197 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 49% 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 $25,489. College Scorecard.
UTC 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 UTC'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 | $9,876 | $43,553 | 3.8 years |
| $30–48k | $10,919 | $48,153 | 4.2 years |
| $48–75k | $13,594 | $59,950 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $17,374 | $76,619 | 6.7 years |
| $110k+ | $19,137 | $84,394 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($46,029) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,511 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 UTC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UTC
- Acceptance rate: 81% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 50% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,151
- Full cost breakdown · all 47 majors · overview
Related majors at UTC
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Special Education—
UTC Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do UTC Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga earn a median $46,029 four years after graduating and $39,481 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do UTC Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is $22,517, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is UTC a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Tennessee?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga earn $46,029 four years out, $1,736 above the median for the same major across 19 Tennessee colleges ($44,293) and $1,794 below the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UTC rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Tennessee?
Of 19 Tennessee colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ranks 7th. 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.
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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: “The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).