U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 147 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 52% 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 $19,992. College Scorecard.
Western Carolina 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 Western Carolina 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 | $8,816 | $38,261 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 3.2 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 4.0 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 5.4 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 5.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% 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 ($47,105) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,589 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | Elon University | $63,041 | $20,000 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 2 | North Carolina Central University | $53,794 | $31,880 | $15,359 | 42% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $51,778 | $24,000 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 4 | Winston-Salem State University | $51,520 | $30,000 | $13,479 | 47% |
| 5 | High Point University | $51,469 | $24,500 | $38,707 | 74% |
| 6 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | $50,733 | — | $17,432 | 42% |
| 7 | Fayetteville State University | $50,732 | $30,087 | $7,892 | 38% |
| 8 | Wingate University | $50,391 | $25,925 | $20,748 | 46% |
| 9 | Elizabeth City State University | $50,146 | — | $6,364 | 44% |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $49,209 | $13,640 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 11 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $49,034 | $23,250 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 12 | Catawba College | $48,982 | $20,655 | $17,879 | 47% |
| 13 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $48,824 | $21,500 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $48,399 | $24,763 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 15 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $48,024 | $20,130 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 16 | Campbell University | $47,989 | $21,500 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 17 | East Carolina University | $47,970 | $23,625 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 18 | University of Mount Olive | $47,411 | $35,963 | $18,853 | 52% |
| 19 | Mars Hill University | $47,176 | — | $19,910 | 45% |
| 20 | Western Carolina University | $47,105 | $24,714 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 21 | Belmont Abbey College | $46,372 | $27,000 | $24,639 | 47% |
| 22 | Appalachian State University | $46,057 | $21,500 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 23 | Lees-McRae College | $45,862 | $15,000 | $28,340 | 42% |
| 24 | Gardner-Webb University | $45,110 | $27,000 | $17,674 | 55% |
| 25 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | $44,131 | $27,000 | $20,689 | 48% |
19 more North Carolina 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 Western Carolina University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Carolina University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,458
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Carolina University
- Education (Subject Teaching)$48,232
- Special Education$47,031
- Education—
Western Carolina University Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do Western Carolina University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $47,105 four years after graduating and $40,594 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do Western Carolina University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Western Carolina University is $24,714, about 52% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Western Carolina University a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in North Carolina?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Western Carolina University earn $47,105 four years out, $1,719 below the median for the same major across 25 North Carolina colleges ($48,824) and $718 below the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Carolina University rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in North Carolina?
Of 25 North Carolina colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 20th. The highest is Elon University at $63,041.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $54,930 in North Carolina 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: “Western Carolina University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).