U.S. median for this major: $47,823.
College Scorecard field of study; 40 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 58% 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 $28,254. College Scorecard.
Western Illinois 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 Illinois 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 | $6,941 | $30,402 | 4.1 years |
| $30–48k | $8,787 | $38,487 | 5.1 years |
| $48–75k | $12,062 | $52,832 | 7.1 years |
| $75–110k | $16,294 | $71,368 | 9.5 years |
| $110k+ | $19,701 | $86,290 | 11.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 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 ($43,279) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,482 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | University of Illinois Chicago | $64,100 | $16,750 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 2 | Chicago State University | $59,296 | $53,774 | $12,335 | 15% |
| 3 | Saint Xavier University | $58,097 | $29,854 | $10,970 | 57% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $55,105 | $19,500 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 5 | DePaul University | $54,208 | $27,000 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 6 | Loyola University Chicago | $53,896 | $25,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 7 | Dominican University | $53,810 | $27,000 | $11,745 | 55% |
| 8 | Northeastern Illinois University | $52,176 | $15,612 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 9 | Elmhurst University | $52,106 | $24,064 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 10 | Lewis University | $51,794 | $26,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 11 | Knox College | $50,828 | $27,000 | $24,595 | 68% |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | $50,385 | $25,250 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 13 | Trinity Christian College | $49,476 | $27,000 | $19,125 | 58% |
| 14 | Illinois State University | $49,240 | $22,500 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 15 | North Central College | $49,224 | $27,000 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 16 | Wheaton College | $48,374 | $25,000 | $26,975 | 85% |
| 17 | University of St Francis | $48,353 | $23,878 | $13,006 | 67% |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $48,127 | $21,944 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 19 | Augustana College | $47,613 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 20 | Governors State University | $46,895 | $21,500 | $12,329 | 22% |
| 21 | Rockford University | $46,780 | $27,000 | $22,436 | 47% |
| 22 | Aurora University | $46,609 | $24,197 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 23 | Bradley University | $46,460 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 24 | National Louis University | $46,398 | $42,172 | $12,641 | 30% |
| 25 | Judson University | $45,830 | — | $18,558 | 60% |
| 26 | Millikin University | $45,797 | $27,340 | $21,989 | 55% |
| 27 | Concordia University-Chicago | $45,532 | $23,250 | $18,436 | 36% |
| 28 | Olivet Nazarene University | $45,455 | $26,951 | $20,729 | 61% |
| 29 | Eureka College | $44,805 | $27,000 | $17,349 | 42% |
| 30 | Benedictine University | $44,659 | $26,000 | $22,313 | 50% |
| 31 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $43,916 | $26,250 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 32 | Western Illinois University | $43,279 | $25,133 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 33 | Eastern Illinois University | $43,190 | $22,075 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 34 | Greenville University | $42,180 | $22,103 | $19,533 | 40% |
| 35 | Monmouth College | $42,058 | — | $17,133 | 65% |
10 more Illinois 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 Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 71% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 45% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,163
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Illinois University
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,255
- Special Education$45,395
- Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education—
- Educational / Instructional Media Design—
Western Illinois University Education (Elementary / Secondary) questions
How much do Western Illinois University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates earn?
Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median $43,279 four years after graduating and $40,544 one year after. The U.S. median for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates across 671 colleges is $47,823.
How much debt do Western Illinois University Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Western Illinois University is $25,133, about 58% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,000.
Is Western Illinois University a good school for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Illinois?
On pay, Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates of Western Illinois University earn $43,279 four years out, $4,848 below the median for the same major across 35 Illinois colleges ($48,127) and $4,544 below the U.S. median ($47,823). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Illinois University rank for Education (Elementary / Secondary) in Illinois?
Of 35 Illinois colleges reporting Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduate earnings, Western Illinois University ranks 32nd. The highest is University of Illinois Chicago at $64,100.
What jobs do Education (Elementary / Secondary) graduates get?
A common career is elementary school teacher, with a median wage of $75,320 in Illinois 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 Illinois University Education (Elementary / Secondary): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-illinois-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary (College Scorecard and BLS data).