# Western Kentucky University: Education (Elementary / Secondary) (bachelor's)

Bowling Green, KY. IPEDS 157951, CIP 13.12. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university/majors/education-elementary-secondary

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $37,288
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $38,656 (U.S. median for this major: $47,823 across 671 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,000 (U.S. median $26,000)
- Rank in KY: 9 of 13 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KY median for this major (13 colleges, $40,093): -$1,437
- Versus the U.S. median: -$9,167

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.28 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $38,656 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,087 | $30,332 | 5.9 years |
| 30-48k | $6,871 | $29,408 | 5.7 years |
| 48-75k | $9,765 | $41,794 | 8.1 years |
| 75-110k | $14,049 | $60,130 | 11.7 years |
| 110k+ | $17,653 | $75,555 | 14.7 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Education (Elementary / Secondary) at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville | $47,190 | $23,584 | $17,988 | 61% |
| University of Kentucky | $44,352 | $23,250 | $18,851 | 71% |
| Bellarmine University | $43,808 | $27,000 | $21,499 | 64% |
| Northern Kentucky University | $42,709 | $27,000 | $8,191 | 52% |
| Midway University | $42,174 | $22,563 | $29,579 | 41% |
| Asbury University | $40,890 | $28,000 | $21,401 | 65% |
| University of the Cumberlands | $40,093 | $22,782 | $14,107 | 50% |
| Eastern Kentucky University | $38,951 | $26,725 | $11,040 | 50% |
| Western Kentucky University | $38,656 | $25,000 | $10,990 | 56% |
| Murray State University | $38,132 | $22,324 | $9,096 | 61% |
| Morehead State University | $37,275 | $25,292 | $9,793 | 52% |
| Campbellsville University | $36,564 | $23,125 | $19,341 | 42% |
| University of Pikeville | $36,199 | $17,778 | $20,311 | 42% |

## Careers
- Elementary school teacher (SOC 25-2021): median wage $61,260 Bowling Green, KY, $60,610 KY, $63,970 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.4% by 2035
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage $61,520 Bowling Green, KY, $61,560 KY, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Training and Development Specialists (SOC 13-1151): median wage $59,050 Bowling Green, KY, $61,390 KY, $69,280 U.S.; U.S. jobs 10.8% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).