ROI Major

Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas at Indiana State University

IN · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.13

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas degree from Indiana State University earn a median salary of $52,699 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,295. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.9 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$42,030

Typical Career

$52,699

Top Performers

$66,915

Estimated break-even: 10.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$351

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,392. Most students can comfortably afford about a $351 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Indiana buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Manufacturing.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 21.6%
Educational Services 19.7%
Manufacturing 9.6%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$58,295

Nominal: $52,699 in Indiana (COL 90.4% of national avg) · 10.6% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

10.9 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $28,583 $39,914 $52,202
5 Years After Graduation $42,030 $52,699 $66,915
10 Years After Graduation $47,999 $61,630 $81,432

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $52,699 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IN, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.4% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $52,699 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9040) = $58,295 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas program at Indiana State University experience a steady earnings trajectory, with median earnings reaching $39,914 one year after graduation, increasing to $52,699 after five years, and further rising to $61,630 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $58,295.35, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial outlook improves significantly over time.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (21.6%), Educational Services (19.7%), and Manufacturing (9.6%), reflecting a diverse range of career opportunities. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 10.9 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to pay off, the long-term return on investment can be favorable, particularly for those committed to careers in education and related fields.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas degree at Indiana State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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