ROI Major

Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas at Lincoln University

MO · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.13

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas degree from Lincoln University earn a median salary of $48,372 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $54,229. The degree typically pays for itself in 15.7 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

$41,469

Typical Career

$48,372

Top Performers

$58,093

Estimated break-even: 15.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$322

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,031. Most students can comfortably afford about a $322 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 18.0%
Public Administration 17.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 16.4%

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

$54,229

Nominal: $48,372 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

15.7 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 $27,071 $35,198 $42,490
5 Years After Graduation $41,469 $48,372 $58,093
10 Years After Graduation $43,159 $52,636 $70,870

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 $48,372 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $48,372 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920) = $54,229 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for graduates of Teacher Education, Specific Subject Areas at Lincoln University shows a steady increase over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $35,198, rising to $48,372 after five years, and reaching $52,636 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with the national average at approximately $54,228.70, indicating that while initial earnings may be lower, the long-term financial outlook improves significantly.

Graduates primarily enter sectors such as Educational Services (18.0%), Public Administration (17.3%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (16.4%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 15.7 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to pay off, the long-term benefits in terms of career opportunities and salary potential are significant. Overall, the return on investment for this degree can be considered favorable for those committed to a career 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 Lincoln 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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