ROI Major

Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods at University of Akron (The)

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.12

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods degree from University of Akron (The) earn a median salary of $48,818 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $54,182. The degree typically pays for itself in 13.3 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 graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$38,415

Typical Career

$48,818

Top Performers

$58,397

Estimated break-even: 13.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$325

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,068. Most students can comfortably afford about a $325 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio 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 21.4%
Educational Services 14.8%
Manufacturing 11.1%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$54,182

Nominal: $48,818 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

13.3 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 $24,019 $31,887 $41,918
5 Years After Graduation $38,415 $48,818 $58,397
10 Years After Graduation $44,849 $59,126 $71,799

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 $48,818 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $48,818 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $54,182 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 Levels and Methods program at the University of Akron can expect a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $31,887, rising to $48,818 after five years, and reaching $59,126 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $54,182.02, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial outlook appears favorable, particularly when considering the cost of living index in Ohio (0.901) compared to the national average.

The top industries for graduates reflect a strong alignment with education and social services, with 21.4% entering Health Care & Social Assistance, 14.8% in Educational Services, and 11.1% in Manufacturing. The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this educational path versus a high-school-only route is approximately 13.3 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to pay off, the potential for career advancement and increased earnings in these sectors can provide a solid return on investment over time.

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See how the Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods degree at University of Akron (The) stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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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.