ROI Major

Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods at University of Utah

UT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods degree from University of Utah earn a median salary of $59,367 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in UT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $57,359. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.8 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

$50,820

Typical Career

$59,367

Top Performers

$65,194

Estimated break-even: 7.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$396

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,947. Most students can comfortably afford about a $396 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Utah buys what costs $1.04 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 17.2%
Health Care & Social Assistance 16.9%
Educational Services 14.4%

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

$57,359

Nominal: $59,367 in Utah (COL 103.5% of national avg) · 3.4% lower 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).

7.8 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 $43,935 $51,756 $58,274
5 Years After Graduation $50,820 $59,367 $65,194
10 Years After Graduation $56,877 $73,014 $82,185

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 $59,367 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in UT, which has a cost-of-living index of 103.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $59,367 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0350) = $57,359 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 Utah experience a steady earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings are reported at $51,756, increasing to $59,367 after five years, and reaching $73,014 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns closely with the national equivalent at $57,359.42, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, there is potential for significant growth over time, particularly when considering the cost of living in Utah.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (17.2%), Health Care & Social Assistance (16.9%), and Educational Services (14.4%). This diverse range of sectors suggests a robust job market for education graduates. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 7.8 years compared to a high-school-only path, the overall return on investment for pursuing a degree in this field appears favorable, especially given the potential for long-term career advancement and stability.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods degree at University of Utah 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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