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Teacher Education at South Texas College

McAllen, TX · Public · Associate Degree · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

serving 16,131 students in McAllen, TX.

Program Analysis

Starting salaries of $16,902/yr fall 35% below the $25,977 national median for Teacher Education. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

With a 28.3x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

Career paths for Teacher Education carry above-average AI exposure (30% of tasks). The 40% scenario spread means the difference between optimistic and pessimistic outcomes is substantial.

A #111 ranking among 129 Teacher Education programs places South Texas College in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

The $16,902-to-$33,678 earnings arc over five years reflects a 99% gain — well above average career growth for trade school graduates.

The 5 apprenticeship pathways connected to Teacher Education reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

50 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
45
Low End
50
Score
52
High End
Earnings $16,902/yr (-35% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (70% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (412,300 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$297K
12.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
30.1x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
11 of 11
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$9,840
Out-of-state: $15,000
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$33,678
99% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Teacher Education graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490 +1.8% 100%
Education teachers, postsecondary $72,090 +2.1% 51%
Training and development specialists $65,850 +10.8% 45%
Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78,490
+1.8% growth 100% AI-proof
Education teachers, postsecondary
$72,090
+2.1% growth 51% AI-proof
Training and development specialists
$65,850
+10.8% growth 45% AI-proof

View all 11 career paths with full salary data →

About Teacher Education Careers

Your journey will likely begin in the classroom, where your days are a dynamic mix of planning and direct interaction. As an elementary teacher, you might use a smartboard to lead a math lesson, then transition to guiding small reading groups. In a secondary school, you’ll focus on your subject specialty, preparing students for exams, managing online assignments through a learning management system, and communicating with parents.

Read the full Teacher Education career guide →

Compare & Explore

Teacher Education Overview

View all 129 schools offering Teacher Education →

Teacher Education at Other Schools

Central Washington University ($50,340) Arizona State University Campus Immersion ($48,807) Minnesota State University-Mankato ($46,599) Austin Community College District ($46,430) Northern Arizona University ($45,247) San Juan College ($44,618) Urban College of Boston ($39,213) Roxbury Community College ($34,086)

Other Majors at South Texas College

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($75,733) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($68,727) Criminal Justice and Corrections ($49,125) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($42,378) Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants ($33,171) Precision Metal Working ($33,167) Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services ($32,084) Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies ($30,307)

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare Teacher Education degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does South Texas College's Teacher Education program score?
A score of 50/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but South Texas College trails the majority of Teacher Education programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Teacher Education to AI automation?
With 30% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $176,831 in decade earnings vs $296,610 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Teacher Education from South Texas College?
Starting salary is one data point. If South Texas College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.
Can I learn Teacher Education through an apprenticeship instead?
Yes — 5 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Teacher Education career paths, including Apprenticeship And Training Representative (Gov Only). Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to certificate programs.
How many job openings are there for Teacher Education graduates?
With approximately 412,300 annual openings across mapped careers, Teacher Education offers a very large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →