Alabama · Teacher Education and Professional Development

Best colleges for Teacher Education and Professional Development in Alabama

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Auburn University and University of West Alabama award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Alabama: 150, 132 and 81 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 21 Alabama colleges offer Teacher Education and Professional Development and award 603 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Teacher Education and Professional Development program, specifically focused on subject areas, prepares individuals for careers in education by providing essential training and knowledge in various teaching disciplines. This program is…

Institutions
21
offering CIP 13.13
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
603
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$32,093
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
5
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,604
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
48%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
$59,590
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 5 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Auburn University
Auburn Public · Bachelor's degree
$44,89713282%—$23,600
2University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,09315064%—$24,573
3Athens State University
Athens Public · Bachelor's degree Degree completion
$42,40386——$25,116
4The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$28,3911873%—$25,000
5University of South Alabama
Mobile Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$26,888753%—$27,000

Colleges awarding the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Alabama

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham Public
150$32,093
2Auburn University
Auburn Public
132$44,897
3University of West Alabama
Livingston Public
81Not reported
4Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville Public
50Not reported
5The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa Public
18$28,391
6Alabama State University
Montgomery Public
14Not reported
7Huntingdon College
Montgomery Private not-for-profit
10Not reported
8United States Sports University
Daphne Private not-for-profit
9Not reported
9University of South Alabama
Mobile Public
7$26,888
10University of Mobile
Mobile Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
Show the other 11 Alabama colleges offering Teacher Education and Professional Development
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Athens State University (Degree completion)AthensPublic86
Stillman CollegeTuscaloosaPrivate not-for-profit19
Troy UniversityTroyPublic5
Samford UniversityBirminghamPrivate not-for-profit3
Alabama A & M UniversityNormalPublic2
Faulkner UniversityMontgomeryPrivate not-for-profit2
Miles CollegeFairfieldPrivate not-for-profit2
Oakwood UniversityHuntsvillePrivate not-for-profit2
Spring Hill CollegeMobilePrivate not-for-profit2
Talladega CollegeTalladegaPrivate not-for-profit2
Tuskegee UniversityTuskegeePrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-2.0%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~91,000
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$62,340
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Learning StrategiesSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningMonitoringReading Comprehension

What Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn in Alabama

Jobs in Alabama
22,030
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$59,590
median $61,380
Best-paying metro
$62,290
Birmingham, AL

Related careers

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
$59,590 avg · 22,030 jobs
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$60,320 avg · 10,000 jobs
Coaches and Scouts
— avg · 3,140 jobs
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
$63,100 avg · 2,750 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Alabama.

Which Alabama colleges award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees?+

University of Alabama at Birmingham (150 graduates a year), Auburn University (132 graduates a year) and University of West Alabama (81 graduates a year) award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Alabama, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 21 Alabama colleges offer Teacher Education and Professional Development.

Which Teacher Education and Professional Development program in Alabama has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Auburn University tops the list at $44,897. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn in Alabama?+

The average annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in Alabama is $59,590 (median $61,380), across about 22,030 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Teacher Education and Professional Development program?+

The Teacher Education and Professional Development program, specifically focused on subject areas, prepares individuals for careers in education by providing essential training and knowledge in various teaching disciplines. This program is…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop learning strategies, speaking, critical thinking, active listening, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?+

The national job outlook is about -2.0% growth with around 91,000 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Teacher Education and Professional Development in other statesNew JerseyTexasNevadaWyomingWashingtonDelawareFloridaUtah

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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