is it worth it

IS IT WORTH IT

lets say you want to be a high school science teacher
the pay when you finish will probably start out at around 50,000+- based on where you get a job

most schools give you a teacher retirement usually full vested after 20 years but that can vary
most provide a 401k and some add a 457 plan that you can add money to and let it grow tax free
if your school you teach in doesnt pay into social security then you might not get any social security since it will be adjusted for the windfall elimination exemption or wep
you will want to teach in a school that pays into social security

if you are in high school looking for a career in high school teaching then you need to understand all of the financial stuff before you start teaching
most dont
most find out the hard way when they retire
most find out the hard way when they have to repay their school loans

here is one option
scenario a
here in santa barbara a high school graduates can attend santa barbara community college for two years 
they will pay no tuition fees books or other similar fees
they just need to provide room and board
so you could finish the two years with no debt
then you transfer to a 4 year school for your last two years
or
scenario b
you could attend for example a state school like the cal state system or the university of california system from day one
your cost at a school like the university of california at santa barbara would be about $150,000+ for tuition fees books other fees and room and board
at the cal state school it would be a little less
or
scenario c
looking at a well known private university their cost for 4 years of school is estimated to be around $280,000+

so what do the students call you no matter where you go to school

ms jane smith my science teacher

the teacher who followed scenario a if they paid for all their schooling would owe probably around $30,000
the scenario b teacher could owe around $150,000
the scenario c teacher could owe $280,000

teacher a has school debt that would be like buying a new car
it would be much easier to pay off sooner than the others then they could buy a house have a family
maybe they can do investments in a 401k

teacher b and c would probably be paying on their school debt until their retirement
it may affect decisions like getting married buying a house having a family and where they can live
or do those other investments like the 401k

i read horror stories about folks who are teachers that owe over $300,000 in school debt
they might never get it paid off

luckily most folks live in communities where they can use community colleges to get their first years at a reduced cost or in our location no costs

eg years ago i left community college with no debt since i paid my own way by working
it did take 4 years to get my first two years in
my last two years was in the university of california system
i worked got grants and scholarships and took out some loans
i left school with a debt of about $3-5000 for my bachelor degree

after medical school since i followed scenario a my patients called me doctor
my friends who followed scenario b and scenario c their patients called them doctor

i left school with a debt of about $20,000
many of them had debts of $100,000+

is it worth it to go so far deep in debt for school
no 
not if its the expensive path

the organicgreen doctor