Best Colleges and Universities for Education Degrees Published: Nov 6, 2021 Nov 27, 2023
The best education degree programs are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best education degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding education faculty.
In This Article: The Best Colleges and Universities for Education Degrees The Best Education Schools in Your State What can I do with an education major? Is education a good major? What courses will I take as an education major? What jobs can I do with an education major? Is a research university right for me? Is a liberal arts college right for me? Is an online college right for me? Career Outlook for Students with Education Degree Learn More About Education Ask A Question Majoring in education can help you start a career as a classroom teacher, guidance counselor, special education expert, district administrator, university professor and much more. The education major is among the most popular college degree programs both because it provides a clear pathway to a career in education, and because it is extremely versatile. Majoring in education can open the door to a wide range of career prospects.
Note: If you plan to teach public school for grades K-12, you must earn a bachelor’s degree from a recognized teaching education program, sit for your state license, and in some states or districts, earn an advanced degree. To learn more about earning an advanced degree, find out what you can do with a master’s in education .
If you’re getting started on the path to an undergraduate degree in education, note that the best bachelor’s degrees in education are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of education concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.
Degree popularity: Education bachelor’s degrees are the 24th most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics. It’s most popular among women, for whom it ranks as the 13th most desired degree. Education bachelor’s degrees rank as he 7th most popular degrees for white women, 11th for white men, and 15th for Black women, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics
Featured Programs Frequently Asked Questions About Education Bachelor’s Degrees What can I do with an education major? Is education a good major? The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that rising enrollment in elementary, middle and high schools across the U.S. will increase the demand for teachers at every level of compulsory education over the next decade. The BLS does warn though that this demand will vary by region. As an aspiring educator, take stock of the career opportunities in your community and region.
However, note that wherever you teach, you have a good opportunity to achieve long-term job security. Once hired as a public school teacher, you’ll begin on your path toward tenure. While it can be challenging to achieve this status, tenure will provide you with inbuilt job protection against unfounded dismissal or dismissal based on budget cuts. Moreover, teachers are represented by a powerful labor union, which creates a strong negotiating position for fair pay, health coverage, retirement benefits and, of course, summers off!
Back to Top What courses will I take as an education major? Once you’ve declared your major in education, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized education electives, there are a number of common courses that most education majors will be required to take, including:
Introduction to Instructional Design Adult Learning Theories Teaching for Cognitive Growth Project-Based Learning Science and Engineering Programs for Teachers Foundations of Positive Psychology Learning to Teach Online Literacy Education
Back to Top What jobs can I do with an education major? Naturally, majoring in education is the starting point if you wish to teach in the classroom. But it’s also the logical starting place if you hope to become a guidance counselor, high school principal, or college professor, as well as a good place from which to launch a career in educational technology, online teaching, college consulting, and much more. Your education major can lead to a wide range of career opportunities, including these top jobs:
Back to Top Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.
Is a research university right for me? Research universities
Do you prefer a larger university setting , such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.
Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.
Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance. Back to Top Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US .
Is a liberal arts college right for me? Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges
Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.
Back to Top Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US .
Is an online college right for me? Online colleges
Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.
Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.
Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates . In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.
If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer , or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you . In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.
Back to Top The Best Colleges and Universities for Education Degrees Career Outlook for Students with Education Degree Go to Degree Finder tool Educational Leadership And Administration –Select a similar degree– Administration of Special Education. Adult and Continuing Education Administration. Art Teacher Education. Bilingual and Multilingual Education. Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Other. Biology Teacher Education. Certificate of IEP Completion Program. Chemistry Teacher Education. Children's and Adolescent Literature. Community College Administration. Computer Teacher Education. Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services. Early Childhood Program Administration. Earth Science Teacher Education. Education Entrepreneurship. Education Policy Analysis. Education, General. Education, Other. Educational Administration and Supervision, Other. Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other. Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement. Educational Evaluation and Research. Educational Leadership and Administration, General. Educational Statistics and Research Methods. Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision. Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship. English/Language Arts Teacher Education. Environmental Education. Foreign Language Teacher Education. French Language Teacher Education. German Language Teacher Education. Health Occupations Teacher Education. Health Teacher Education. Higher Education/Higher Education Administration. History Teacher Education. Indian/Native American Education. International School Administration/Leadership. International and Comparative Education. Latin Teacher Education. Mathematics Teacher Education. Multicultural Education. Music Teacher Education. Outdoor Education. Physical Education Teaching and Coaching. Physics Teacher Education. Reading Teacher Education. Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education. Secondary School Administration/Principalship. Social Science Teacher Education. Social Studies Teacher Education. Spanish Language Teacher Education. Superintendency and Educational System Administration. Teacher Assistant/Aide. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other. Teacher Education, Multiple Levels. Teaching Assistants/Aides, Other. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor. Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language, Other. Teaching French as a Second or Foreign Language. Urban Education and Leadership. Degree Level: Bachelor's Location: The U.S. (Private Schools) Avg. Cost of Degree*: $10,123 Avg. Expenses*: $17,712 Avg. Starting Salary*: $37,404 Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $40,062 Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 13 years Job Growth: 1.60% Number of Jobs: 651,000 * denotes ‘annually’ ** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’ Career Salaries Career Job Growth Avg. Salary Training and Development Managers 6.54% $111,455 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary 1.10% $96,328 Education Administrators, Postsecondary 3.53% $94,550 Education Administrators, All Other 2.78% $86,555 Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare -2.94% $49,873
Average Career Salaries Bottom 10% Median Top 10% $57,617 $89,633 $143,355
Promising Job Markets State Cost of Living Avg. Salary #2 New York 5% higher than average $118,999 #3 Georgia 13% higher than average $95,747 #4 Virginia 5% higher than average $99,731 #5 Tennessee 14% higher than average $89,691 #6 Delaware 2% higher than average $105,079 #7 Minnesota 4% higher than average $97,522 #8 Michigan 15% higher than average $86,598 #9 Wisconsin 7% higher than average $94,498 #10 New Jersey 13% higher than average $114,219 #11 Washington 7% higher than average $107,328 #12 Kansas 9% higher than average $91,351 #13 Ohio 14% higher than average $83,321 #14 Missouri 16% higher than average $80,432 #15 Alabama 13% higher than average $82,700 #16 Idaho 7% higher than average $88,158 #17 South Dakota 7% higher than average $87,258 #18 Colorado 3% higher than average $97,193 #19 Illinois 7% higher than average $87,283 #20 Wyoming 2% higher than average $91,625 #21 Oklahoma 13% higher than average $80,773 #22 Mississippi 18% higher than average $76,480 #23 Texas 10% higher than average $83,393 #24 Nebraska 6% higher than average $85,960 #25 Kentucky 14% higher than average $78,663 #26 Pennsylvania 5% higher than average $86,849 #27 North Dakota average $91,508 #28 South Carolina 8% higher than average $83,834 #29 Connecticut 18% higher than average $107,024 #30 North Carolina 11% higher than average $80,179 #31 Iowa 9% higher than average $81,436 #32 Louisiana 9% higher than average $80,945 #33 Maryland 18% higher than average $105,360 #34 Arkansas 16% higher than average $74,589 #35 California 26% higher than average $110,098 #36 New Mexico 7% higher than average $81,021 #37 Indiana 11% higher than average $77,331 #38 Alaska 23% higher than average $106,243 #39 Rhode Island 20% higher than average $102,863 #40 Arizona 5% higher than average $80,556 #41 West Virginia 11% higher than average $74,865 #42 Utah 4% higher than average $80,473 #43 Oregon 11% higher than average $92,189 #44 Massachusetts 24% higher than average $99,998 #45 Florida 6% higher than average $72,553 #46 District of Columbia 49% higher than average $114,104 #47 Montana 3% higher than average $73,638 #48 Nevada 5% higher than average $79,542 #49 New Hampshire 13% higher than average $83,246 #50 Vermont 13% higher than average $83,058 #51 Maine 9% higher than average $79,740 #52 Hawaii 40% higher than average $82,854
Show More States Top Industries Industry Avg. Salary Training and Development Managers $111,455 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $96,328 Education Administrators, Postsecondary $94,550 Education Administrators, All Other $86,555 Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $49,873
The Best Education Schools in Your State Back to Top Learn More About Education If you want to know more about education, then check out our related content:
Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.
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