The best education programs are not the ones ranked highest by academic reputation. They are the programs with the highest teacher licensure exam pass rates, the strongest student teaching placements, and the most affordable cost relative to teaching salaries. In a profession where starting pay averages around $45,000, the amount of debt you carry matters enormously.
Teaching is a career where passion and preparation both matter, but preparation without crushing debt matters most. A student who graduates from a $60,000-per-year private education school with $200,000 in loans and a $42,000 starting salary is in serious financial trouble, no matter how good their training was. A student who graduates from a state university with minimal debt and passes their licensure exams on the first attempt is in a far better position.
This guide prioritizes programs where the cost of the degree makes financial sense given realistic teaching salaries, where licensure exam preparation is strong, and where student teaching placements are at schools that provide meaningful mentorship.
Our Methodology
Licensure exam pass rates. Each state requires teacher candidates to pass licensure exams (Praxis, edTPA, or state-specific tests). Programs with high first-time pass rates are preparing their students well. Programs with pass rates below state averages should raise concerns.
Student teaching quality. The student teaching semester is where education students learn to actually teach. Programs with strong partnerships with local school districts, structured mentorship during student teaching, and gradual release of responsibility produce more confident, capable first-year teachers.
Net cost relative to teaching salaries. We weight affordability more heavily for education than for any other major on our site because teaching salaries are known and relatively fixed. The degree must make financial sense given the career it leads to.
Graduation rates. Programs that retain education students through completion while maintaining high licensure pass rates are doing something right.
Before choosing an education program, research whether the state where you want to teach has reciprocity agreements with the state where you would earn your credential. Not all teaching licenses transfer seamlessly across state lines. If you plan to teach in a different state than where you attend college, verify that your license will be recognized or learn what additional requirements you would face.
Top Education Programs
Vanderbilt University (Peabody College)
Peabody College is consistently recognized as one of the top education schools in the country. The program combines strong theoretical foundations with extensive clinical experience in Nashville-area schools. The faculty includes leading researchers in education policy, special education, and curriculum design. Vanderbilt's financial aid is generous, which helps offset the private school sticker price for many admitted students.
University of Michigan School of Education
Michigan's education school provides strong preparation across elementary, secondary, and special education tracks. The clinical experience begins early, with students observing in schools during their first year and gradually taking on more teaching responsibility. Ann Arbor's public school system provides diverse placement options. In-state tuition makes Michigan an excellent value.
University of Virginia (Curry School of Education)
UVA's Curry School combines rigorous academic preparation with a strong clinical model that places student teachers in schools across Virginia. The program has particular strengths in special education, literacy education, and educational technology. Virginia in-state tuition keeps costs manageable relative to teaching salaries.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wisconsin's School of Education has a long tradition of excellence in teacher preparation, particularly in elementary education, mathematics education, and science education. The clinical model is well-structured, and the program's relationships with Madison-area school districts provide quality student teaching placements. In-state tuition is competitive.
University of Texas at Austin
UT Austin's College of Education produces a large number of well-prepared teachers each year. The program covers elementary, secondary, and special education, with particular strengths in bilingual education and STEM education. Austin's diverse school district provides student teaching placements that expose students to varied populations and teaching contexts. In-state tuition is affordable.
Teachers College, Columbia University
TC is the largest and oldest graduate school of education in the United States, and while it primarily serves graduate students, its influence on education pedagogy and curriculum is immense. The institution is included here because its student teaching model and research on effective teaching practices have shaped how education programs across the country operate. For students who already have a bachelor's degree in another field, TC offers strong pathways to teacher certification.
University of Minnesota
Minnesota's education program has strengths in literacy education, STEM education, and multicultural education. The clinical model places student teachers in both urban and suburban schools across the Twin Cities metro area, providing exposure to diverse teaching environments. In-state tuition is reasonable, and Minnesota's relatively strong teacher salary scale makes the degree investment more manageable.
Michigan State University
MSU has one of the largest teacher education programs in the country and a long research tradition in studying how people learn to teach. The program's size means extensive course offerings and specialization options. The clinical experience is substantial, and MSU's relationships with Michigan school districts are deep. In-state tuition provides strong value.
Be cautious of alternative certification programs that promise teaching credentials in a few months. While some (like Teach For America) provide real classroom support, many fast-track programs leave new teachers underprepared for the challenges they face. Traditional education programs with a full semester of student teaching produce teachers who are more likely to stay in the profession beyond the first three years.
Boston College (Lynch School of Education)
Lynch School combines strong academic preparation with a Jesuit emphasis on social justice in education. The program's clinical experiences place students in diverse school settings across the Boston metro area. The school has particular strengths in special education and school counseling. Financial aid helps offset the private school cost.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC's School of Education provides solid teacher preparation at one of the best values in the Southeast. The program covers elementary, middle grades, and secondary education, with specialized tracks in special education and English as a second language. The clinical model is well-supported, and the Carolina community provides strong mentorship for student teachers.
What to Look For in an Education Program
Clinical experience hours. More is generally better, up to a point. Programs that provide 600+ hours of clinical experience (including student teaching) before graduation produce more prepared first-year teachers than those with minimal field time. Ask for the total clinical hours, not just the student teaching semester.
School district partnerships. Programs with formal partnerships with school districts can place student teachers in well-supervised settings with experienced mentor teachers. Informal placements at random schools provide less consistent mentorship quality.
Licensure preparation support. Programs that integrate licensure exam preparation into the curriculum, offer practice tests, and track student performance on licensure exams treat certification as a core program responsibility, not an afterthought.
Loan forgiveness navigation. The best education programs actively help students understand and plan for teacher loan forgiveness programs (Public Service Loan Forgiveness, TEACH grants, state-specific programs). This financial advising is as important as the academic preparation.
Ask education programs about their graduates' retention rates in teaching. Many new teachers leave the profession within five years. Programs that produce teachers who stay are doing something right with preparation and realistic expectation-setting. High licensure pass rates mean nothing if half the graduates leave teaching within three years.
Affordable Options Worth Considering
State universities in your target teaching state are almost always the best financial choice for education majors. Teaching salaries are set by the state, so minimizing debt by attending an affordable in-state program is the most rational financial strategy.
University of North Carolina system offers multiple campuses with strong education programs at very affordable in-state rates, all preparing students for North Carolina teaching licensure.
University of Georgia provides comprehensive teacher preparation at competitive Georgia in-state tuition, with strong school district partnerships for student teaching.
University of Florida combines solid education programs with one of the lowest in-state tuition rates in the country for a major research university.
Community college to university transfer paths can save significant money on the first two years of general education coursework, though you will need to ensure credits transfer into your target education program.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of elementary school teachers to show little change through 2033, while employment of special education teachers is projected to grow 4%1. However, teacher shortages in specific subjects (math, science, special education, bilingual education) and in rural or high-poverty areas mean that graduates with these specializations face strong job markets regardless of overall projections.
For a complete overview of the major, see our education degree guide and education careers. Students considering whether teaching is the right path should read our education vs psychology comparison. For salary information, see our education salary breakdown and the guide on choosing a college major.
FAQ
Is an education degree worth the cost?
It depends entirely on how much debt you carry. Teaching salaries are known quantities, so the math is straightforward. If you graduate with less than $30,000 in total debt, an education degree is financially manageable on a teacher salary. If you graduate with $100,000 in debt, you will struggle. Choose the most affordable accredited program you can find in or near the state where you want to teach.
Can I teach without an education degree?
In some states, yes. Alternative certification programs allow people with bachelor's degrees in other fields to earn teaching credentials through accelerated training. However, research consistently shows that teachers with traditional education program preparation are more effective in their first years and more likely to remain in the profession than alternatively certified teachers.
What is the highest-paying teaching specialty?
Special education, math, and science teachers are in the highest demand and sometimes receive salary supplements in districts facing shortages. School administrators (principals, assistant principals) earn significantly more than classroom teachers, with a median of around $103,460 for elementary and secondary school principals in May 20241. Moving into administration typically requires a master's degree and several years of teaching experience.
How much do teachers make?
The median annual wage for elementary school teachers was $65,230 and for high school teachers was $65,220 in May 20241. Salaries vary enormously by state and district, ranging from about $40,000 in the lowest-paying states to over $85,000 in the highest-paying districts. Most teacher salary schedules provide automatic raises based on years of experience and additional education credits.
Should I get a master's degree in education?
Most teacher salary schedules pay more for a master's degree, typically $3,000-$8,000 more per year depending on the district. If you can earn the master's at low cost (many districts offer tuition reimbursement), the additional salary over a 30-year career more than justifies the investment. Getting an expensive master's degree before your first teaching job, however, adds debt without immediate financial benefit.
What is student teaching really like?
Student teaching is a full-time commitment for one semester (sometimes two). You gradually take over a classroom from a cooperating teacher, eventually planning and teaching all lessons independently. It is the most demanding part of an education program and the most valuable. Good student teaching experiences build confidence; poor ones (with unsupportive cooperating teachers or dysfunctional school environments) can drive capable students out of the profession.
- Education Degree Guide — Overview
- Is It Worth It?
- Career Paths
- Salary Data
- Requirements
- How Hard Is It?
- Internships
Footnotes
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Teachers. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/home.htm ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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National Center for Education Statistics. (2025). Digest of Education Statistics, 2024. U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/ ↩
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U.S. Department of Education. (2025). College Scorecard Data. https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/ ↩