Education Major
Elementary, secondary, special education, educational leadership. Teaching is recession-resistant and offers strong benefits, but starting salaries are below most other bachelor's degrees and vary heavily by state and district.
Typical Earnings
$42,000 starting / $65,000 mid-career
Top Schools Below
50 ranked by program focus
Realistic career paths
Elementary TeacherHigh School TeacherSpecial Education TeacherSchool Counselor (with MA)Principal (with MA + experience)
Top schools for education
Ranked by what share of degrees the school awards in this field. A high % means the school is genuinely focused on this major, not just listing it as a program.
| School | Location | % in Education | Net Price | 10-yr Earnings | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachers College of San Joaquin Public | Stockton, CA | 100% | — | — | — |
| Howard Payne University Private | Brownwood, TX | 25% | $25,255 | $40,500 | 68% |
| University of West Alabama Public | Livingston, AL | 24% | $12,684 | $40,400 | 43% |
| Eastern Oregon University Public | La Grande, OR | 21% | $17,148 | $44,100 | 98% |
| Reach University Private | Oakland, CA | 20% | $22,423 | — | 100% |
| Spokane Falls Community College Public | Spokane, WA | 20% | $7,409 | $34,900 | — |
| Ohio State University-Lima Campus Public | Lima, OH | 20% | $12,940 | $53,600 | — |
| Community College of Denver Public | Denver, CO | 19% | $9,450 | $36,400 | — |
| Western Oregon University Public | Monmouth, OR | 19% | $17,237 | $43,400 | 98% |
| Foothill College Public | Los Altos Hills, CA | 18% | $7,653 | $58,300 | — |
| Alverno College Private | Milwaukee, WI | 18% | $22,540 | $40,900 | 86% |
| Greenville University Private | Greenville, IL | 18% | $21,270 | $39,900 | 95% |
| Minot State University Public | Minot, ND | 17% | $12,703 | $46,900 | 65% |
| Lake Erie College Private | Painesville, OH | 16% | $20,961 | $40,600 | 70% |
| University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Public | Chickasha, OK | 16% | $6,624 | $36,400 | 66% |
| Saint Norbert College Private | De Pere, WI | 15% | $26,172 | $51,300 | 86% |
| Malone University Private | Canton, OH | 15% | $20,948 | $48,100 | 76% |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Public | Magnolia, AR | 15% | $14,027 | $39,000 | 75% |
| Wright State University-Lake Campus Public | Celina, OH | 15% | $11,081 | $46,100 | — |
| Southern Nazarene University Private | Bethany, OK | 15% | $22,084 | $54,000 | — |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University Private | Mount Vernon, OH | 14% | $22,421 | $50,000 | 84% |
| Sterling College Private | Sterling, KS | 14% | $22,371 | $40,500 | 48% |
| Mount St. Joseph University Private | Cincinnati, OH | 14% | $16,530 | $44,600 | 59% |
| Cabrini University Private | Radnor, PA | 14% | $24,051 | $49,600 | 69% |
| Arizona Christian University Private | Glendale, AZ | 13% | $32,839 | $34,900 | 71% |
| Dine College Public | Tsaile, AZ | 13% | $6,057 | $23,400 | — |
| Harding University Private | Searcy, AR | 13% | $22,130 | $47,000 | 71% |
| Eastern Gateway Community College Public | Steubenville, OH | 12% | $4,181 | $30,400 | — |
| University of Northern Colorado Public | Greeley, CO | 12% | $17,760 | $47,100 | 86% |
| Henderson State University Public | Arkadelphia, AR | 12% | $23,405 | $40,400 | — |
| Oklahoma Baptist University Private | Shawnee, OK | 12% | $20,958 | $45,000 | 49% |
| Ohio State University-Marion Campus Public | Marion, OH | 12% | $11,488 | $53,600 | — |
| Northeastern State University Public | Tahlequah, OK | 12% | $12,710 | $41,000 | 100% |
| Walsh University Private | North Canton, OH | 12% | $20,493 | $48,300 | 71% |
| Elmhurst University Private | Elmhurst, IL | 12% | $21,063 | $51,600 | 76% |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout Public | Menomonie, WI | 12% | $17,490 | $48,700 | 88% |
| University of Rio Grande Private | Rio Grande, OH | 11% | $23,686 | $36,700 | — |
| College of the Desert Public | Palm Desert, CA | 11% | $15,728 | $36,700 | — |
| Treasure Valley Community College Public | Ontario, OR | 11% | $11,172 | $32,000 | — |
| Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus Public | Mansfield, OH | 11% | $16,197 | $53,600 | — |
| Wilmington College Private | Wilmington, OH | 11% | $24,153 | $41,900 | 92% |
| Grand Canyon University For-profit | Phoenix, AZ | 11% | $22,472 | $58,500 | 79% |
| South Georgia State College Public | Douglas, GA | 11% | $8,767 | $34,000 | — |
| Shawnee State University Public | Portsmouth, OH | 11% | $14,381 | $37,500 | — |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global Private | Marion, IN | 11% | $16,898 | $56,200 | — |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State University Public | Alva, OK | 11% | $10,104 | $41,700 | 65% |
| Stillman College Private | Tuscaloosa, AL | 11% | $15,258 | $33,700 | 62% |
| Vanguard University of Southern California Private | Costa Mesa, CA | 11% | $21,241 | $48,800 | 62% |
| University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Public | Oshkosh, WI | 10% | $14,305 | $45,600 | 87% |
| Monmouth College Private | Monmouth, IL | 10% | $18,034 | $46,500 | 87% |
What this ranking is and isn't
What it is: A list of schools where education is actually a focus area, ranked by what % of degrees fall in this field. If you want to be surrounded by people studying the same thing, this list is what you want.
What it isn't: A prestige ranking. MIT might have an outstanding education program but rank low here if the school awards more degrees in other fields. For program quality alone, look at faculty research output, employer recruiting, and graduate outcomes — not the share of degrees.