major in education

Earning A Bachelor’s Degree In Education: Everything You Need To Know

Updated: Jul 28, 2023, 7:46am

To teach is to learn, or so the adage goes—and by getting a bachelor’s in education, you’ll be doing plenty of both.

A bachelor’s degree in education is a great first step for entering the world of professional education. If you strive to become a teacher, you’ll need to start by getting a bachelor’s degree; most teaching positions require it. You can then go on to earn a master’s in education and increase your earning potential.

The education field offers plenty of career opportunities beyond teaching, and a bachelor’s in education is the key to unlocking those options. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this degree.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

• 6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
• 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
• All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
• Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
• Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

What Is a Bachelor’s in Education?

A bachelor’s in education is an undergraduate degree that prepares students to become professional educators, typically as teachers or administrators in a K-12 school. A bachelor’s in education also prepares students to earn a master’s degree in education or a similar field.

Earning a bachelor’s in education generally takes four years, but it could take longer if you study part-time. Expect to complete courses in subjects like academic writing, educational policy and pedagogy during your bachelor’s program. Some programs require students to undergo a practicum to obtain hands-on teaching experience before they graduate.

Concentration Offerings

If you’ve put some thought into your career goals, you might pursue a concentration in a specific subfield of education, such as special education, or a particular subject, such as science.

Credit requirements vary broadly per institution. For example, Drexel University ’s online bachelor’s in education program, for example, requires completion of 180 total credits. At least 24 of those credits must have been earned prior to application (or 36, if you’re applying from a quarterly school system.) Texas Tech University ’s online program is 120, and Southwestern College ’s online elementary education bachelor’s degree requires 124 total credits.

Ultimately, a bachelor’s in education should equip you with the skills to pursue a fulfilling career path in education, whether in or outside of the classroom.

Admission Requirements for a Bachelor’s in Education

Every institution has its own admission requirements for first-year students. However, most schools ask for the following:

• A high school diploma or equivalent: Entrance to a bachelor’s program usually requires at least a high school diploma or the equivalent, such as a passing score on a GED® test.
• Transcripts: Colleges and universities evaluate your academic performance in high school to make an admissions decision.
• Standardized test scores: Some schools require applicants to submit their standardized test scores, such as the ACT® or SAT® . If your school is test-optional , but you did well on an exam, consider sending your scores anyway.
• A personal statement essay: It’s common for universities to ask students for a personal statement detailing applicants’ motivation for applying and their academic goals. Start on yours with our guide on how to write a college essay .

Some programs may require an application fee, which is usually nonrefundable.

Common Courses in a Bachelor’s in Education

Below are several examples of courses you might take as an education major.

Introduction to Teaching

Students learn the core concepts of teaching as it applies in current contexts. An introduction to teaching course covers topics like current learning standards, how to build a lesson plan, certification requirements, managing expectations and teaching strategies.

Applied Urban Education

Many bachelor’s in education programs include courses that address the challenges and opportunities associated with teaching in urban settings. In some cases, urban education courses emphasize learning that happens beyond the classroom in urban environments, such as in libraries, nonprofits, museums and other dedicated community spaces.

Educational Foundations in a Multicultural Society

To promote inclusivity and cultural literacy, many bachelor’s programs include courses that expand upon the sociopolitical context of the American school system.

Curriculum and Methods

This course explores methods for designing and delivering impactful educational content to students. It covers topics like lesson planning, classroom management, questioning and discussion methods, and the integration of technology in the classroom.

Designing Assessments for General and Special Populations

Some student populations require specialized content to serve their educational needs. This course provides future educators with the skills to design and implement assessments for students with disabilities, students who are learning English as a second language, and other groups that benefit from bespoke learning experiences.

Bachelor’s in Education vs. Bachelor’s in Teaching: What’s the Difference?

For the most part, few programs offer a standalone bachelor’s in teaching. Most bachelor’s in education programs cover the fundamentals of teaching, preparing students to become licensed teachers after graduation. Many programs offer concentrations, enabling students to specialize in teaching specific subjects.

However, not all bachelor’s in education programs offer the opportunity to earn a teaching credential. Before enrolling, check to see if your prospective program provides licensure preparation.

What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s in Education?

Here we explore different types of teachers ; a bachelor’s in education provides the foundation for any of these career paths. The below salary data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics .

Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher

Median Annual Salary: $61,690 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Kindergarten and elementary school teachers build the foundation for a child’s academic career. They teach young children, usually starting at the age of 5, all the way up until around fifth or sixth grade. These teachers develop lesson plans, grade assignments, instruct lessons and supervise students outside of the classroom. Teachers also communicate students’ academic performance to their parents or guardians.

Middle School Teacher

Median Annual Salary: $61,810 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Middle school teachers usually instruct students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. They may specialize in subjects like math, science or foreign language. Middle school teachers must develop lesson plans, communicate classroom rules and expectations, and grade assignments. They can work with students on a one-on-one basis to support them in areas where they’re struggling.

High School Teacher

Median Annual Salary: $62,360 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: High school teachers typically instruct students in grades nine through 12. Like middle school teachers, many high school teachers instruct specific courses, such as geometry, chemistry, history or English. Outside of instructing and grading papers, high school teachers may run student clubs or activities, communicate with parents about their childrens’ academic performance, and support students with one-on-one mentoring.

Special Education Teacher

Median Annual Salary: $63,950 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Special education teachers develop specialized lesson plans for students with learning, emotional or physical disabilities. They assess students to determine their individual educational needs, plan educational and recreational activities for their students, and keep in touch with parents to communicate their students’ progress.

Adult Basic and Secondary Education and ESL Teachers

Median Annual Salary: $58,590 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Adult basic education (ABE) instructors teach reading, writing and math skills to students 16 and older. They may also teach career-related skills, such as how to draft a résumé. Adult secondary education teachers prepare adult students to earn a high school equivalency credential, such as the GED certificate. English as a second language teachers help students learn to read, write and speak English.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Bachelor's Degrees in Education

Which degree is best for working in education.

A bachelor’s degree in education is a great way to kickstart your career as an educator. Going on to earn a master’s degree will bolster your résumé and open the door to higher earning potential. Consider that postsecondary education administrators earn a median wage of $115,180 a year; you’ll need a master’s degree to qualify for that position.

How long does it take to get a bachelor’s in education?

Generally speaking, it takes four years to earn a bachelor’s degree, but this depends on your unique situation. It could take longer if you’re studying part time, for example.

• Best Affordable Early Childhood Education Degrees Online
• Best Online Doctorate In Educational Leadership Programs
• Best Master’s In ESL Online Programs
• Where Can You Earn An Online Ph.D. In Special Education
• Early Childhood Education Degrees Online
• Best Online Teaching Degrees
• Best Master’s In Education Online
• Guide To Early Childhood Education Careers
• Finding A Career In Educational Leadership
• Higher Education Career Guide
• How To Become A Professor
• Career Paths For Different Types Of Teachers
• Earning A Doctoral Degree In Education
• Earning A Bachelor’s Degree In Early Childhood Education
• Earning An Associate Degree In Education
• Your Guide To Earning A Master’s In Higher Education

Best Online Doctorates In Education Of 2024

The Best And Worst States For Teaching Jobs In 2024

Where Can You Earn A Ph.D. In Early Childhood Education Online In 2024?

Best Online Ph.D.s in Educational Leadership Of 2024

Best Early Childhood Education Associate Degrees Online Of 2024

Best Online Master’s In Educational Leadership Programs Of 2024

Cecilia is a freelance writer, content marketing strategist and author covering education, technology and energy. She is a current contributor to the Forbes Advisor education vertical and holds a summa cum laude journalism degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

2023 Education Degree Guide

A recent jump in education degrees, best education schools by degree, what are the requirements for a degree in education, getting accepted into an education program, education degree types.

61.6% of education workers have at least a master's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in education careers have.

Career Opportunities for Education Majors

Solid growth projected for education careers.

Education Degree Salary Potential

Recently graduated education students earned an average of $46,198 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $8,185 to as high as $165,663. As you might expect, salaries for education graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Education Majors

Getting Your Education Degree

Top ranking lists for education, best schools education, best value colleges education, majors related to education, education majors to study.

Majors Similar to Education

Popular Reports

Compare your school options.

EXPERTS@WAYUP

• WayUp Experts
• College Majors and Minors
• Grad School
• Arts, Entertainment & Sports
• Health & Medicine
• Media & Social Sciences
• Public & Social Services
• Science, Math & Technology
• Internships 101
• Internships by Industry
• Internships by City
• Entry-Level Jobs 101
• Entry-Level Jobs by Industry
• Cover Letter Best Practices
• How to Create a Personal Brand
• Resume Best Practices
• How to Dress For a Job Interview
• Top Culture Fit Questions
• Skill-Based Interview Questions
• Interview Questions About The Company You’re Interviewing With
• Questions You’ll Get at the End of an Interview
• Questions For You to Ask at the End of Your Interview
• What To Do After An Interview
• Your First Week on the Job
• How to Succeed in Your First Job
• WAYUP COMMUNITY

What is an Education Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you love helping people and spreading knowledge? Are you passionate about a specific academic subject (or subjects)? If so, an education major might be for you.

What is an education major?

An education major is designed to help college students develop the skills to teach others. Combining the ability to create engaging lessons with the desire to spread knowledge, this major is all about learning the most effective ways to become a teacher. Typical classes in this major include educational psychology, history of education and public policy classes.

Is it right for me?

Fast-moving and always changing, the field of education is best suited for someone who welcomes challenges and looks for variety in their work. An educator’s job never stops; you can never truly know where your influence on others will begin or end and choosing this as a career means that you are dedicated to continually helping others grow intellectually and socially.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding if an education major is right for you:

• Am I creative? Do I enjoy looking at something from a variety of perspectives and discovering ways to connect divergent topics?
• Am I curious? Do I constantly seek out new technologies, research and ideas?
• Am I communicative? Do I listen with the intent to understand others when they are speaking and then find ways to relay information for a diverse population in a manner that they can relate to?
• Am I conscientious? Do I make a concerted effort to know the purpose behind my actions and reflect on ways to continually grow?
• Am I compassionate? Do I empathize with others and seek to improve the state of the world for all around me?

If you responded “Yes” to all of the above questions, then being an education major might be for you.

What can I do with an education degree?

Although teaching is the obvious career path for those in the field of education, education majors are not limited to teaching once they receive their degree. Education majors can look into positions and graduate degrees involving:

• library sciences
• instructional technology
• special education
• administration
• curriculum design
• educational development
• managerial training

What do educators earn?

Although this is probably not surprising, most careers in education don’t pay a great deal of money . The average salary for an elementary or high school teacher is $45,000. However, the average salary goes up significantly for educators working at the university level, with full-time professors earning an average of $114,000.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for an Education Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How Much Should I be Paid at an Entry-Level Job ?

• college major ,
• education major ,
• underclassman ,
• preparation ,

Must Reads see all articles

From interns to analysts with Capital One’s Analyst Internship Program

Help Change the World by Interning at Arup

Learn How The Estée Lauder Companies Champions Diversity & Career Advancement in the Beauty Industry

Want a Career with Impact? Work at the American Heart Association

Hot Jobs see all jobs

Mortgage Disclosure Desk I (Remote)

Full-Time Customer Service Supervisor

Community Sales Assistant

Latest articles.

How to Answer: Tell Me About a Challenge You Had to Overcome in the Workplace

How to Negotiate a Job Offer

How to Check in With a Recruiter When You Haven't Heard Back

Please fill out this form.

THANKS FOR SUBMITTING!

We've got you on our list!

Education Major Guide

As an Education Major, you could build toward a career as a classroom teacher, guidance counselor, special education expert, district administrator, university professor and much more. Majoring in education can open the door to a wide range of career prospects. Read on to find out what you can expect as an Education Major.

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. Be aware that if you are interested in becoming a public school classroom teacher for grades K-12, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree from a recognized teaching education program in order to sit for your state license. Moreover, some states or school districts may also require public school classroom teachers to hold an advanced degree. If you wish to teach at the post-secondary level, you must earn an advanced degree.

As you pursue a major in education, think about the setting and subject area where you wish to apply your skills, as well as the age group you wish to work with. This should help you find the best area of focus in your education major.

If you’re ready to earn this degree at one of the most prestigious schools in the world, get started with a look at the Most Influential Schools in Education .

Or read on to find out what you can expect as an education major.

Featured Programs

5 reasons to major in education, 1. education majors are always in demand..

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.

2. Education majors have plenty of opportunities for upward mobility.

As an educator, you can go as far as your highest degree allows. If you’re looking for entry-level work in the field, an associate’s degree could help you get your foot in the door. You can continue on to a bachelor’s degree (and sit for your state license) if you wish to become a classroom teacher; earn a master’s degree to become a principal, administrator, or post-secondary instructor; and ultimately earn a PhD if you wish to become a full professor.

3. Education majors enjoy job security and strong benefits.

Once hired as a public school teacher, you’ll begin on your path toward tenure. Tenure provides 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!

4. Education majors make a positive difference in the lives of students and families.

Career prospects aside, the vast majority of educators enter into this profession because it’s the best way to make a direct and positive impact on others. Whether you hope to help young learners read, give struggling students hope for a better future, provide adult learners with practical skills, or produce innovations in online education, majoring in education can give you the tools to create opportunity for others.

5. 5. Education majors are influential.

Education allows us to reach our fullest potential, to seize opportunity, to better our own lives. Leaders in education have a profound influence on the students whose lives they touch—both those who work one-on-one in the classroom to forge tomorrow’s leaders and those who produce the innovations and ideas that impact the lives of thousands. Today, top influencers in education are focusing their efforts on the theory of multiple intelligences , examining critical race theory and its relation to education debt in America , the modern small schools movement , and much more.

What Kinds of Education Degrees Are There?

The type and level of education degree you earn will connect directly to your eligibility for certain professional opportunities. For instance, in order to sit for your public school teaching license, most states require that you have earned at least a bachelor’s degree with an approved teaching education program. In order to teach at the post-secondary level, you would need to earn an advanced degree:

• Associate of Education: The associate level degree in education will typically require 1 to 2 years for completion. This foundational degree can create entry-level opportunities in pre-school education, teaching assistance, or as part of a private education company. It can also give you an affordable head-start on your bachelor’s degree.
• Bachelor of Education: The bachelor’s degree in education is among the most popular four-year college majors. This is because the bachelor’s degree is the basic threshold for becoming licensed to teach at a public school in most states. Your bachelor’s degree will provide foundational education in teaching theories, instructional methodologies, and developmental psychology. Many education majors also choose a minor, or a double major, in a subject area where they plan to teach. Therefore, an aspiring history teacher may pursue a double major in education and history. Some education programs may allow you to combine pursuit of your bachelor’s and master’s degrees into a single 5-year program. Find out if the education department at your college offers this option.
• Master of Education: While a bachelor’s degree is required to earn your teaching license in most states, many schools and districts may actually require you to have earned a master’s degree in order to qualify for classroom teaching. This is not true everywhere, but earning a master’s in education will significantly expand your employment opportunities. This 2-year degree can also provide a pathway for professional advancement into a leadership role at the departmental level or as a principal or administrator. As noted above, you may be able to complete this program in less time if your school provides a combination bachelor’s and master’s degree program. If you are already employed as an educator, your school or district may be willing to help pay for your master’s degree.
• PhD in Education: The doctoral is a terminal degree in education, and will typically require between 3 and 5 years for completion. This degree is recommended if you are interested in working as a professional researcher or pursuing a professorship in teaching and education.

*Note: Many, but not all, degree programs offer the choice between Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. Likewise, many, but not all, advanced degree programs offer a choice between Master of Arts, and Master of Science degrees. In most cases, the primary difference is the diversity of course offerings. “Science” degree courses will focus almost entirely on the major discipline, with a deep dive into a specific concentration, including laboratory, clinical or practicum experience. An “Arts” degree will provide a more well-rounded curriculum which includes both core/concentration courses and a selection of humanities and electives. The type of degree you choose will depend both on your school’s offerings and your career/educational goals. Moreover, there are sometimes numerous variations in the way that colleges name and categorize majors. The degree types identified here above are some of the common naming variations, but may not be all-encompassing.

Thinking of a graduate degree in education? Check out What Can I Do With a Master’s Degree in Education? for more information on obtaining a graduate degree in this field.

What Are Some Popular Education Concentrations?

Your “concentration” refers to a specific area of focus within your major. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) provides a complete listing of college programs and courses (Classification for Instructional Programs), as sourced from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). According to IPEDS , the following are among the most popular education concentrations:

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Administration and Supervision
• Educational/Instructional Media Design
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Early Childhood Education and Testing
• Special Education and Teaching
• Student Counseling and Personnel Services
• Teacher Education and Professional Development
• Adult Literacy Tutor/Instructor

What Courses Will I Take as an Education Major?

Your concentration will determine many of the courses you’ll take as an education major. Depending on your focus, you may take a larger number of courses in a particular area such as subject-specific pedagogy, counseling courses, or educational leadership courses. Likewise, most education majors are required to take a number of requisite courses on foundational topics such as instructional planning and early childhood development. Beyond that, the following are among the common subjects that you’ll likely study on the way to an education degree:

• 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

What Can I Do With a Major in Education?

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 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:

• High School Teachers
• Middle School Teachers
• Career and Technical Education Teachers
• Postsecondary Teachers
• Special Education Teachers
• Teacher Assistants
• Preschool Teachers
• Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers

If you’re still not sure what to study in college, take a look at our roundup of some of the most popular college majors. This comprehensive resource is perfect for students who struggle with choosing a college major.

Check out The Most Influential Schools in Education and get started on your path to an Education degree.

And if you’re shopping for the right college, be sure that you’ve reviewed our Resources on critical issues like Accreditation , Scholarships , Financial Aid , and more!

We also offer comprehensive Career Guidance for students at every stage in the educational journey.

Or get tips on studying, student life, and much more with a look at our Student Resources .

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

Education Major Overview

Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

Learn about our editorial policies

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

If you enjoy sharing knowledge and helping others, you may want to consider an education major. Students in this field develop the skills needed to become teachers – one of the most important professions in our society. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about majoring in education. 

Also see: How to choose a major

What is an education major?

Education majors study how people learn and how to best teach them. They seek to understand the various influences that affect students’ abilities to learn, and how to utilize effective teaching practices. Education majors may focus on a specific age group such as early childhood, elementary, middle, or high school. They may also specialize in a particular subject such as literature, math, or science. Most students major in education to become teachers, although there’s other career options as well. We’ll cover job possibilities later on. 

Coursework to expect

Through their coursework, education majors develop the skills needed to become effective teachers. Course topics include educational psychology , child development, school health, and safety issues, and contemporary issues in education. Students also take coursework in curriculum development and learn how to develop effective lesson plans. It’s common for students to choose a track specifically tailored to a particular age range or subject. Many programs also offer hands-on teaching experiences in community- and school-based settings. 

Below are some potential courses you may encounter as an education major:

• Educational Psychology
• Sociology of Education
• Learning and Teaching with Technology
• Educational Assessment
• Student Teaching
• Teaching in 21st Century Classrooms 
• Teaching in Middle and Secondary Schools 
• Foundations of Special Education 
• Education and Society 
• Early Childhood Language and Literacy 

Student teaching 

Student teaching is a hands-on learning experience that education majors typically complete while obtaining their teaching degree. During student teaching, you will intern in a classroom or another setting in order to gain true experience in the field. These experiences are typically unpaid and can last anywhere from 14 weeks to 1 year. 

During student teaching, you will typically be paired with a certified educator who will work with and support you throughout your student teaching experience. You will have the opportunity to put your knowledge from your major into practice during this time. 

Opportunities after graduation

Although teaching is the obvious career path for education majors, it’s not the only option. Education majors can also pursue positions and graduate programs related to the following areas: 

• Library sciences
• Instructional technology
• Special education
• Museum curation 
• Administration
• Curriculum design
• Managerial training

Also see: Everything you need to know about TEACH Grants

Jobs you can get with an education degree

Whether you want to teach preschoolers or college students, there’s a range of job possibilities for those with an education degree. If you choose to venture outside the realm of traditional teaching, other career paths include counseling, library sciences, museum curation, and school administration. Below are some popular career choices for education majors, along with median annual salaries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics : 

1. K-12 teacher

K-12 teachers educate students in public and private schools, working with grades ranging from kindergarten to high school. They typically specialize in a specific subject area or age group. Elementary school teachers cover a range of subjects, while middle and high school teachers focus on fewer subjects.

2022 Median Pay: $62,360 per year Projected Growth (2022-2032): 1%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  

2. College professor

Professors teach at the college/university level. Just like K-12 teachers, they typically specialize in a specific subject area. In addition to their teaching responsibilities, many professors conduct research and publish scholarly papers or books. 

2022 Median Pay: $80,840 per year Projected Growth (2022-2032) : 8% 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

3. School and career counselors

School counselors help students develop academic and social skills to prepare them for life after graduation. They’re employed by both public and private K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities. Career counselors help people explore occupations and make career decisions. 

2022 Median Pay: $60,140 per year Projected Growth (2012-2032) : 5%

4. Librarian

Librarians help patrons find books and other resources, conduct research, and set up systems for cataloging and shelving books. They’re typically employed by local governments, universities, and K-12 schools. 

2022 Median Pay: $61,660 per year Projected Growth (2022-2032) : 3% 

5. Instructional coordinator

Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop educational material, implement it with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness. They also observe teachers in the classroom, review student test data, and conduct teacher training workshops. 

2022 Median Pay: $66,490 per year Projected Growth (2022-2032) : 2%

6. Archivists and curators

Archivists catalog and preserve historically valuable documents, while curators oversee collections of historical items. They typically work for institutions such as museums, governments, and colleges. Job responsibilities include setting up exhibits and providing educational services to the public. 

2022 Median Pay: $53,420 per year

Projected Growth (2022-2032) : 10%

Online learning

It is important to consider the nature of our education system currently. Online learning has had a significant impact on the field of education, including education majors. Now, education majors may be taught how to use online platforms to help their students learn. 

Additionally, education majors may even have some classes online or obtain their degree through an online program. Therefore, it may be important to become familiar with online platforms if you are considering becoming an education major. 

Further reading: Online vs. in-person college: Which is right for you?

How do I know if this major is right for me? 

If you’re considering a major in education, ask yourself the following questions: 

• Are you patient, compassionate, and willing to take on challenges? 
• Do you enjoy gaining and sharing knowledge? 
• Are you passionate about helping young people achieve their potential? 
• Do you seek to improve the state of the world around you? 

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then an education major could be right for you!

Final thoughts

Overall, an education major is a study that focuses on preparing students to become teachers and educators in a variety of environments. Typically, education majors are interested in becoming K-12 or special education teachers. However, there are an abundance of careers available to education majors that are not just teachers such as a librarian or a school counselor. 

When pursuing an education major, often you will need to participate in student teaching which provides hands-on opportunities to apply skills in real-life classroom settings. 

After graduating with a degree in education, often you will need to obtain a teaching certificate or license which can vary by state. Typically, you can obtain licensure by passing exams and meeting other requirements set by the education authorities.

Education majors can lead to careers in teaching at various levels and in a variety of subjects. However, the specific focus and requirements of an education major can vary depending on the institution and the level of education being pursued. 

Keep reading:

• Top scholarships for teachers
• Top education major scholarships
• How to find special education scholarships
• Public service loan forgiveness: What it is and how it can help you

Frequently asked questions about the education major

How long does it take to complete an education major degree, what certifications are required for education majors, can education majors work in fields other than teaching, scholarships360 recommended.

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

50 Best Colleges for Education Majors – 2024

April 15, 2024

A decade ago, many states in the U.S. had a teacher surplus. However, due to burnout (one-third of new teachers leave the profession within five years) and massive declines in enrollment in teacher education programs since 2010, there is today a critical shortage of teachers across the country. Many entering the profession will attend local universities within their home state, which often feed into nearby school districts. However, those seeking to attend education programs with the best national reputations will find our list of Best Colleges for Education most useful. This list includes liberal arts colleges and large public and private universities from every region of the country. This list will be applicable to anyone pursuing certification as an early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education teacher in 2024.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Education Majors.

Best Colleges for Education Majors

Here’s a quick preview of the first ten teacher education institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) Vanderbilt University

2) University of Michigan

3) Northwestern University

4) Duke University

5) New York University

6) University of Wisconsin-Madison

7) Boston College

8) Washington University in St Louis

9) Brown University

10) Swarthmore College

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the field of teacher education and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best colleges for education majors, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—each school’s:

• Cost of Attendance
• Acceptance Rate
• Median  SAT
• Median  ACT
• Retention Rate
• Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

• Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
• Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

Vanderbilt University

• Nashville, TN

Academic Highlights: Four of Vandy’s ten schools cater to undergrads: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Blair School of Music, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and the School of Engineering. In the 2022-23 school year, 87% of course sections contained 19 or fewer students. Of the 70 undergraduate majors, economics, politics and government, and neuroscience are the most popular. The School of Engineering has a strong national reputation as do offerings in biology, economics, education, and music.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 96% of the Class of 2021 were employed or in graduate school. The most commonly entered industry was finance followed by technology, consulting, education, and engineering. Alumni can be found in droves at Capital One, Goldman Sachs, Bain & Company, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Meta. Among 2022 alumni who directly pursued advanced degrees, the majority enrolled at Vanderbilt followed by Columbia, Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Northwestern.

• Enrollment: 7,151 (undergraduate); 6,559 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $89,590
• Median SAT: 1530
• Median ACT: 35
• Acceptance Rate: 7%
• Retention Rate: 96%
• Graduation Rate: 93%

University of Michigan

• Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

• Enrollment: 32,695 (undergraduate); 18,530 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $35,450 (in-state); $76,294 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1470
• Median ACT: 33
• Acceptance Rate: 18%
• Retention Rate: 97%

Northwestern University

• Evanston, IL

Academic Highlights : Northwestern is home to six undergraduate schools, including Medill, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s best journalism schools. The McCormick School of Engineering also achieves top rankings, along with programs in economics, social policy, and theatre. The social sciences account for the greatest number of degrees conferred (19%), followed by communications/journalism (13%), and engineering (11%). 45% of classes have nine or fewer students enrolled; 78% have fewer than twenty enrollees. 57% of recent grads had the chance to conduct undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 69% of the Class of 2022 had found employment and 27% were in graduate school. The four most popular professional fields were consulting (18%), engineering (18%), business/finance (16%), and communications/marketing/media (13%). Employers included the BBC, NBC News, The Washington Post , NPR, Boeing, Google, IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Northrop Grumman, and Goldman Sachs. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $73k. Of those headed straight to graduate school, engineering, medicine, and business were the three most popular areas of concentration.

• Enrollment: 8,659 (undergraduate); 14,073 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $91,290
• Median ACT: 34
• Retention Rate: 98%
• Graduation Rate: 97%

Duke University

Academic Highlights: The academic offerings at Duke include 53 majors, 52 minors, and 23 interdisciplinary certificates. Class sizes are on the small side—71% are nineteen or fewer, and almost one-quarter are less than ten. A stellar 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps keep classes so reasonable even while catering to five figures worth of graduate students. Computer Science is the most popular area of concentration (11%), followed by economics (10%), public policy (9%), biology (8%), and computer engineering (7%).

Professional Outcomes: At graduation, approximately 70% of Duke diploma-earners enter the world of work, 20% continue into graduate schools, and 2% start their own businesses. The industries that attract the largest percentage of Blue Devils are tech (21%), finance (15%), business (15%), healthcare (9%), and science/research (6%). Of the 20% headed into graduate school, a hefty 22% are attending medical school, 18% are in PhD programs, and 12% are entering law school. The med school acceptance rate is 85%, more than twice the national average.

• Enrollment: 6,640
• Cost of Attendance: $85,238
• SAT Range: 1490-1570
• ACT Range: 34-35
• Acceptance Rate: 6%

New York University

• New York, NY

Academic Highlights: NYU is divided into a number of smaller (but still quite large) colleges organized by discipline; in sum, there are 230 areas of undergraduate study across nine schools and colleges. For its size, a commendable 58% of classes have an enrollment under 20 students. While all schools within NYU have solid reputations, Stern holds the distinction as one of the top undergraduate business programs in the country. For those entering film, dance, drama, or other performing arts, Tisch is as prestigious a place as you can find to study.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of exiting, 94% of Class of 2022 grads had landed at their next destination, with 78% employed and 21% in graduate school. The top industries for employment were healthcare (11%), internet and software (9%), finance (8%), and entertainment (8%). Large numbers of alumni can be found at Google, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Amazon. The mean starting salary is $75,336. In 2022, business, arts and sciences, and law school were the most popular grad school destinations.

• Enrollment: 29,401 (undergraduate); 29,711 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $90,222-$96,172
• Median SAT: 1520
• Acceptance Rate: 12%
• Retention Rate: 95%
• Graduation Rate: 87%

University of Wisconsin – Madison

• Madison, WI

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, including the top-ranked School of Business and College of Engineering as well as the College of Letters and Science, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Schools of Nursing, Education, Pharmacy, and Human Ecology. Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 44% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Business (18%), biology (12%), the social sciences (11%), and engineering (10%) are most popular.

Professional Outcomes: In a recent year, 46% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, Kohl’s, Oracle, Deloitte, and UW Health. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, PwC, Accenture, and Meta. 28% of recent grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school; the majority stayed at UW–Madison while others headed to Columbia, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon. The university is the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

• Enrollment: 37,230 (undergraduate); 12,656 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $28,916 (in-state); $58,912 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1440
• Median ACT: 30
• Acceptance Rate: 49%
• Retention Rate: 94%
• Graduation Rate: 89%

Boston College

• Chestnut Hill, MA

Academic Highlights: The college offers roughly 60 majors across four schools that award undergraduate degrees. Approximately half of the college’s sections contain nineteen or fewer students. 95% of graduates reported learning how to think critically at BC, and 93% said they learned how to write clearly and effectively. BC offers highly respected programs in communications, psychology, and business through the renowned Carroll School of Management. Other popular and well-regarded majors include economics, biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 96% of the Class of 2022 had landed at their next destination. The most favored industries were financial services and real estate (26%), health care/science (20%), and business/consulting (16%). The median starting salary for a 2022 BC grad was $67,000. Eighteen percent of the Class of 2022 entered graduate schools including Brown, Columbia, the University of Chicago, and Yale. Examining the Class of 2022 data, 16% entered law school, and 14% pursued some other type of doctoral degree.

• Enrollment: 9,484
• Cost of Attendance: $86,155
• Average SAT: 1482
• Average ACT: 34
• Acceptance Rate: 17%
• Graduation Rate: 92%

Washington University in St. Louis

• St. Louis, MO

Academic Highlights : WashU admits students into five schools, many of which offer nationally recognized programs: Arts & Sciences, the Olin School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and the Art of Architecture programs housed within the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. The most commonly conferred degrees are in engineering (13%), social sciences (13%), business (13%), biology (11%), and psychology (10%). 66% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and over one-quarter have single-digit enrollments. 65% double major or pursue a minor.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 sent 52% of grads into the workforce and 28% into graduate and professional schools. Companies employing the highest number of WashU grads feature sought-after employers such as Amazon, Bain, Boeing, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. Of the employed members of the Class of 2022 who reported their starting salaries, 79% made more than $60k. The universities welcoming the largest number of Bears included the prestigious institutions of Caltech, Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Stanford.

• Enrollment: 8,132 (undergraduate); 8,880 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $83,760
• Acceptance Rate: 11%

Brown University

• Providence, RI

Academic Highlights: Students must choose one of 80+ “concentration programs,” but there are no required courses. Class sizes tend to be small—68% have fewer than twenty students—and 35% are comprised of nine or fewer students. Biology, economics, computer science, mathematics, and engineering are among the most popular areas of concentration at Brown; however, it is hard to distinguish any one program, because Brown possesses outstanding offerings across so many disciplines.

Professional Outcomes: Soon after receiving their Brown diplomas, 69% of graduates enter the world of employment. Companies employing the greatest number of Brown alums include Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Apple, McKinsey & Company, and Bain & Company. The Class of 2022 saw 27% of graduates go directly into graduate/professional school. Right out of undergrad, Brown students boasted an exceptional 81% admission rate to med school and an 81% admission rate to law school.

• Enrollment: 7,639
• Cost of Attendance: $84,828
• Acceptance Rate: 5%
• Retention Rate: 99%
• Graduation Rate: 96%

Swarthmore College

• Swarthmore, PA

Academic Highlights: Swarthmore offers forty undergraduate programs and runs 600+ courses each academic year. Small, seminar-style courses are the norm—an outstanding 33% of sections enroll fewer than ten students, and 70% contain a maximum of nineteen students. Social science degrees are the most commonly conferred, accounting for 24% of all 2022 graduates. Future businessmen/women, engineers, and techies are also well-positioned, given Swat’s incredibly strong offerings in economics, engineering, and computer science.

Professional Outcomes: 68% of Class of 2022 grads entered the workforce shortly after graduation. Popular industries included education (17%), consulting (16%), and financial services (13%); the median starting salary was $60,000. Google is a leading employer of Swarthmore grads followed by Amazon, Goldman Sachs, IBM, and a number of the top universities.  18% of 2022 grads pursued advanced degrees, with 35% pursuing a PhD, 35% entering master’s programs, 10% heading to law school, and 7% matriculating into medical school.

• Enrollment: 1,625
• Cost of Attendance: $81,376
• Median SAT: 1500
• Graduation Rate: 94%

University of Washington – Seattle

• Seattle, WA

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across thirteen colleges/schools. Personal connections with professors abound as 55% of grads complete a faculty-mentored research project. The College of Engineering, which includes the College of Computer Science & Engineering, is one of the best in the nation; UW also boasts strong programs in everything from business to social work to environmental science. The most popular degrees are the social sciences (13%), biology (12%), computer science (11%), and business (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 73% of Class of 2022 grads were employed and 17% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2022 included Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, and KPMG. Across all living alumni, 6,000+ work for Microsoft, and 4000+ work for each of Boeing and Amazon. Of those headed to graduate/professional school, just over half remain in state, mostly at UW itself. Large numbers of 2022 grads also headed to Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and USC.

• Enrollment: 36,872 (undergraduate); 16,211 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $34,554 (in-state); $63,906 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1420
• Median ACT: 32
• Acceptance Rate: 48%
• Graduation Rate: 84%

University of California, Irvine

Academic Highlights: UCI offers eighty undergrad programs as well as many opportunities for personal connection; 56% of all sections enroll 19 or fewer students and over 60% of students conduct a research project. The most commonly conferred degrees are the social sciences (16%), business (12%), psychology (11%), and biology (9%). The Samueli School of Engineering has a solid reputation as does the Bren School, the only independent computer science school in the UC system. Programs in public health and biological sciences earn very high marks.

Professional Outcomes: Accounting, aerospace, internet and software, K-12 education, real estate, and retail are among the industries attracting the greatest number of Anteaters. Companies employing large numbers of recent grads include Boeing, the Walt Disney Company, Google, EY, and Microsoft. Hundreds of alumni are also found at Kaiser Permanente, Meta, Apple, Edwards Lifesciences, and Deloitte. The median salary is $69,000, with CS grads earning close to $120k right off the bat. UCI has a very strong reputation for premed.

• Enrollment: 28,661 (undergraduate); 7,275 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $40,202 (in-state); $72,776 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: Test Blind
• Median ACT: Test Blind
• Acceptance Rate: 26%
• Retention Rate: 91%

The College of New Jersey

Academic Highlights: As one of only eight public colleges in the country to maintain a four-year graduation rate above 75%, TCNJ is in the esteemed company of such institutions as UVA, Michigan, and UNC-Chapel Hill. TCNJ sports a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of twenty-one; 42% of sections contain fewer than 20 students. Sixteen percent of degrees conferred are in education as many attend TCNJ to become teachers but the most popular degree is actually business/marketing (19%), followed by engineering (9%), and health programs (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Checking in with TCNJ grads one year after receiving their degrees, 93% had entered the working world or started an advanced degree. The list of companies employing significant numbers of recent alumni includes Johnson and Johnson, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, Bloomberg LP, MetLife, EY, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The most frequently attended graduate schools by recent grads included Rutgers, Georgetown, and Stevens Institute of Technology.

• Enrollment: 7,039
• Cost of Attendance: $34,86 (In-State); $40,710 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1250
• Median ACT: 28
• Acceptance Rate: 64%
• Retention Rate: 90%
• Graduation Rate: 86%

University of California, Los Angeles

• Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights: UCLA offers 125 majors in 100+ academic departments, and more than 60 majors require a capstone experience that results in the creation of a tangible product under the mentorship of faculty members. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (25%), biology (16%), psychology (11%), mathematics (8%), and engineering (7%). Departmental rankings are high across the board, especially in computer science, engineering, film, fine and performing arts, mathematics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: UCLA grads flow most heavily into the research, finance, computer science, and engineering sectors. High numbers of recent grads can be found at Disney, Google, EY, Teach for America, Amazon, and Oracle. Hundreds also can be found at Bloomberg, Deloitte, Mattel, Oracle, and SpaceX. The average starting salary exceeds $55,000. 16% of recent grads enrolled directly in a graduate/professional school, with other CA-based institutions like Stanford, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount being the most popular.

• Enrollment: 33,040 (undergraduate); 15,010 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,517 (in-state); $71,091 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 9%

Colgate University

• Hamilton, NY

Academic Highlights: Fifty-six majors are on tap at Colgate, including all of the expected liberal arts concentrations. With a student-faculty ratio of 9:1 and an average class size of 16, Colgate undergraduates work intimately with their instructors. The social sciences account for 35% of all degrees conferred and, within that umbrella, economics, political science, and English are among the most popular and most well-regarded majors.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduation, only a small number of Colgate alumni are still looking for work; in 2022, that group represented less than 2% of the graduating class. A substantial 80% had already landed full-time jobs. Employers hiring the most Colgate grads included BOA, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan, EY, Wayfair, and the NIH. 85-95% of law school applicants are accepted into one of their target institutions. The medical school numbers were even more impressive with 100% of graduating seniors gaining acceptance into at least one med school.

• Enrollment: 3,130
• Cost of Attendance: $83,814
• Graduation Rate: 91%

Bowdoin College

• Brunswick, ME

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are small—64% contain fewer than twenty students—and 21% have fewer than ten students. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1. More than half of Bowdoin undergrads report interacting with a professor outside of regular class time at least once per week. The greatest percentage of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (30%), biology (13%), area/ethnic/gender studies (8%), computer science (7%), and mathematics (7%). Economics and government and legal studies are two of the more popular majors within the social sciences.

Professional Outcomes: An examination of three recent years’ worth of outcomes data reveals that one year after graduation, between 73 and 77% of recent grads have found full-time employment, and 15% have gone directly into graduate school. Of those entering graduate school, 48% were enrolled in master’s programs, 23% in PhD programs, 13% in law school, and 8% in med school. The top twenty graduate schools attended, by volume, in the last five years make an exclusive list including six Ivies along with Duke, MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford.

• Enrollment: 1,915
• Cost of Attendance: $82,600
• Median SAT: 1510

Smith College

• Northampton, MA

Academic Highlights: Smith has 50 academic departments and programs. The social sciences are most popular, accounting for 21% of the degrees conferred, with programs in economics and government carrying very strong reputations. Next in line are biology (6%), computer science (5%), English (5%), data science (5%), and engineering science (5%); more than two-fifths of current students are majoring in a STEM field. 19% of undergraduate sections have single-digit enrollments, and 69% of total class sections enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 97% of alumnae had found employment. More than 25 alumnae can be found at the US Department of State, Google, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Accenture, Fidelity Investments, Deloitte, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and Amazon. Within two years of graduating, 40% of alumni had already entered a graduate program, and within ten years, 70% had earned or were working toward an advanced degree. Many Smith women rise to high ranks —twenty years after graduation, 18% of alumnae report holding a chief executive or other executive-level position.

• Enrollment: 2,523 (undergraduate); 350 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $88,980
• Acceptance Rate: 23%

Boston University

Academic Highlights: In total, the university offers more than 300 programs of study, 100+ of which are distinct undergraduate degrees spread across ten schools/colleges. Many classes at BU are reasonably small—60% contain fewer than twenty students; only 19% contain more than forty. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in social sciences (16%), business/marketing (15%), communications and journalism (15%), biology (11%), engineering (9%), and health professions/related sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 90% of BU grads have found their way into the world of employment or full-time graduate study. Across all graduating years, companies employing more than 350 BU alums include Google, Oracle, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon Web Services. Of the one-quarter of grads who move directly into graduate school, many are welcomed onto the campuses of elite graduate programs. For example, engineering students found new academic homes at MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia.

• Enrollment: 18,459
• Cost of Attendance: $86,363
• Median SAT: 1430
• Acceptance Rate: 14%

Wesleyan University

• Middletown, CT

Academic Highlights: With 45 majors and 32 minors, Wes truly has something for everyone. The academic requirements are relatively minimal, giving undergrads a high degree of intellectual freedom. Under 75% of class sections have fewer than twenty students; students rave about the accessible faculty. Research opportunities with professors are plentiful. Offerings in economics, English, film studies, and neuroscience typically receive the most praise from employers/grad schools; accordingly, the social sciences (24%), psychology (17%), and the visual and performing arts (12%) are the most popular.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 66% of 2022 grads had entered employment, with tech/engineering/sciences, education, and arts/entertainment being the three top sectors. The companies employing the highest numbers of recent Wesleyan grads included Google, Epic, Analysis Group, Boston Medical Center, Booz Allen Hamilton, Accenture, and Apple. Graduate school was the next stop for 18% of new alums; enrolling institutions included MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Yale, Harvard, Temple, and UMass.

• Enrollment: 3,069 (undergraduate); 184 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $89,094

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Chapel Hill, NC

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs in a number of schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts & Sciences. 44% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. The social sciences (15%), biology (12%), media/journalism (9%), computer science (8%), and business (6%) are the areas in which the most degrees are conferred. The Kenan-Flager Business School is internationally renowned and requires separate admission. Other strong programs include those in chemistry, journalism, psychology, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 97% of 2022 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Wells Fargo, IBM, Cisco, Deloitte, EY, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $70,619. 18% of 2022 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

• Enrollment: 20,210 (undergraduate); 11,739 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,036 (in-state); $60,040 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1450

Arizona State University

Academic Highlights: The faculty-to-student ratio is a fairly high 19:1, but not all classes call for stadium seating. In fact, 40% of course sections seat fewer than twenty students. Business is the concentration in which 22% of total bachelor’s degrees are conferred. Engineering (9%), biology (9%), and the health professions (7%) are the next three most popular. The WP Carey School of Business offers many highly ranked programs as does the Fulton Schools of Engineering.

Professional Outcomes: A healthy 83% percent of ASU graduates looking for work are employed within six months of earning their degrees. The median salary for an ASU grad is roughly $55,000. Among the school’s top fifty employers are Amazon, Apple, Intel, The Vanguard Group, and Walt Disney Company. Approximately one-fifth of recent grads enrolled in graduate school. Similar to employment, the size and scope of the university lead to many graduate pathways. Many grads continue at ASU itself, but some continue at various prestigious institutions.

• Enrollment: 65,492
• Cost of Attendance: $28,142 (in-state); $48,284 (out-of-state)
• Median ACT: 23
• Acceptance Rate: 90%
• Retention Rate: 86%
• Graduation Rate: 69%

Wellesley College

• Wellesley, MA

Academic Highlights: There are 50+ departmental and interdisciplinary majors. Thirty-six percent of course sections have single-digit enrollments while 77% have 19 or fewer students. In addition, opportunities for participation in research with faculty members abound. Most programs possess sterling reputations, including chemistry, computer science, neuroscience, and political science, but the Department of Economics shines most brightly, leading many into PhD programs and high-profile careers. Economics, biology, and computer science are the most frequently conferred degrees.

Professional Outcomes : Six months after graduating, 97% of the Class of 2022 had achieved positive outcomes. Of the 76% of grads who were employed, 24% were working in the finance/consulting/business fields, 17% in education, 17% in internet and technology & engineering, and 15% in healthcare/life sciences. Top employers included JPMorgan Chase, Google, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Goldman Sachs. The average starting salary for one recent cohort was a solid $63k. Of the 20% of 2022 grads who directly entered an advanced degree program, common schools attended included Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Stanford, MIT, and Emory.

• Enrollment: 2,447
• Cost of Attendance: $84,240
• Median SAT: 1490
• Graduation Rate: 90%

Colby College

• Waterville, ME

Academic Highlights: Offering 56 majors and 35 minors, Colby provides a classic liberal arts education with a high degree of flexibility and room for independent intellectual pursuits. A 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio is put to good instructional use as roughly two-thirds of courses have fewer than 19 students. Being a true liberal arts school, Colby has strengths across many disciplines, but biology, economics, and global studies draw especially high praise. These programs along with government and environmental science attract the highest number of students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 93% of the Class of 2022 had either obtained jobs or were enrolled full-time in a graduate program. Eighteen percent of graduates enter the financial industry and large numbers also start careers in education, with government/nonprofit, STEM, and healthcare next in popularity. The Medical school acceptance rate over the past five years is 68%, nearly double the national average.

• Enrollment: 2,299
• Cost of Attendance: $86,720
• Average SAT: 1485
• Average ACT: 33
• Acceptance Rate: 8%
• Retention Rate: 93%

Vassar College

• Poughkeepsie, NY

Academic Highlights: Vassar students have the choice of 50 majors and only three foundational curricular mandates, which means that there is plenty of room to explore electives and intellectual passions. A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 17 students, and 23% of all sections have an enrollment of nine or fewer. Professors are extremely available outside the classroom. The most popular majors are in the social sciences, biology, the visual and performing arts, foreign languages, and psychology.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of alums enjoy positive outcomes within six months of graduation, with 20% enrolling directly in a graduate or professional degree program. A solid number land at competitive companies like Google, Meta, EY, Deloitte, Microsoft, Citi, and Amazon. Elite universities such as Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Columbia are also among the top employers of former students, many of whom earn advanced degrees and enter academia. The school is one of the top 15 PhD producers.

• Enrollment: 2,459
• Cost of Attendance: $85,220
• Median SAT: 1480
• Acceptance Rate: 19%

University of Minnesota–Twin Cities

• Minneapolis, MN

Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. 65% of class sections enroll 29 or fewer students. The most commonly conferred degrees are in biology (13%), business & marketing (11%), engineering (10%), the social sciences (10%), computer science (9%), and psychology (8%). The College of Science and Engineering and the Carlson School of Management have strong national reputations, and the chemistry, economics, psychology, and political science departments are also well-regarded.

Professional Outcomes: The top seven companies snatching up the largest number of recent grads are all companies headquartered in the state of Minnesota: Medtronic, Target, 3M, United Health Group, US Bank, and Cargill. Google, Apple, and Meta all employ hundreds of Twin Cities alumni. The mean starting salary for recent grads was $50k. With 130 graduate programs in science, art, engineering, agriculture, medicine, and the humanities, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.

• Enrollment: 39,248 (undergraduate); 15,707 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $33,032-$35,632 (in-state); $54,446-$57,046
• Median SAT: 1370
• Median ACT: 29
• Acceptance Rate: 75%

Middlebury College

• Middlebury, VT

Academic Highlights: Midd offers 50 departments and programs in which to major and minor. The school’s 9:1 student-faculty ratio allows 100% of courses to be taught by professors, not graduate assistants. Most classes are small; the mean class size is 16, and 14% of sections contain fewer than ten students. Middlebury is renowned for its Language Department as well as its programs in economics and international studies. The college has a robust international program (75 programs in 40 countries); over 50% of juniors take a semester abroad.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 81% of the Class of 2022 had landed jobs and 12% were in graduate school. The most commonly held jobs fell under the categories of financial services (19%), consulting (14%), science and healthcare (14%), and media and technology (12%). Many Middlebury grads now enter tech-related fields; Google and Facebook are two of the leading employers alongside Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Amazon, and JP Morgan. More than 100 alumni work in the US State Department.

• Enrollment: 2,773 (undergraduate); 70 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $89,850
• Median SAT: 1460
• Acceptance Rate: 13%

University of Delaware

Academic Highlights: The University of Delaware offers 150 bachelor’s degree programs. Nearly one-third of students pursue a degree in either business (21%) or engineering (9%), two of the school’s highest-ranked departments. Nursing is popular, with 11% of degrees conferred being in the health professions. Other frequently pursued majors include the social sciences (10%), biology (7%), and education (5%). 62% of courses enroll fewer than 30 students. The university also has the oldest study abroad program in the nation, with 30% of undergrads participating.

Professional Outcomes: 94% of Class of 2022 grads quickly found their next destination. 66% were employed, with 74% taking jobs at for-profit companies, 16% at nonprofits, 7% in K-12 education, and 4% with a government entity. The greatest number of newly minted alums were hired by JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, EY, ChristianaCare, and Deloitte. The median starting salary for this cohort was $62,000. 28% immediately pursued an advanced degree, with 62% entering master’s programs, 20% entering a professional program, and 9% beginning a PhD.

• Enrollment: 18,066 (undergraduate); 4,557 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $33,718 (undergraduate); $57,358 (graduate)
• Median SAT: 1280
• Acceptance Rate: 72%
• Graduation Rate: 82%

The Ohio State University — Columbus

• Columbus, OH

Academic Highlights: There are 200+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. Business sees the greatest percentage of degrees conferred at 18% followed by engineering (15%), health professions (10%), and the social sciences (9%). It makes sense that so many flock to the business and engineering schools as they are among the highest-rated undergraduate programs in their respective disciplines. 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and approximately 20% of students gain research experience.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 56% of Class of 2022 graduates were entering the world of employment while 17% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.  Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation’s leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, more than 1,000 are employed by Amazon, and more than 600 work for Google and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU’s own programs.

• Enrollment: 45,728 (undergraduate); 14,318 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,241 (in-state); $52,747 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1340-1450
• Median ACT: 29-32
• Acceptance Rate: 53%
• Graduation Rate: 88%

University of Georgia

Academic Highlights: UGA boasts seventeen distinct colleges and schools that offer 125+ majors. Business is the most commonly conferred undergrad degree, accounting for 29% of diplomas earned. It is followed by biology (10%), social sciences (8%), communication & journalism (8%), and psychology (7%). Top-ranked programs include animal science, business, communications, and public and international affairs. 49% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and no matter your major, UGA encourages you to conduct research with a member of the school’s faculty.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of the Class of 2022 was employed or continuing their education six months after graduation. Popular employers include Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Walt Disney Company, and Deloitte. Salaries vary between colleges; engineering grads had a median starting salary of $65k while journalism and communication grads reported a $50k median. In 2022, 24% of graduates enrolled directly into a graduate/professional degree program, with the most commonly attended schools including Columbia, Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, Penn, and UVA.

• Enrollment: 30,714 (undergraduate); 9,893 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $28,142 (in-state); $48,538 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1310
• Acceptance Rate: 43%

University of Florida

• Gainesville, FL

Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. The Warrington College of Business and the Wertheim College of Engineering are highly respected, so it’s no surprise that those two programs confer the greatest percentage of degrees—12% and 14%, respectively. Biology (11%), the social sciences (11%), and health professions (8%) are next in popularity. 53% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 33% of students partake in an undergraduate research experience.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation day, 66% of the Class of 2022 had already procured a first job. The top occupational areas were engineering (13%), health care (13%), computer science (5%), and marketing (4%). 200+ Gator alumni can be found at top corporations like Google, EY, Raymond James, Deloitte, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and PwC. The average salary for all 2022 grads was $69k, with a high of $100k for computer science majors. Of those pursuing advanced degrees, a master’s degree was the most popular pursuit (63%) followed by law school (11%).

• Enrollment: 34,552 (undergraduate); 20,659 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $23,530 (in-state); $45,808 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1400
• Median ACT: 31

University of Connecticut

Academic Highlights: UConn is home to fourteen schools and colleges as well as 115+ undergraduate majors. The four most commonly conferred undergraduate degrees are in business (15%), engineering (12%), the social sciences (12%), and health professions/nursing (12%). In terms of prestige and national reputation, programs in business, pharmacy, and nursing carry a good deal of weight. The school also does a nice job of creating a balance of classroom experiences—53% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students and only 18% contain more than fifty.

Professional Outcomes: 90% of the Class of 2022 experienced a positive outcome (job, grad school, military, volunteer position) within six months of earning their degrees. Among the 59% who found employment, the largest numbers landed at Aetna, Cigna, PwC, The Hartford, Travelers, and Raytheon Technologies; the median starting salary was $62,400. Massive numbers of alumni are employed by Pratt & Whitney, Pfizer, IBM, and Deloitte. 30% of 2022 graduates immediately entered a graduate or professional program, with many choosing to stay at UConn.

• Enrollment: 18,983 (undergraduate); 8,020 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $41,606 (in-state); $64,478 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1340
• Acceptance Rate: 55%
• Graduation Rate: 83%

University of Oregon

Academic Highlights: Over 80 degree programs are offered, and students flock in large numbers to the social sciences as 19% of degrees conferred fall under this umbrella. The next most popular academic pursuits are communication/journalism (14%), business (14%), psychology (9%), biology (8%) and the visual and performing arts (7%). The Lundquist College of Business and the College of Education have strong national reputations. The median class size is 20 students (37% contain less than that), and an impressive 80% of undergraduate students engage in some type of research activity.

Professional Outcomes: Members of the Class of 2022 already had their next destination lined up at graduation with 78% already employed or entering graduate school.  For 73% of that group, their outcomes related directly to the degree that they had just completed. More than 1,000 Oregon alumni work for Nike, and hundreds of others occupy offices at Intel, Amazon, Microsoft, Adidas, Google, Apple, and Salesforce. The median starting salary for a 2022 graduate was $51,000.

• Enrollment: 19,565 (undergraduate); 3,598 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $35,721 (in-state); $64,302 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1260
• Median ACT: 27
• Acceptance Rate: 86%
• Graduation Rate: 73%

Florida State University

• Tallahassee, FL

Academic Highlights: A wide range of baccalaureate degrees—103 to be precise—are available at FSU. The student-to-faculty is a 17:1, which translates into somewhat larger class sizes. Ten percent of sections contain more than fifty students, and 4% have more than 100. However, that is balanced by the 66% of sections that contain fewer than twenty students. Twenty-three percent of degrees conferred fall under the business umbrella. The social sciences (15%), psychology (8%), biology (8%), and homeland security (6%) are next in popularity.

Professional Outcomes: Eighty-three percent of job-seeking Seminole grads receive at least one offer of employment within three months of graduation. The top five sectors employing 2022 grads are (in order) finance, technology, marketing, health, and engineering. Roughly one-third of 2022 Florida State grads elected to immediately pursue admission into an advanced degree program; 75% of those who apply receive at least one acceptance. A typical graduating class sees over 100 students accepted into medical schools and over 200 accepted into law schools.

• Enrollment: 32,936
• Cost of Attendance: $25,762 (In-State); $39,692 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1300
• Acceptance Rate: 25%
• Graduation Rate: 85%

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Champaign-Urbana, IL

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. There are 150 academic programs offered, including those at the acclaimed Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. In sheer volume of degrees conferred, engineering and business/marketing are tied at 19%, followed by the social sciences (9%) and psychology (6%). 39% of sections are capped at 19 students. 29% of undergraduates work with a faculty member on a research project; another 22% have some type of fieldwork, practicum, or clinical experience.

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the members of the Class of 2022 landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 38% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 57% were employed full-time; the most popular sectors were finance, consulting, healthcare, electronics, and education. Corporations landing the most recent Illini grads were KPMG, Deloitte, Epic Systems, EY, PwC, and Amazon. The average salary across all Class of 2022 majors was an extremely solid $75,000.

• Enrollment: 35,120 (undergraduate); 21,796 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $35,926-$41,190 (in-state); $55,386-$63,290 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 79%

Michigan State University

• East Lansing, MI

Academic Highlights: This highly regarded state institution boasts over 200 programs—undergraduate, graduate, and professional—across 17 degree-granting colleges. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio rates in the average range for public universities of MSU’s size and scope. Class sizes are a genuine mix of small seminars and giant lecture halls. 16% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in the business/marketing category. The next most common degrees were earned in communication/journalism (12%), engineering (11%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of strutting across the graduation stage, 56% of Class of 2022 members had landed full-time employment, 27% were pursuing advanced degrees, and 6% were still looking for a job. The top employers of this group included big names like General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Deloitte, Epic Systems, Target, PepsiCo, and Microsoft. The median starting salary earned was $60,000. Among the grads schools favored by recent alumni are the University of Michigan, New York University, Columbia University, and Boston University.

• Enrollment: 39,201
• Cost of Attendance: $27,805 (In-State); $55,189 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1220
• Acceptance Rate:
• Retention Rate: 89%

University of Maryland, College Park

• College Park, MD

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can select from 100+ majors across twelve colleges. 18% of degrees are conferred in computer science, followed by the social sciences (13%), with  criminology, government and politics, and economics being the most popular majors.  Engineering (13%), business (11%), and biology (8%) are next in line. The School of Business, the School of Engineering, and the College of Journalism are all top-ranked, as are programs in computer science and criminology. 46% of sections enroll fewer than twenty students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 96% of Class of 2022 grads had positive outcomes. 67% found employment; the companies/organizations that hired the greatest number of grads included Northrop Grumman, Deloitte, Amazon, and EY. Meta, Apple, and Google employ more than 200 alumni each.  The mid-50% salary range for 2022 grads was $55k-$83k. 21% of the Class of 2022 headed directly to graduate and professional school; 11% entered doctoral programs, 5% entered medical school, and 5% entered law school.

• Enrollment: 30,353 (undergraduate); 10,439 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $31,540 (in-state); $60,918 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 84%

The College of Wooster

• Wooster, OH

Academic Highlights: The College of Wooster receives high marks across the board in undergraduate teaching, senior capstone, undergraduate research, innovation, and value. With no graduate students, the faculty is wholly committed to undergraduate education and has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The most conferred degrees last year were in the social sciences (19%) and biology (17%). Next in popularity were psychology (6%), the physical sciences (6%), mathematics (6%), journalism (6%), visual/performing arts (6%), and computer science (5%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving Wooster, 96% of job-seeking individuals had landed a job, and 72% were employed in their preferred field. Organizations hiring at least one recent grad include Bank of America, Ernst & Young, the FBI, Morgan Stanley, and Northrop Grumman. Over the past few years, 97% of graduate school applicants were accepted into their top-choice institution. Among recent grads, 54% left to pursue a master’s degree, 27% entered doctoral programs, 8% matriculated into medical school, and 3% began law school.

• Enrollment: 1,967
• Cost of Attendance: $73,550
• Median SAT: 1350
• Acceptance Rate: 56%
• Retention Rate: 84%
• Graduation Rate: 74%

Indiana University

• Bloomington, IL

Academic Highlights: IU offers 200+ majors. The university’s 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio is not bad for a school of Indiana’s size, and it does make an effort to keep undergraduate classes on the small side. While there are a number of introductory courses that transpire in giant lecture halls, 37% of all sections contain no more than 19 students. Business/marketing is the most popular major accounting for 30% of the total degrees conferred and biology is second at 9%. IU’s computer science degree program is the school’s third most frequently conferred degree at 8%.

Professional Outcomes: Class of 2022 grads reached their next employment or graduate school destination at a 94% rate within six months of receiving their degrees. The median starting salary for A&S grads was $41,000. In the Kelley School of Business, 97% were placed successfully within six months, and the median starting salary was $67,000. Among the most frequently attended graduate schools by recent grads are Indiana Bloomington (including its own law and medical schools), Purdue, Loyola Chicago, Northwestern, and Columbia.

• Enrollment: 35,660
• Cost of Attendance: $25,170 (In-State); $53,860 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate: 82%
• Graduation Rate: 81%

Wake Forest University

• Winston-Salem, NC

Academic Highlights: All freshmen enter the Undergraduate College, which offers 45 majors and 60 minors. Sporting a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, classes are kept on the small side with 59% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. 60% of students engage in hands-on research for academic credit. Wake Forest is strong across myriad disciplines, most notably chemistry, communication, accounting, finance, and international affairs. The most frequently conferred degrees are in business (22%), the social sciences (20%), journalism (8%), and biology (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 97% of the Class of 2022 had found their next destination, with 71% starting their first professional job and 26% matriculating into a graduate program. Management/consulting, investment banking, and healthcare were the top three industries. Employers landing the highest numbers of alumni included national and multinational corporations IBM, Siemens, Volvo, Goldman Sachs, Disney, Deloitte, Dell, Gucci, PepsiCo, EY, and Nike. By the start of mid-career, Wake Forest alumni earn the second-highest median salary of any school in North Carolina.

• Enrollment: 5,447 (undergraduate); 3,516 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $87,622
• Acceptance Rate: 21%

University of Pittsburgh

• Pittsburgh, PA

Academic Highlights: Pitt admits freshmen to the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the Swanson School of Engineering, and the School of Nursing. Pitt’s engineering and business schools are top-rated and among the most commonly chosen fields of study. Premed offerings are also top-notch, with majors in the health professions (12%), biology (11%), psychology (9%), and computer science (9%) rounding out the list of most popular majors. Pitt has a strong 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio; 42% of sections have an enrollment of under twenty students.

Professional Outcomes: Within a few months of graduating, 94% of 2022 grads entered full-time employment or full-time graduate or professional school. Engineering, nursing, business, and information sciences majors had 73-86% employment rates while other majors tended to flock to graduate school in large numbers. Employers scooping up the highest number of grads in one recent year included the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (170), PNC (57), BNY Mellon (36), and Deloitte (19). Median starting salaries fluctuated between $37k-65k depending on major.

• Enrollment: 20,220 (undergraduate); 9,268 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,034-$43,254 (in-state); $56,400-$66,840 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1360
• Acceptance Rate: 50%
• Retention Rate: 92%

University of Iowa

• Iowa City, IA

Academic Highlights: 200+ undergraduate majors, minors, and certificate programs are available across eight colleges, including the Tippie College of Business, which has a very strong reputation. The most commonly conferred degree is business (24%), with parks and recreation (10%), social sciences (8%), health professions (8%), engineering (7%), and communication & journalism (5%) next in popularity. Over half of its undergraduate sections enroll 19 or fewer students, and 30% of undergrads conduct or assist research.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of Class of 2022 grads found their first job or advanced degree program within six months of receiving their diploma. The most commonly entered industries were healthcare (23%), entertainment/the arts (14%), finance and insurance (11%), and marketing/PR (10%). Companies that employ hundreds of alumni include Wells Fargo, Collins Aerospace, Principal Financial Group, Amazon, Accenture, and Microsoft. The median salary for 2022 grads was $50,000. 28% of recent graduates went directly into graduate school; 76% remained at the University of Iowa.

• Enrollment: 22,130 (undergraduate); 7,912 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $28,846-$32,259 (in-state); $50,809-$54,822 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1240
• Median ACT: 25
• Acceptance Rate: 85%

Pennsylvania State University — University Park

• State College, PA

Academic Highlights: Penn State offers 275 majors and a number of top-ranked programs in a host of disciplines. The College of Engineering is rated exceptionally well on a national scale and is also the most popular field of study, accounting for 15% of the degrees conferred. The Smeal College of Business is equally well-regarded, earning high rankings in everything from supply chain management to accounting to marketing. It attracts 15% of total degree-seekers. 61% of classes have an enrollment below thirty students.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation, 70% of Nittany Lions have found their next employment or graduate school home. 98% of College of Business grads are successful within three months of exiting, flocking in large numbers to stellar finance, accounting, consulting, and technology firms. Hundreds of alumni work at Citi, Salesforce, and Meta, and more than 500 currently work at each of IBM, Deloitte, PwC, Amazon, EY, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. 75% of 2022 grads employed full-time earned starting salaries greater than $50k.

• Enrollment: 41,745 (undergraduate); 7,020 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $32,656 (in-state); $52,610 (out-of-state)

Macalester College

• St. Paul, MN

Academic Highlights: Students can choose from roughly 40 majors and over 800 courses that are offered each academic year . Being an undergraduate-only institution, Macalester students enjoy the full benefits of the school’s 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The average class size is only 17 students, and 14% of class sections have single-digit enrollments. Macalester possesses strong offerings across many different disciplines. Programs in economics, international studies, and mathematics are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 95% of the Macalester Class of 2022 had found employment, graduate school, or a fellowship. Employers of recent grads include ABC News, Google, Goldman Sachs, Dow Chemical Company, McKinsey & Company, the ACLU, the National Cancer Institute, and National Geographic . Across all sectors, the average starting salary for recent grads was above $62k. Sixty percent of Mac grads pursue an advanced degree within six years of earning their bachelor’s.

• Enrollment: 2,175
• Cost of Attendance: $79,890
• Acceptance Rate: 28%
• Retention Rate: 88%

Brandeis University

• Waltham, MA

Academic Highlights: Brandeis offers 43 majors, the most popular of which are in the social sciences (18%), biology (17%), business (10%), psychology (8%), public administration (8%), and computer science (7%). The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 60% of courses contain nineteen or fewer students. Departments with a particularly strong national reputation include economics, international studies, and sociology as well as all of the traditional premed pathways including biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 98% of the Class of 2022 had found their way to employment (59%), graduate school (35%), or another full-time activity like travel or volunteer work (4%). Members of the Class of 2022 were hired by Red Hat, Deloitte, Nasdaq, NPR, and McKinsey & Company. The average starting salary for recent grads is $61k. A large contingent of grads elects to continue at Brandeis for graduate school. Many others go to BU, Columbia, Duke, Harvard, and Yale.

• Enrollment: 3,687
• Cost of Attendance: $86,242
• Acceptance Rate: 39%

St. Olaf College

• Northfield, MN

Academic Highlights: St. Olaf offers 45+ majors. Over half of all course sections contain fewer than twenty students, and there are multiple avenues through which students can pursue research experiences. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (18%), the visual and performing arts (11%), biology (11%), psychology (8%), and foreign languages (7%). Many departments at St. Olaf have exceptional national reputations including religion, mathematics, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: In 2022, 98% of graduates had entered the workforce or graduate school within six months of receiving their diplomas. The great majority of alumni remain in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which impacts what companies hire the most Oles. To name names, alumni have the largest representation at Target, UnitedHealth Group, the Mayo Clinic, Wells Fargo, Medtronic, 3M, and US Bank. The school is also a top producer of future PhDs.

• Enrollment: 3,074
• Cost of Attendance: $72,070
• Acceptance Rate: 52%

University of Central Florida

• Orlando, FL

Academic Highlights:  With a very high 29:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes at UCF are fairly large as 23% contain 50 or more students. There are 100+ undergraduate majors at this institution. The most popular majors are business (17%), health professions (15%), psychology (10%), engineering (9%), and the visual and performing arts (7%). The school ranks well for facilitating social mobility and overall value and the engineering, computer science, and nursing programs all rank well on a national level.

Professional Outcomes:  Over two-thirds of recent graduates obtained employment immediately after earning their bachelor’s degree; one-quarter head right to graduate school. The median starting salary is $47,000 and the most commonly entered industries are hospital/healthcare, education, hospitality services, engineering, technology, financial, accounting, and marketing. The most popular graduate degrees pursued were in the sciences, health professions, education, and medicine.

• Enrollment: 58,749
• Cost of Attendance: $24,244 (In-State); $39,269 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1270
• Acceptance Rate: 41%
• Graduation Rate: 76%

Dickinson College

• Carlisle, PA

Academic Highlights: As students immerse themselves in one of 46 areas of concentration, Dickinson supports them with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and average class size of fifteen, with 78% of classes being capped at 19 students. By discipline, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (27%), biology (12%), business (10%), psychology (7%), and foreign languages (5%). The college’s foreign language program, which features 13 offerings—including Arabic, Hebrew, and Portuguese—is recognized as one of the top programs in the country.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 95% of Dickinson grads have found jobs or full-time volunteer work, or have enrolled in graduate school. Companies employing more than 25 Dickinson alumni include Deloitte, IBM, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Merck, EY, PNC, PwC, Google, and Amazon. It’s interesting that more alumni can be found in New York City than in Pennsylvania. Within five years of receiving their diplomas, 55-60% of recent grads have entered or finished graduate school.

• Enrollment: 2,125
• Cost of Attendance: $86,151
• Median SAT: 1355
• Acceptance Rate: 35%

University of South Carolina

• Columbia, SC

Academic Highlights: UofSC is a massive enterprise, with 16 colleges/schools within the larger university. Even so, 70% of all sections contain 29 or fewer students. 32% of students take the opportunity to earn a degree in the business/marketing realm from the superb Darla Moore School of Business. The international business program is also top-ranked. Other popular disciplines include health services (11%), biology (10%), engineering (6%), and communication and journalism (6%).  The South Carolina Honors College is extremely hard to get into and is one of the finest in the entire country.

Professional Outcomes: 79% of recent grads landed at their next destination within six months with an average starting salary of over $55,000. Within the School of Business, 87% of 2023 grads were employed within three months and the average starting salary was $69k. Top employers of recent classes included KPMG, IBM, Aramark, Bank of America, Vanguard, PwC, and Marriot. The majority of those continuing their studies in a graduate/professional degree program did so at the University of South Carolina; other popular landing spots are Duke and Wake Forest.

• Enrollment: 27,343 (undergraduate); 8,310 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,696 (in-state); $60,942 (out-of-state)
• Graduation Rate: 78%

Purdue University — West Lafayette

• West Lafayette, IN

Academic Highlights: Purdue offers over 200 majors at ten discipline-specific colleges, and 38% of course sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer. Engineering and engineering technologies majors earn 34% of the degrees conferred by the university; the College of Engineering cracks the top ten on almost every list of best engineering schools. The Krannert School of Management is also well-regarded by employers; 11% of degrees conferred are in business. Other popular majors include computer science (10%) and agriculture (5%)—both are incredibly strong.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after receiving their diplomas, 70% of 2022 grads headed to the world of employment while 24% headed to graduate/professional school. The top industries entered by grads in recent years are (1) health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices; (2) finance, insurance, and consulting; (3) manufacturing and machinery; (4) airline, aviation, and aerospace. Companies employing the greatest number of recent alumni were Amazon, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Labcorp, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft. The average starting salary was $68k across all degree programs.

• Enrollment: 37,949 (undergraduate); 12,935 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $22,812 (in-state); $41,614 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1330

SUNY – Geneseo

• Geneseo, NY

Academic Highlights:  SUNY Geneseo is one of the top public liberal arts honors colleges in the United States and it proudly offers 150+ academic programs. It has a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio and class sizes vary, with 59% enrolling between 20 and 49 students. A rarity for colleges in 2024, the most commonly conferred degree is in education (19%), followed by business (15%), psychology (15%), the social sciences (15%), and biology (12%).

Professional Outcomes:  In surveying the Class of 2022, SUNY Geneseo found that 80% of graduates had achieved a positive outcome within six months of earning their bachelor’s degree. Most of the starting salaries were in the $40k-$60k range and popular employers included KPMG, Epic, The Walt Disney Company, AmeriCorps, and the US Army. Those pursuing a grad school path most often landed at Syracuse, RIT, Binghamton University, Stony Brook University, and the University at Buffalo.

• Enrollment: 4,136
• Cost of Attendance: $24,346 (In-State); $34,586 (Out-of-State)
• Median ACT: 26
• Graduation Rate: 72%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Education Majors to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:

• AP Score Calculators 
• SAT Score Calculator 
• ACT Score Calculator
• Best Summer Programs 
• College List Building Tool
• Best Colleges by Major

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

Types of Education Degrees for Future Educators

Teachers and other educators can make a profound impact on the lives of others, whether they’re working with a classroom of 5-year-olds, providing skills training to team members at a Fortune 500 company, or designing the curricula for a performing arts camp.

The field of education reaches far beyond the classroom, and individuals interested in working in education have numerous degrees and career paths to choose from. Education-related professions span everything from corporate trainers to camp directors to high school science teachers.

Additionally, different types of education degrees, such as a  Master of Arts in Teaching  (MAT),  Master of Education  (MEd), or a  Doctorate of Education  (EdD) can prepare graduates with in-demand expertise and skills. These include specialized knowledge pertaining to their major and soft skills such as communication skills, critical thinking skills, and time management skills that are transferable to a wide variety of careers in the public, private, nonprofit, and government sectors.

What Is the Field of Education?

Education isn’t limited to teaching positions. What the education field is encompasses a broad range of other career paths as well, in academic research, student development, and curriculum and policy design, among other areas. Students and professionals in this field are often drawn to positions that allow them to support the development and growth of others. Whether they want to work in an elementary school classroom or lead team-building retreats for a large company, job opportunities for education professionals are numerous.

Consequently, one of the first steps an individual should take toward a successful career in education is to determine which type of career path they’re most interested in pursuing. This will help ensure that they choose a degree program that matches their professional goals.

Why Get a Degree in Education? Education Degree Benefits

Students interested in pursuing a career in education have a variety of undergraduate degree programs to choose from, as there are multiple degrees applicable to the education sector. Whereas individuals interested in teaching history can start their educational journey by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in US or world history, those interested in working as a high school science teacher may choose to major in biology, chemistry, or physics.

Another education degree benefit is that individuals interested in pursuing leadership positions in the field can choose from numerous graduate programs, depending on their interests. Aspiring school psychologists may pursue a master’s in counseling, while those interested in teaching English literature at the college level may find that a master’s degree in English aligns better with their career goals.

Teaching Careers

Teachers are in demand. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of all educators, including preschool teachers, elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, high school teachers, and postsecondary teachers, is projected to grow by 10 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is about as fast as the job growth the BLS projects for all occupations during that period.

Approximately 920,500 new jobs are expected to be added during that reporting period. The BLS projects that student enrollment will increase in communities throughout the US and additional teachers will be needed to meet that demand.

Payscale reports that, as of June 2022, the median salary for teachers was approximately $50,200 annually, with earners in the top 10th percentile having a median salary of around $77,000 per year. Actual salaries vary depending on the teacher’s experience level, the geographical region of their position, whether they hold an advanced degree, and the school district they work for.

Most teachers work on-site at a school during the hours that students are present and have an eight- to 10-week break during the summer. They may also have short winter and spring breaks. Additionally, some teachers work evening and weekend hours to grade papers and prepare lesson plans.

Nonteaching Roles in Education

There are many types of education degrees, and teaching isn’t the only thing that graduates can do. One of the reasons why students get degrees in education is that there are many applicable career paths, including the following.

Admissions Counselor

Admissions counselors often work with colleges, universities, and private schools to recruit potential students. In addition to evaluating applications to ensure that applicants meet the institution’s enrollment requirements—such as GPA, residency, and educational background requirements—they also conduct applicant interviews, coordinate recruiting events, and organize classroom visits or campus tours.

Payscale reports that, as of June 2022, the median salary for admissions counselors was around $40,000 per year.

Tutors are private teaching instructors who work with students doing the following:

• Help students complete assignments and prepare for tests and exams
• Help students gain a broader understanding of new topics that have been introduced in the classroom
• Administer practice tests
• Provide progress reports to students and their parents
• Distribute additional teaching materials as needed

Although some tutors work with students one on one, others work with small groups.

High School Principal

High school principals oversee the day-to-day operations and activities of the schools they work for. Their specific tasks include the following:

• Ensure that academic policies, such as advanced placement (AP) class enrollment prerequisites and add/drop procedures for classes, are being met
• Develop academic benchmarks and benchmark tracking procedures
• Develop and oversee budgets
• Hire and train teachers and other staff
• Develop and implement policies pertaining to on-campus guest visits to ensure that staff, educators, and students remain safe

Payscale reports that, as of May 2022, the median salary for high school principals was approximately $91,800 per year.

Corporate Trainer

Corporate trainers aim to boost an organization’s productivity by providing skills training to employees. Training modules can cover a wide variety of topics, such as team communication, presentation strategies, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, project management, leadership training, time management, and negotiation strategies. Some corporate trainers work full time for one organization, while others work with different companies for a set period of time as a consultant.

Payscale reports that, as of June 2022, the median base salary for corporate trainers was around $57,800 annually.

Camp Director

Camp directors oversee and manage the day-to-day operations and activities of day camps, sleep-away camps, and recreational camps. Typical job duties include the following:

• Hiring, training, and supervising staff
• Overseeing and managing budgets
• Designing curricula, including activities such as arts and crafts projects, campfire singalongs, and sports and recreation
• Ensuring that campers and staff adhere to safety regulations
• Leading presentations about the camp to current and potential campers and their families

Payscale reports that, as of April 2022, the median salary for camp directors was approximately $42,300 per year.

Education Consultant

Education consultants work at schools and higher education institutions in an advisory capacity. Their tasks include the following:

• Evaluate curricula and learning outcomes
• Analyze teacher and student performance results
• Advise on strategies designed to improve teaching methodologies
• Enhance the effectiveness of curricula

Although some professionals in this role work with educational consulting firms, some work as self-employed freelancers. Payscale reports that, as of May 2022, the median salary for education consultants was around $63,200 per year.

Types of Education Degrees

Students interested in pursuing education careers have many types of education degrees to choose from. For example, at the undergraduate level, students can choose to major in English, psychology, sociology, education, history, a foreign language, science, math, or engineering. Most bachelor’s degrees require students to complete approximately 120 credit hours of coursework prior to graduation, and most full-time students find they can complete their undergraduate studies in approximately four years.

Educators interested in pursuing leadership roles who are looking into master’s and doctoral degree programs can choose from several degree options as well, depending on their interests. Similar to the completion timeline for a baccalaureate degree, the time it takes to complete a master’s or doctoral degree can vary based on the credit hour requirement of the program they’re enrolled in and whether they’re enrolled as a part-time or full-time student.

Examples of postgraduate education degrees and their admissions requirements include the following:

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

A Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program is an advanced degree program that’s designed to prepare future educators for both licensure and specialized career paths in the teaching profession. Credit hour requirements for MAT programs vary widely from school to school. Some programs require students to complete a minimum of 28 credit hours to be eligible to graduate, while other programs require as many as 42 credit hours.

Additionally, as MAT programs allow students to choose from a variety of specializations, some specializations require more credit hours than others. Specializations for MAT programs include the following:

• Early Childhood Education : This concentration prepares educators with advanced expertise in teaching methodologies for prekindergarten through third-grade classrooms.
• Elementary Education : This general education program specialization is designed for individuals interested in working with elementary school-aged children in grades one to six.
• Language Arts : This concentration teaches best practices for teaching the English language, including reading, writing, and literature studies.
• Mathematics : Teachers interested in gaining advanced knowledge and skills for teaching mathematics to students in grades five to 12 may find that a concentration in mathematics aligns best with their career goals.
• Middle School Education : This general education track is designed for teachers interested in working with students in grades four to eight.
• Science : A concentration in science prepares graduates to teach courses such as biology, earth and space science, chemistry, and physics.
• Secondary Education : Individuals who opt for this specialization will receive generalized knowledge in teaching subjects such as biological science, English, social sciences, and mathematics to students in grades nine to 12.
• Special Education : This specialization is designed for students interested in working with special needs students, such as those who have learning or physical disabilities.

Admissions Requirements for an MAT

The admissions requirements for Master of Arts in Teaching programs depend on the school. For example, some programs require applicants to submit GRE scores as part of their application packet, while others do not. Admissions requirements may include the following:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with undergraduate coursework in relevant topics for applicants in certain specializations
• A minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) or quality point average (QPA)
• Official college transcripts from all past colleges an applicant has attended
• One or more letters of recommendation
• A completed graduate school application
• An application fee

Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership (MEd)

A Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership (MEd) program is another type of graduate education degree program that prepares students to pursue leadership roles, such as school principal or school administrator, in schools and school districts, including charter schools, public schools, private schools, and parochial schools.

Learning objectives within this program cover topics such as monitoring student performance; developing short- and long-term plans for student achievement; creating diversity in learning programs for students from various ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds and with different abilities. They also address designing strategies for allocating resources, such as budget and staff resources, to support student learning.

The curriculum of a Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership program often includes courses such as Educational Leadership and Organizational Change, Education and Public Policy, Quantitative Research in Education, Education Law and Policy, and Education Program and Policy Implementation.

Similar to the credit hour requirement for a MAT degree, the credit hour requirement for a Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership also varies from school to school. Some institutions require as few as 30 credit hours, while others require 40 credit hours or more.

Admissions Requirements for an MEd

The admissions requirements for a Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership are similar to admissions requirements for other types of graduate degree programs. Requirements often include the following:

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as English, science, mathematics, or history, from an accredited institution
• A minimum undergraduate GPA or QPA
• Official college transcripts from all past colleges and universities
• GRE scores may or may not be required depending on the institution

Doctor of Education in Education Policy and Leadership (EdD)

A Doctor of Education in Education Policy and Leadership (EdD) program is designed for students who have completed a master’s degree in a related field and are interested in gaining an advanced understanding of the issues that impact the nation’s public and private education systems at the local, state, and national level.

Throughout this type of education degree, students learn about how various laws and regulations, such as Title IX and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), impact educational institutions; how to examine and evaluate issues in education from various perspectives; and how to make systemic changes designed to improve students’ educational journeys.

Coursework within EdD in Education Policy and Leadership programs often covers topics such as:

• Research methodologies
• Social Justice
• Systemic Change
• Diversity in Education

Most colleges and universities require students to complete 60 credit hours of coursework before they’ll be eligible to earn an EdD.

Admissions Requirements for an EdD

Similar to other types of advanced degree programs, the admissions requirements for a Doctor of Education in Education Policy and Leadership can vary depending on the institution. Typical requirements include the following:

• A master’s degree in an education-related field from an accredited college or university
• A minimum GPA or QPA, often 3.0 or above
• A minimum number of years of full-time work experience
• Leadership experience in an educational setting
• Letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts from every postsecondary institution previously attended
• A resume or CV
• A completed application

Pursue Your Dream and Shape Lives as an Educator

Students interested in pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in education must start by narrowing down the career path they’re most interested in pursuing. From there, they can evaluate degree programs to determine which academic institution and which major is best for them. An important step when evaluating potential colleges and universities is to ensure that both the school and the program are accredited.

American University offers an  online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) ,  online Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership (MEd) , and  online EdD in Education Policy and Leadership  for students looking to take the next step in their careers. Each program is rooted in inclusive, anti-racist pedagogy and contemporary methods to create lasting improvement in education. Students can benefit from intentional curricula to prepare them for all types of educational careers.

Are you ready to take the next step forward in your educational journey? Discover how earning a degree in education can prepare you for the professional future you want.

Incorporating Social Justice Children’s Books Into Curricula

The Importance of Promoting Digital Citizenship for Students

How to Incorporate Mindfulness in the Classroom

Betterteam, Camp Director Job Description

Betterteam, Corporate Trainer Job Description

Betterteam, Educational Consultant Job Description

Houston Chronicle, “Types of Jobs in Education”

Indeed, “17 Career Opportunities in Education Besides Teaching”

Indeed, “How to Become an Admissions Counselor”

Indeed, “Popular Careers in Education You Can Pursue”

Indeed, Principal Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Indeed, Tutor Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Payscale, Average Admissions Counselor Salary

Payscale, Average Camp Director Salary

Payscale, Average Corporate Trainer Salary

Payscale, Average Education Consultant Salary

Payscale, Average High School Principal Salary

Payscale, Average Teacher Salary

Payscale, Average Tutor Hourly Pay

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education, Training, and Library Occupations

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, High School Teachers

Request Information

5 Majors to Consider for a Career in Education and Training

What should you study if you are interested in a career in education and training.

Education and Training careers include jobs in planning, managing, and providing education and training services, as well as related learning support services.

If you are interested in a career in Education and Training here is a list of 5 majors you might consider when thinking about your degree options.

• Education Education majors study how people learn and how to best teach them. Classes cover such topics as educational psychology, school health and safety issues, and the planning of classroom activities.
• Psychology Psychology majors study the way humans and animals act, feel, think, and learn.
• History History majors learn how to interpret objects and written documents from the past. They also read the works of published historians and evaluate their ideas.
• English English majors read, discuss, and write about the literature and culture of English-speaking people. They also learn about the history, structure, and use of the English language.
• Social Work Social work majors learn to practice social work in various settings such as hospitals, child welfare agencies, and the criminal justice system.

When you think about careers in the Education and Training career cluster, these are just a few examples of potential majors to get you started. Explore more majors or search for colleges on BigFuture that offer these or similar majors to start building your college list!

Related Topics

Education Leadership (online)

Graduate Program

The Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) prepares students with the skills needed to change the world through education. The online Master’s in Education Leadership is a part-time, two-year Ed.M. program from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with Higher Education and PreK-12 pathways. The program is specifically designed for working education professionals who bring at least seven years of relevant or transferrable work experience. Through this program, students will strengthen the invaluable skills they’ve already developed and develop the tools to propel themselves to new leadership opportunities and to even greater impact.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

Degree vs. Major: What’s the Difference?

Do you know how to improve your profile for college applications.

See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now — it only takes 3 minutes and it's 100% free.

Show me what areas I need to improve

What’s Covered:

What is a major, what is a degree, dual degree vs. double major: how are they different, when do you need to declare a major.

• How to Choose a Major

There’s a lot of terminology floating around the college process. Two words you’ve probably heard are degree and major. While related concepts, there are distinctions between them. A major is something you study, while a degree is what you ultimately earn.

Confused about what separates these two important concepts? You’re not alone. Keep reading for a complete breakdown of what majors and degrees really mean.

A major is the program of study you pursue in college. While you will often have additional requirements outside of your major, the vast majority of the courses you need to take in college will relate to it. For example, as an English major, you will probably be expected to study literature, history, foreign languages, and other humanities courses. Some students go into college planning to pursue a specific major, while others are undecided. 

Some colleges use different terminology for describing what essentially amounts to a major. For example, Harvard and Princeton call programs of study concentrations.

Curious about what types of majors are commonly available? Check out this list .

A degree is a credential you earn after completing your major and additional college requirements. Undergraduate degrees are termed bachelor’s degrees when they follow the completion of a four-year college program (you can usually complete the program in more or less time, but the typical length of time is four years). You may also attend two-year vocational or community colleges and earn an associate’s degree.

Bachelor’s degrees come in different forms, such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Bachelor of Science (BS), a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), and a Bachelor of Music (BM). These degrees describe broad categories encompassing a number of majors. A BS is usually awarded to STEM majors, while a BA tends to be awarded to graduates of humanities and some social science disciplines.

Some colleges and universities, however, only award one type of bachelor’s degree. At MIT, for instance, even humanities programs graduates earn a BS. This distinction generally won’t matter for employment or graduate school.

Dual degrees and double majors are important distinctions when it comes to your education. A double major means you’re declaring two majors but will earn a single degree from one school. For example, you might choose to major in both philosophy and history. You’ll need to complete requirements for both majors — different schools and individual programs have their own rules regarding whether you can double-count requirements for two majors. 

There are some benefits to double majoring, such as the fact that you’ll have a broader base of knowledge, opening the doors to more employment opportunities. But some students who choose to pursue two programs simultaneously need more time, beyond four years, to complete their requirements, which is more expensive than the traditional route.

If you choose to pursue a dual degree, on the other hand, you’ll graduate with two degrees. There are a number of combinations available from different schools, such as a BA/BS or BA/BFA. Some dual-degree programs also allow you to earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree, often in a reduced amount of time. 

BS/MD programs, which enable students to earn both their bachelor’s and doctorate of medicine, are one popular example. These typically guarantee admission to the medical school at the student’s undergraduate school either when you apply for undergraduate admission or early on in your college education.

Some colleges partner with more specialized schools or universities with broader program offerings for dual-degree programs, through which students earn degrees from two schools. For example, Brown and RISD offer a BS or BA/BFA program, through which students pursue an academic program at Brown and earn an art degree at RISD.

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

Many students apply to college planning to study a specific discipline. This is called an intended major , and it usually won’t affect your chances of admission. However, some universities, such as Cornell, require you to apply to a specific school within the larger institution, in which case you’ll need to narrow down your major to certain programs that are housed within that school. Particularly rigorous programs may be more selective than others, such as Johns Hopkins’ Biomedical Engineering major.

While you usually don’t have to put down an intended major on your application — you can apply undecided — at the vast majority of colleges and universities, you’ll need to declare your major at some point. For many schools, the deadline is the end of sophomore year, although particular programs may ask you to declare your major sooner to ensure that you’re able to complete your requirements.

For the most part, you can change majors, although bear in mind that it’s more difficult to transfer into a specialized program than out of one. Moreover, at schools like Cornell, transferring between schools is often difficult.

How to Choose a Major 

So, how do you choose your major ? Here are just some of the many factors that should go into your decision.

1. Consider your strengths and interests.

This is usually the starting point for finding the right major for you. What high school classes are particularly interesting to you? Where do you excel? What kinds of extracurriculars do you enjoy? If you’re a math whiz who got a 5 on your AP Calculus BC exam and participate in research and competitions, then an engineering discipline might be something to consider.

2. Account for your career goals.

Some majors prepare students more directly for career paths than others. But the program you choose will provide some preparation for your later career. If you’re planning to become a journalist, for instance, you might declare a major in English, journalism, or creative writing.

Know that you can always change your mind — 18 is early to plan out your entire future — and it won’t mean that you’ve thrown away your college education. Many people end up in careers that are wholly unrelated to their college majors, but they still apply the skills they’ve learned.

3. Think about the ROI.

College is a huge investment, so it’s natural to want to consider what the payoff will be. Research the return on investment (ROI) for different majors. This takes into account the average salary graduates of specific majors end up earning at different points in their careers. Remember, though, that these are just averages, and career choices, of course, influence these figures, too.

When it comes to majors and degrees, there’s a lot to think about. Find out the ROIs and outcomes for specific majors and programs, and explore schools that offer them using our comparison tool . Plus, learn your real chances of admission to hundreds of schools that offer majors that interest you with CollegeVine’s free chancing engine .

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is a major in college 4 steps to pick the right one.

General Education

While at college, you’ll need to pick a major, an area of study that you’ll specialize in.

The vast majority of colleges and universities require students to pick a major. Even if your school doesn’t make you pick a major, you’ll likely still follow a specific course of study to gain knowledge and experience in your field of choice.

In this article, we’ll answer the question “what is a major,” give the best college major definition, and talk you through how to decide which major to pick.

What Is a Major in College?

When you get to college, you’ll need to pick a specific subject area to specialize in. That subject area is called a major.

Your major will dictate the coursework you take. Ultimately, most students take about half of their coursework within their major’s department.

As we said before, the vast majority of schools require students to pick a major. A handful of schools don’t require you to major in anything at all, while at other places, you can major in more than one subject. Some students might choose to major in two subject areas, such as Anthropology and History. Other students might choose to have a major and a minor, which is a specialization that requires fewer courses than a major does.

Most majors are outlined by the university: you’ll have to choose a set subject area and pick classes from a pre-selected workload.

Some schools, however, allow students to design their own major. In this scenario, you’d work with an advisor to create a class load that matches what you want to study. For instance, if you wanted to study Human Rights, but your school doesn’t have a Human Rights major, you might select classes from History, Anthropology, Sociology, and Political science to create this new major. It’s important to note that not all schools allow students to create their own major. If creating your own major is something you’re interested in, you’ll need to talk to your advisor.

What Is a Major? What Is a Concentration? What Is a Degree?

When it comes to your college major, there are a lot of words that are thrown around: major, concentration, minor, degree. What do they all mean? Let’s take a closer look.

Your major is your specific subject area that you specialize in.

A concentration, on the other hand, typically refers to a set course of study within that major. For instance, if you’re a Classics major, you might have a concentration in Latin or a concentration in Ancient Greek. Think of it as a way of specializing even more. That being said, some colleges and universities call their majors concentrations instead. So, depending on where you attend, the terminology might mean something different.

A minor is a set area of study, as well, but you need to complete fewer courses for a minor than a major. If you need to take 16 classes in your subject area to major, you might only need to take 10 to achieve a minor. The exact number of classes you’ll need to take depends on your school.

Your degree is what you receive at the end of your college career. Your degree indicates that you completed the course of study outlined by your school. Your degree also signifies that you completed coursework in many different subject areas, not just those in your major. For instance, if you’re a Calculus major but took a class in American History, that class will count towards your degree, but not your major.

When Do You Need to Declare a Major?

When you declare your major depends on a couple factors: what’s required at your school and when you decide what you want to study.

Most colleges and universities require you to pick a major by the end of your sophomore year. In fact, some schools don’t even let you pick until then. At other places, however, you can declare before you start classes. Some students arrive at school knowing exactly what they want to study; others take a longer time to sample and understand their different options.

How to Pick a Major: 4 Step Guide

Wondering how to pick a major? This four-step guide will help.

#1: Consider What You’re Interested In

First, consider your interests. The vast majority of your coursework will be in your major’s field, so you don’t want to pick something that bores you. If you hate English, for instance, you probably shouldn’t be an English major!

Pick something that you’ll want to study and enjoy learning about for the rest of your time at college.

#2: Talk to Other People in That Department

Once you’ve decided on a few subject areas that interest you, talk to other students in those departments. Get a sense from them of what the upcoming coursework is like and what opportunities are available. Maybe you’ll find that the upper-level coursework changes tack and becomes something you’re not super interested in. Or, maybe you’ll find that your least favorite professor teaches all the advanced courses. Either way, it’s good to know what you’re getting into.

#3: Research Career Prospects

For some students, their major has a big impact on their career potential. For others, it’s not as big of a deal. If you’re looking to work in a field that requires specific training, like computer science or biology, then your major will need to line up with that path. If, however, you’re not 100% sure what your career will be, don’t worry. Many people end up working in fields that are different than what they majored in. It is, however, a good idea to research your major and see what kinds of jobs most people end up having.

#4: Meet With an Advisor in the Department

Finally, you should meet with an advisor in your potential major’s department . You’ll likely get a new advisor when you declare your major, so it’s helpful to speak with some of the options ahead of time to get their perspective on what they teach and whether or not it’s a good fit for you.

Final Thoughts: What Is a Major in College?

So, what is a major in college? The best college major definition is that your college major is the specific area that you'll spend most of your time in college studying. Most colleges and universities have tons of options for topics you can study for your major.

What’s Next?

Still stressed about selecting a major? Learn how to choose a major for your college application , and then check out our post on the average college GPA by major .

What are the best college majors? We've come up with a list of the very best majors by looking at their salary potential and employment growth. See if your major made the cut!

If you’re thinking longer-term about your career prospects, you might be interested in learning more about job shadowing . It’s a great way to test out a profession to see whether it might be a good fit for you!

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Degree vs. Major – What’s the Difference between a Major and Degree?

What is the difference between a degree vs. major? Do you have to have a major in order to get a degree?

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

With the confusion surrounding the definition of a major vs. degree, having a solid understanding of the relationship between the two may enable you to make wise decisions about your education.

• Related Guide: 30 Best Bachelor Degrees for the Future

What Is a Major in College?

To earn a bachelor’s degree, you must declare a “major.” A major is simply a “major area of focus” for your college studies.

• All students are required to complete about 40 college classes to earn a bachelor’s degree.
• Of those 40 classes, your college major will be about 12 classes.

Sounds crazy that you spend such a small time on your area of focus, right?

Here’s the reason:

Universities want to make sure that you receive a broad education that includes history, government, composition, natural sciences, ethics, and so on. These requirements are called “General Education” requirements. Typically, you spend your first two years in college completing these General Education requirements.

Here’s a simple formula, your bachelor’s degree is comprised of the following:

General Education requirements + Your College Major (Area of Focus) + Electives = Bachelor’s degree in Your Area of Focus.

For example, I majored in Business Administration.

I completed all my general education classes like history and math, plus all the classes required in my college major like business law, economics, accounting, and so on. Once I completed all of these classes, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.

College Major =  The Major Area of Focus for Your College Studies

To give you a concrete example, let’s say that you want your college major to be Biology since you want to go to medical school. So, your college major is biology and when you graduate in four years, your college degree will be:  Bachelor of Science in Biology.

To earn your Bachelor’s degree in Biology, you will likely have to complete some variation of these general education requirements (around 20 classes):

• Writing / Composition
• Mathematics
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Ethics / Diversity
• Communication
• Social Sciences
• Natural Sciences
• Global Awareness

Once you finish all your general education requirements, you get the opportunity to really focus on your college major.

Your college major is usually about 12 classes. Most classes are 3 credit hours, so your college major will be about 36 credit hours.

A major is made up of 36 credit hours with a predetermined number of required courses in higher-level courses. These courses are usually numbered in the 300 to 400 range. For example, if your major was biology, the course BIO 370 would be a high-level biology course that would fulfill one of the requirements of your Biology major.

There are a wide variety of majors available to study during your undergraduate career, as you can see in this list below of some of the most popular majors.

Examples of college majors:

• Anthropology
• Business Administration
• Chemical Engineering
• Communications
• Computer Science
• English Language and Literature
• Government/Political Science

A major sets the focus and direction of an undergraduate degree, with all the other courses aligning around this core.

What is a Degree in College?

A degree and a major work hand-in-hand, with the major providing the focus while the degree provides an overarching structure and direction for your undergraduate studies. In order to complete any type of college degree , it is required to complete a major as well as other additional courses to ensure that you receive a well-rounded education.

Some of the more popular undergraduate degrees can be seen in the list below:

• Bachelor’s in Biology
• Bachelor’s in Business
• Bachelor’s in Communication
• Bachelor’s in Computer Science
• Bachelor’s in Education
• Bachelor’s in Engineering
• Bachelor’s in Nursing

These are just a few prime examples of different types of bachelor degrees that you may earn in order to fulfill your education goals.

An undergraduate degree allows you to partner the specialization of your major and with courses in other disciplines that build on and support the concepts you have learned in your major.

Degree vs. Major – What’s the Difference Between a Degree and a Major?

It is tempting to want to dissect and separate college degrees from a major and point out how they are distinctly different and in no way the same. But it is not that easy.

Similar to college vs university , a major and a college degree are closely linked, though they are not the same thing.

Let’s take a look at this degree plan for a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. If this was your degree plan, psychology would be your major. Your final degree when it was awarded to you would be a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

As you can see, the bachelor’s degree requires that you take a certain number of General Education (GE) courses. Once you’ve finished most of those, you can progress into your major courses (psychology). Once you complete all of these requirements, then you may be awarded your bachelor’s degree.

Another way to look at it is how a major gives you the tools in your belt, while your degree is the tool-belt that provides the support and structure for those tools.

College Credits Required

A major differs from an undergraduate degree in the number of college credits that are required for completion.

A major usually requires about 36 credits depending on the requirements of each university.

A college degree such as a bachelor’s degree is usually 120 credits, which includes the 36 credits of your major along with additional courses to provide you with a broad, interdisciplinary education.

If you want to spend more time studying your college major and less time in class completing general education requirements, there are a few ways you may earn college credits quickly , including taking online classes that last only 6 weeks .

A Major is Required for a College Degree

If you intend to graduate with a bachelor’s degree that has equipped you for a career in a particular field, then it is essential to complete a major rather than dabble in whatever courses you like for a 4 year time period. It is nearly impossible to earn a bachelor’s without the formal structure of General Education requirements + College Major + Electives = Bachelor’s degree.

Not sure which major to pursue? Here’s a list of some of the most difficult majors and easiest college majors .

How Does a Major Support a College Degree?

Without a declared major, a college degree such as a bachelor’s is just a collection of courses in a variety of disciplines. However, with the structure and support of a clearly outlined major, your undergraduate education is transformed into a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice or a Bachelor of Business Administration, etc.

Simply put, the 36 credits in your major are what distinguishes a Computer Science degree from a Political Sciences degree, or an Anthropology from a Psychology degree.

College Major vs. Minor Degree – What’s the Difference between a College Major and College Minor?

As the name suggests, the difference between a college major and minor degree is the breadth of study. A major is the core focus of an undergraduate program, with 36 credits in courses that meet accrediting standards for a specific area, such as psychology.

In contrast, a minor is made up of less than 20 credit hours and often is more related to your personal interests, such as a minor in a foreign language while a major could be in chemical engineering.

What Is a Course of Study Meaning in College?

A course of study in college means the schedule for how to complete a college program in a set amount of years. It includes all of the classes you need to take, along with how many electives you can choose. There’s usually flexibility in the order in which you take your classes, though some will have prerequisites.

What Is the Definition of a College Major?

A college major is your desired area of focus in your studies. It’s what you earn your degree in. Some examples are Business Administration, Early Elementary Education, Information Technology, and Spanish Language.

What Is the Definition of a College Degree?

The definition of a college degree is a qualification awarded to students after completing the requirements for a specific course of study. In the case of a bachelor’s degree, the two most common types of degrees are the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science.

What Does a Bachelor Degree Mean?

A bachelor’s degree means an undergraduate degree usually composed of 120 credit hours, awarded by colleges and universities after completing a course of study. Generally, it takes 4 years of study to complete a bachelor’s degree, but there are a number of accelerated degree programs offered online .

What Is the Difference between a Major and a Degree?

The difference between a major and a degree is that a major is the focus of a course of study comprised of 36 credit hours in a specific field, while a degree is the overall course of study as dictated by the university.

What Is the Highest Degree in College?

The highest degree in college is the Doctorate degree level, with Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees preceding a Doctorate degree. A doctorate could be a PhD or other terminal degree, such as a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) or EdD (Doctorate in Education).

In College, What Is Your Major?

Your major in college is the direction or focus that you study in your undergraduate program, with specific courses making up a 36 credit major. If you want to study Computer Science, for example, that is your major. Psychology students take Psychology as their major.

What Is a Degree Program?

A degree program is the course of study designed to meet specific objectives that will culminate in being awarded a degree, such as a bachelor degree. It’s the school’s requirements and class offerings you need to graduate with that degree.

• Future Students
• Current Students
• Faculty/Staff

News and Media

• News & Media Home
• Research Stories
• School's In
• In the Media

You are here

Lifelong learning: stanford gse student collects her master’s degree after 80 years in education.

It’s been a minute since Virginia “Ginger” Hislop was a student at Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE).

When she started at the GSE in 1936 — then the Stanford University School of Education — her plan was to get her bachelor’s of education, which she did in 1940, and obtain her master’s of education so she could teach, which she started directly after.

The goal: to help grow and provide opportunities for young minds by following in the footsteps of her grandmother, who taught in Kansas before the Civil War, and her Aunt Nora, who was the principal of a school in West Los Angeles, and pursue the field of education.

However, just after completing her coursework and just before turning in her final thesis, her then-boyfriend George Hislop AB ’41, a GSE student in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), got called in to serve during World War II, prompting the pair to get married and Virginia Hislop to leave campus before graduating.

“I thought it was one of the things I could pick up along the way if I needed it and I always enjoyed studying, so that wasn’t really a great concern to me — and getting married was,” said Hislop, who was born in Palo Alto and resides in Yakima, Washington.

Now, 83 years after leaving campus and living in service to learning, Hislop returned to Stanford  to finish what she started and receive her graduate degree.

“A fierce advocate for equity and the opportunity to learn … today we are proud to confer the master of arts in education to our 105 year-old graduate,” GSE Dean Daniel Schwartz said in a speech at the beginning of the GSE’s commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 16.

Virginia Hislop (right) accepts her diploma for her master of arts in education at the GSE’s 2024 commencement ceremony from Dean Dan Schwartz. She collects her degree after more than 80 years doing education work in schools and on school boards in Yakima, Washington. (Photo: Charles Russo)

Family ties to Stanford 

In many ways, Hislop’s work in education after leaving Stanford began with her children.

When her daughter Anne started first grade in Washington, Hislop advocated on her behalf so that she could take advanced English, rather than a home economics course being suggested by the school.

“I felt that she could learn to cook at home and it was more important that she learn more academic skills at school,” said Hislop, whose daughter Anne Hislop Jensen MA ’68 and son-in-law Doug Jensen, MA ’68, also graduated from the GSE.

After that first encounter, Hislop was moved to join the school board to have more of a say in what children were being taught, to help set them up for success.

“I felt that all the kids should have an opportunity to develop their potential as best they could, and that everybody should have a crack at higher education if they wanted,” said Hislop,  who stayed on the school board for 13 years before moving her involvement to the city, county and state level in Washington state.

Some of her roles included chairing the Yakima School Board of Directors; becoming a founding member of the board of directors for Yakima Community College, and helping to start Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington, where she served on the board for 20 years.

“I’ve been doing this work for years and it’s nice to be recognized with this degree,” she said.

Leadership and longevity in learning

Nowadays, Hislop spends most of her time doing community work, reading, socializing and working in her garden — a routine she says has kept her sharp.

“The biggest lesson I’ve taken from her is that you never really stop learning,” said Doug Jensen, “She’s a voracious reader, and at 105 she’s still actively moving and shaking. No moss grows under her feet.”

Looking back on her career, Hislop credits her time at Stanford and the things she’s learned from community partners along the way for her ability to impact students.

“I think I did good things for our local school system and I helped broaden it out,” she said. “For me, this degree is an appreciation of the many years I’ve put in working for the schools in the Yakima area and on different boards.”

At the GSE Diploma ceremony, Schwartz concurred, saying Hislop “led a life of tremendous educational accomplishment.” Her fellow graduates and their families gave her a standing ovation. 

When Hislop rose from her seat, donned in cap and gown, to walk across the stage and receive her master’s hood, the applause roared once again. She greeted Schwartz on stage and was handed her diploma. She smiled for the cameras. Her grandkids and great-grandkids waved and cheered. 

“My goodness,” Hislop said. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

More GSE News

⟵ Go to all GSE News

Get the Educator

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Stanford Graduate School of Education

482 Galvez Mall Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Tel: (650) 723-2109

• Contact Admissions
• GSE Leadership
• Site Feedback
• Web Accessibility
• Career Resources
• Faculty Open Positions
• Explore Courses
• Academic Calendar
• Office of the Registrar
• Cubberley Library
• StanfordWho
• StanfordYou

Improving lives through learning

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

The Evolution of Technology in the Classroom

Technology has always been at the forefront of human education. From the days of carving figures on rock walls to today, when most students are equipped with several portable technological devices at any given time, technology continues to push educational capabilities to new levels. In looking at where educational methods and tools have come from to where they are going in the future, technology’s importance in the classroom is evident now more than ever.

A History of Classroom Technology: The Primitive Classroom

In the Colonial years, wooden paddles with printed lessons, called Horn-Books, were used to assist students in learning verses. Over 200 years later, in 1870, technology advanced to include the Magic Lantern, a primitive version of a slide projector that projected images printed on glass plates. By the time World War I ended, around 8,000 lantern slides were circulating through the Chicago public school system. By the time the Chalkboard came around in 1890, followed by the pencil in 1900, it was clear that students were hungry for more advanced educational tools.

• Radio in the 1920s sparked an entirely new wave of learning; on-air classes began popping up for any student within listening range.
• Next came the overhead projector in 1930, followed by the ballpoint pen in 1940 and headphones in 1950.
• Videotapes arrived on the scene in 1951, creating a new and exciting method of instruction.
• The Skinner Teaching Machine produced a combined system of teaching and testing, providing reinforcement for correct answers so that the student can move on to the next lesson.
• The photocopier (1959) and handheld calculator (1972) entered the classrooms next, allowing for mass production of material on the fly and quick mathematical calculations.
• The Scantron system of testing, introduced by Michael Sokolski n 1972, allowed educators to grade tests more quickly and efficiently.

The pre-computer years were formative in the choices made for computers in the years following. Immediate response-type systems (video, calculator, Scantron) had become necessary, and quick production of teaching materials, using the photocopier, had become a standard. The U.S. Department of Education reports that high school enrollment was only 10% in 1900, but by 1992 had expanded to 95%. The number of students in college in 1930 was around 1 million, but by 2012 had grown to a record 21.6 million. Teachers needed new methods of instruction and testing, and students were looking for new ways to communicate, study, and learn.

The Entrance and Significance of Personal Computers

Although the first computers were developed in the ‘30s, everyday-use computers were introduced in the ‘80s. The first portable computer, in 1981, weighed 24 pounds and cost $1,795. When IBM introduced its first personal computer in 1981, the educational world knew that it was on the verge of greatness. Time magazine named The Computer its “ Man of the Year ” in 1982, and aptly so: the foundation of immediate learning capabilities had been laid. Time declared, “it is the end result of a technological revolution that has been in the making for four decades and is now, quite literally, hitting home.”

• Toshiba released its first mass-market consumer laptop in 1985 (the T1100), and Apple’s infamous Mac (which later evolved into the Powerbook) was available starting in 1984.
• In 1990, The World Wide Web was given life when a British researcher developed Hyper Text Markup Language, or HTML, and when the National Science Foundation (NSF) removed restrictions on the commercial use of the Internet in 1993, the world exploded into a frenzy of newfound research and communication methods.
• The first Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were released by Apple Computer Inc. in 1993, and with that, computers were a part of every day, if not every moment. By 2009, 97% of classrooms had one or more computers , and 93% of classroom computers had Internet access. For every 5 students, there was one computer. Instructors stated that 40% of students used computers often in their educational methods, in addition to interactive whiteboards and digital cameras. College students nowadays are rarely without some form of computer technology: 83% own a laptop, and over 50% have a Smartphone.

The Future of Technology in the Classroom

It seems like years since MySpace, first introduced in 2003, Facebook (2004) and Twitter (2007) have changed both the communication and business worlds. Instant connectivity has branched out from merely a tool of personal communication, to a platform for educational instruction and outreach. Social media is now being recognized as an accepted form of instruction in some instances, and groups such as Scholastic Teachers provide excellent support and tips for instructors. Many instructors use social media to communicate directly with their students, or to form forum-style groups for students to communicate with each other, and the method seems to be proving valuable in providing one-on-one attention to student’s questions and concerns.

With the classroom having already evolved into a hotbed of technological advances, what can the future possibly hold that could further educational proficiencies even more?

• Biometrics, a technology that recognizes people based on certain physical or behavioral traits, is on the technological horizon. The science will be used to recognize the physical and emotional disposition of students in the classroom, altering course material to tailor to each individual’s needs based on biometric signals.
• A second up-and-coming technology is Augmented Reality (AR) glasses , rumored to be on Google’s release list, and this technology could be a whole new world for education. AR Glasses (or even contact lenses) will layer data on top of what we naturally see, to allow for a real-world learning experience. For example, a student wearing AR Glasses could potentially sit at his desk and have a conversation with Thomas Edison about invention. It was Edison, after all, who said that “Books will soon be obsolete in schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye.”
• Multi-touch surfaces are commonly used through equipment such as the iPhone, but the technology could become more relevant to education through entirely multi-touch surfaces, such as desks or workstations. This could allow students to collaborate with other students, even those around the world, and videos and other virtual tools could be streamed directly to the surface.

Educators and the Evolution of Technology in the Classroom

With the evolution of technology, educational capabilities are growing and changing every day. The Internet is a vast electronic library of information, and both research and instruction can be achieved through a click of the mouse. With these advances come new responsibilities to the instructor and therefore increase the value of a Master of Science in Education in Learning Design and Technology. As technology advances, an educator’s abilities will grow by leaps and bounds, and without the knowledge of these changes and capabilities, an instructor has a good chance of being left behind.

A career in education requires hard work and dedication, but, for the diligent educator, can prove very rewarding. For those who are serious about success in the education field, staying well-informed of current and changing technologies is imperative. As the world of technology evolves, the learning environment, both on-campus and online, will equally progress, and the need for teachers who are educated in technology and design will continue to grow.

Learn more about the online MSEd in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University today and help redefine the way in which individuals learn. Call (877) 497-5851 to speak with an admissions advisor or to request more information.

CNN values your feedback

The ACT's new ties to a private equity firm are raising eyebrows

The company that oversees one of the two major standardized college admissions tests was acquired by a private equity firm earlier this year. the ceo of act said the test's mission won't change..

As private equity firms have gained a stronger foothold in the American economy, they’ve done little to earn the trust of the general public – a wariness that was exacerbated earlier this year as scores of Red Lobster restaurants, owned by one such company, shuttered .

A month before Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy , an unrelated private equity deal that could have major implications for high school students across the country drew far less attention. 

ACT, the nonprofit testing company that administers its namesake college admissions exam to hundreds of thousands of high school students every year, was acquired by Nexus Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, the company announced in April . ACT officials said at the time they would transition the organization to for-profit status, a shift that ACT's CEO, Janet Godwin, said would allow the company to expand its offerings into other job readiness areas while retaining its fundamental goal of helping students succeed.

“We are not veering an inch from our mission,” she said in an interview. The cost of taking the ACT, which ranges between roughly $70 and $100, will not change, she said. 

Godwin said she did her homework on Nexus and is confident that ACT's new partner shares her company's values. But the acquisition comes amid a broader wariness about private equity and its expanding influence over American industries . The transition has sparked questions in college admissions circles about what, if anything, the move could mean for students, whose relationship with standardized testing has vastly changed since the pandemic prompted many colleges to go test-optional.

The decision to become a for-profit organization is unusual enough to have spooked some onlookers. The president of a top teachers union opposes it. It also unnerved Dominique Baker, an associate education professor at the University of Delaware and a former admissions dean at the University of Virginia.

“I could see a world where the profit motives create some issues,” she said. “I’m not saying that profit in and of itself is bad. I’m saying that when we see private equity and venture capital move in this way, they are looking at exponential profit almost at all costs.” 

What is private equity?

Private equity firms typically buy other companies, which sometimes have lots of debt, before changing things about them to make them profitable. The goal is to eventually sell them and turn a profit for investors. 

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, said Benjamin Shestakofsky, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “Behind the Startup: How Venture Capital Shapes Work, Innovation, and Inequality.” He wasn’t surprised to learn that the sector was setting its sights on the standardized testing market. 

“Private equity is everywhere now,” he said. “It’s in housing; it’s in agriculture; it’s in hospitals.” 

However, in ACT’s case, the transition from a nonprofit organization to a for-profit corporation raised Shestakofsky’s eyebrows. Now beholden to less stringent financial reporting requirements, ACT may be less transparent about its business as it moves forward, he warned.  

“It’s important to remember that this is an organization that’s transforming a nonprofit with a social purpose to what is ultimately an asset in a portfolio,” he said. 

‘Not who Nexus Capital is’

Godwin, ACT's CEO, said the move was necessary for her company to bring new products to market and fill unmet needs. The organization went through a methodical process, she said, as it searched for a private equity partner. 

For one, she said the firm had to have experience with education companies. (Nexus’ portfolio includes Savvas Learning Co., the former K-12 education technology offshoot for Pearson Education in the U.S.) And it needed to have worked with another company with a social mission, she said. (In 2018, Nexus invested in the shoe manufacturer Toms, which says it gives away a third of its profits to charity.) 

Godwin said she was adamant about not enlisting the type of “private equity company that you hear horror stories about, that comes in and cuts costs.” 

“That’s not who Nexus Capital is,” she said. “They invest for long-term growth.” 

The American Federation of Teachers, a top union for educators, sees it differently. In a statement to USA TODAY, the group's president, Randi Weingarten, said ACT's new structure has created “incentives for misconduct.”

“The ACT has become a public good, relied upon by millions of students to realize their college dreams,” Weingarten said. “That’s why it’s inappropriate for such a significant educational tool to be run by a profiteering private equity fund.” 

Nexus Capital did not respond to a request for comment. 

Test-optional movement persists

The acquisition follows a sea change in the standardized testing market after the pandemic dealt major blows to the industry’s two major players, ACT and its main competitor, the College Board. The College Board administers the SAT and PSAT, along with Advanced Placement exams and other subject-specific tests. 

Since hundreds of colleges and universities nixed standardized tests as an admissions requirement because of the pandemic tumult of 2020, many have concluded they’re better off not demanding them. Going into the fall semester, more than 80% of four-year schools still won’t require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, a group critical of standardized tests. 

ACT’s public financial records show the company lost about $100 million, roughly a quarter of its typical earnings, compared to its average revenue in the few years before the coronavirus shuttered in-person testing centers. Though some of the nation’s most selective schools, including Yale and Dartmouth, have reinstituted admissions exams , the testing landscape remains largely unrecognizable compared to what it was before the pandemic. 

What's next?

Most of Gary Berger’s students plan to attend test-optional colleges. To them, ACT’s new ownership means little.

If anything, the assistant principal at Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in New Jersey hopes the change at ACT motivates the test maker to open digital testing centers where students can take the exam at any time, rather than requiring them to be on campus on specific dates. 

“I could totally see them racing to get that market share,” he said.

Mostly he worries about the implications of large amounts of student data transferring ownership from a nonprofit to a for-profit company, which is held to different accountability standards by the government and its own leaders.

That question is bugging Marie Bigham, too. Bigham founded a college admissions advocacy group before starting a tech company a few years ago. Since working in the tech start-up space, she has learned a lot about the cutthroat tactics of some private equity firms. When she first learned about the ACT acquisition, she was concerned.

“In a weird way, I’m grateful for the terrible Red Lobster story for helping explain the story of private equity,” she said.

Zachary Schermele covers education and breaking news for   USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele .

• Communities
• Nation / World

A college degree is worth the investment. But Wisconsin high school grads increasingly seek other options.

Stafford Wade stepped into the library on Milwaukee's northwest side this spring — not to check out books, but to check out options.

"Not planning on college? No problem!" advertised a flyer for the the Trades and Tech Fair at the library.

Wisconsin colleges have a well-documented demographics problem . Smaller and smaller graduating high school classes have left colleges scrambling to fill seats , squeezing budgets and making painful cuts.

New research on marriage trends and household sizes by the Marquette University Law School's Lubar Center on Public Policy reinforces the demographic challenge facing universities, which aren't only competing with each other for students. They're also competing with businesses recruiting students right into the workforce, and families questioning the time and, especially, the cost of a college degree.

"I'm just not interested," Wade, 18, said. "Four more years of school? No, thanks. I want something hands-on."

Wade, who graduated from Menomonee Falls High School this year, isn't sure exactly what he wants to do. He had been open to college when he was younger, but lately, had lost interest and worried about taking on so much debt.

Inside the career fair, Wade was drawn to a pitch by Raúl Hernández of the North Central Carpenters Union: An apprenticeship he could finish in the same time as a college degree. Earn-as-you-learn instead of loans. Annual wages of up to $82,000 upon completion.

The percentage of Wisconsin high school graduates going directly to college is plummeting. In 2022-23, it was less than 52%. That’s down about 10 percentage points from six years ago, according to state Department of Public Instruction data.

It's a trend experts say could threaten Wisconsin's economic competitiveness.

Michael Ramsey, another job fair attendee, graduated from high school last year and took a job at a local movie theater.

"I felt pressured to go to college because that’s what everyone does and what you need to ‘suceed in life’ or whatever," Ramsey, 19, said. "But I just think college isn't for me. The student loan thing — that worries me. I just don't know how it works. And I just think there are better options right now, like the workforce.”

The non-college going trend has always existed, and tends to increase when the labor market is strong, said Rachel Burns, a senior policy analyst with the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. But Burns thinks there's more to the current dynamic than the robust economy.

"I think it's also just a cultural shift that we're experiencing," she said. "We're recognizing college is not for everyone and you can be successful without college. There are other opportunities for students, and college might not be the best path. I think that used to be sort of stigmatized, and I think that's becoming more accepted."

Special report: Marriage and birth rates, household size, all drop sharply in Milwaukee over 50 years.

The Lubar Center research , looking at changes in the family structure over the last 50 years, found single-person households now outnumber households with at least three people, and marriage and birth rates have declined sharply.

"The future is going to be different, hands down, for education," University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone said. "There's no way around it. We are one of the last sectors that has for a long time, in my opinion, been resistant to change, and whether you talk about organized religion, if you talk about retail, talk about health care, financial services, which of them has not considerably reinvented itself to survive?"

What's driving the enrollment drop at Wisconsin colleges?

Recent higher education headlines in Wisconsin have almost taken on the feel of obituaries: Six public university campuses announced closures. At least three private institutions declared financial emergencies. Hundreds of workers lost their jobs. One private school closed. Another launched a last-ditch fundraising campaign to save itself.

UW-Milwaukee at Washington County student Grace Woods captured the mood by creating a coffin and tombstone sculpture for her spring semester art class. She saw it as a way to protest the campus' closure, which will disrupt her and other students' education plans.

"We need to mourn," she said. "I wanted to make people talk about what we're losing."

As painful as the past year has been, the future doesn't look much better, at least in purely demographic terms. The number of Wisconsin high school graduates is projected to drop 10% by 2036-37, according to 2020 projections made by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education .

Nationally, the U.S. Census shows the population of 18-year-olds is projected to crater through the 2030s, and unlikely to increase through the next three decades, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

There's inherent uncertainty in projections. But existing data on Wisconsin births reinforces the expected decline. The 60,000 babies born in 2022 marked the lowest number of births in this state since at least 1990.

Adding to the problem is the public's increasing skepticism about the need to go to college. The Pew Research Center, for example, reported last month that about half of U.S. adults say the cost of college is worth it, but only without taking out loans. Another 22% said it's worth it even with loans, while 29% said it wasn't worth it at all.

Data shows college education still is worth it

The situation facing colleges is not entirely doomsday, experts said. Institutions have options to address the increasing number of people putting off or opting out of higher education.

"If we maintain the policy status quo right now, I think it's going to get worse because we're not doing enough to attract new students to make college more affordable (and) to promote the value of higher education," Burns said. "If states and policymakers and leaders are aware of these trends, I think there's still time to turn it around."

Cost is perhaps the most obvious issue. Families used to be able to save enough to send children to college; now, many realize they can't even come close.

Even though the sticker prices online are rarely what students actually pay, financial aid isn't always enough. And the process to figure out the actual cost is confusing. This year, it was even worse with the disastrous rollout of a new FAFSA form.

UW campuses have made strides in reducing some of these barriers. A new direct admissions program sidesteps the traditional admissions process. A tuition promise program makes college more affordable to lower-income students. In-state tuition rates rank among the most affordable in the Midwest .

Other reasons people are holding back from higher education include flexibility, conflicts with work schedules, and the time it takes to get a degree. There's also risk of the worst-case scenario: someone dropping out with sizable debt and no degree to help pay it off.

The national six-year college graduation rate is about 64% , according to federal education data.

Key to restoring public trust in higher education is more transparency and accountability, said Ben Cecil, a senior education policy adviser with Third Way, a national center-left public policy think tank.

"If you have access (to college) but you don't complete, then you may very well be in a worse-off position than if you had never enrolled at all," he said. "What institutions really need to focus on is not just getting students through the door, but getting them across the finish line."

Despite the "Is college worth it?" narrative, a degree does pay off — both for the individual and for the betterment of society. There's extensive national research showing college-degree holders have higher employment and home ownership rates . They live longer and healthier lives . They are more civically engaged and earn more over the course of their lifetimes .

More locally, the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum analyzed expected job openings across the state through 2030. It found nearly two-thirds of the jobs paying at least $50,000 require a college degree and projected demand will continue to grow.

Colleges need to do a better job conveying that message, UWM's Mone said.

"We're future-proofing individuals in a huge way," he said. "That's what college can do."

Other sectors have reinvented themselves. Now, it is education's turn.

The numbers on the computer screen scared Dylan Bendure. They showed cost estimates to attend a few colleges, part of a career planning exercise his class completed a few years ago.

"I remember seeing some big numbers, and I'm like, oh shoot, that does not look fun," Bendure, 19, recalled. "I just thought that's more than I have right now, so I don't really want to go there and pay monthly payments and whatnot."

When Bendure graduated in 2023 from Hilbert High School, about 20 miles east of Appleton, he hadn't submitted a single college application. While he had toyed with the idea of becoming an electrical engineer, Bendure decided to join the workforce instead, just like his parents did.

Sargento, where Bendure worked part time through high school, was happy to hire him full time. Starting wages at the cheese manufacturer are $25.77 per hour, or about $53,600 annually. Because Bendure works second shift — "I'm not a morning person," he said — he gets paid extra.

Bendure's best friends took a different path and enrolled at UW-Green Bay.

Bendure doesn't feel like he's missing out. If anything, it reinforces he made the right decision. While one of them borrows their parents' car, Bendure bought his own. While they may graduate with debt, Bendure sees himself potentially pursuing higher education through an apprenticeship or Sargento's tuition reimbursement program.

"It just seems like a better option financially," he said.

High schools are taking a more active role in exposing students to career options through youth apprenticeships, job shadows and more.

Mike Trimberger, superintendent of the Random Lake School District about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, said the narrative pushed in schools for decades was simple: Go to college. He started noticing a shift around 2012 after a new state law required every high school graduate to have an academic career plan.

"You're now seeing adults in schools talk to kids differently, and students now making better decisions about what their next step after high school is," Trimberger said.

Students may pursue college later in life, and increasingly through an employer. Universities can play a larger role in upskilling and reskilling workers.

"It's going to be a different kind of student than having a bunch of 18-year-olds in their hallways," Trimberger said. 

Mone sees this as a big part of UWM's future. The university will lean further into continuing education credits, certificates, badges and industry partnerships, such as a recently announced aritificial intelligence initiative with Microsoft.

Connecting programs to career pathways is key

If Chad Frey could do it over, he would have avoided college altogether. But he graduated from Franklin High School in 2014, a time when college felt like the only option to be successful.

"If you didn't go to college, you had to figure something else out and you had to get lucky, I guess, is the way they made it seem," said Frey, 28.

Frey enrolled at UW-Waukesha − now called UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha, which will close in spring 2025 . He didn't like sitting in a desk all day, felt like he wasn't "wired that way." His breaking point came when he had to take a required gym class credit.

"It just kind of seemed a little bit ridiculous in a way that that was even something that was mandatory for me to be able to get a degree," he recalled. "It just seemed like I was giving them money for no reason and it didn't have anything to do with my actual studies."

Colleges need to prove their relevance to the students they serve by adjusting programming in response to student interests and workforce needs, said Robert Zemsky, a higher education researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.

"What we see is an industry that isn’t being smart, isn’t looking at the curriculum, isn’t being student-centered and is wandering all over the place," Zemsky said. "That is just going to keep the closures going because there’s no countervailing to the funk."

Universities are trying to make the connections between academic disciplines and careers clearer. UW-Oshkosh, for example, is undergoing a massive restructuring of colleges, schools and departments into "career clusters" that will be more familiar to students and connect them to job pathways.

"We need to be able to better communicate what we do, how we do it, and therefore what the value of that degree is," UW-Oshkosh Provost Ed Martini said.

The message didn't arrive in time for Frey. He dropped out and found his way to a five-year apprenticeship with the steamfitters union. He now earns more than $100,000 annually.

In Frey's free time, he returns to Franklin High School to share his story with students wondering what's next after graduation. He said many find his pitch compelling.

"It's just mind-blowing (to them) to think it's possible to make a good living wage not going to college," he said.

This project is supported by a grant from Marquette University Law School's Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education, to make possible journalism on issues of importance to the Milwaukee area. All the work was done under the guidance of Journal Sentinel editors.

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at  [email protected] or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at  @KellyMeyerhofer .