Explore online master’s in education programs

Master of teaching career paths

A Master of Arts in Teaching degree focuses more directly on teaching and classroom management than the Master of Education. The MAT equips students with the tools and training they need to enter the field of education and start teaching with confidence. It also allows graduates who hold this degree to sit for state licensure exams, which they need to pass to be allowed to teach in the state of their choice.

At minimum, those who wish to become a teacher will need to complete a bachelor’s degree. While most states do not require educational professionals to hold an advanced degree, there are several benefits to earning a master’s degree in teaching — including the opportunity to earn a higher salary compared to a salary offered to teachers with only bachelor’s degrees.

Common job titles for master’s degree graduates include:

• K-12 teachers

• Special education teachers

• Career and technical education teachers

Average teacher salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for kindergarten and elementary school teachers in 2022 was just under $62,000.^{Footnote 1} High school teachers earned roughly the same, although the highest 10% earned more than $100,000.^{Footnote 2}

Master of education jobs

An online Master of Education is a graduate degree designed to provide professional advancement to teachers, educators, and school professionals. As a broader alternative to a MAT, a Master of Education is still applicable to a classroom career but is more geared toward jobs in administration, curriculum development, and education policy. These programs are generally designed for those who already hold their teaching license and either seek additional certification, credentials and experience, or who wish to work outside the traditional classroom.

A Master of Education also prepares graduate students for advanced positions in a variety of educational fields outside of the K-12 classroom. With coursework in curriculum design and educational leadership, a Master of Education also can prepare graduates for administrative or consulting positions. Often, available pedagogical concentrations can offer further career specialization, including:

• Classroom technology

• Educational psychology

• Economics and policy

• Museum education

• School counseling

• Education administration

• Bilingual education

Master’s in education salary

Professionals with a master’s in education often work in administrative educational roles. The median annual wage for postsecondary education administrators was about $100,000 in 2022, according to BLS.^{Footnote 3} The highest 10% of professionals in that position earned more than $196,000. Additionally, the median annual wage for elementary, middle, and high school principals was just over $100,000 annually, with the top 10% earning nearly $160,000.^{Footnote 4}

It is also worth noting that, as part of their employee benefits plan, some post-secondary institutions allow employees to attend classes at a discount or for free.

Education doctorate career path

An online Doctor of Education (EdD) degree can bolster your credentials for powerful career advancement. While the curriculum varies, you can typically expect a mix of core classes related to your preferred concentration, such as:

• Organizational change and leadership

• Educational leadership

• Reading and literacy

• Early childhood education

• Education technology

Careers available with a Doctor of Education may vary based on your goals and location, but can include working in school or district administration, government, or the private sector. In many positions, you may be expected to apply theory and research skills to solve problems in education; improve policy, programs, and practices in places of learning; or identify discrimination/prejudice and advocate for social justice.

Average salaries in education with an EdD

The salary and job outlook for those with a Doctor of Education differ by role. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not distinguish EdD holders as an individual occupation class, one of the most common are roles in postsecondary administration or K-12 school district administration. As noted previously, professionals in these roles earned median annual wages of around $100,000 in 2022.