by our College Data Analytics TeamSocial Studies Education was the 291st most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 1,968 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 138 over the prior year, a growth of 7.0%.
Our 2023 Best Social Studies Education Schools ranking analyzes 193 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for social studies education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of social studies teacher education programs later in this article.
When studying Social Studies Teacher Education, you’ll learn that talking to others to convey information effectively will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Required skills include understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents and teaching others how to do something.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most social studies teacher education degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific social studies teacher education careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of social studies teacher education degrees. Social Studies Education programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest social studies teacher education degree you can get. Depending on the social studies education degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to social studies teacher education, with approximately 38.6% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for social studies teacher education workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 34.1% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 31.6% |
| Master’s Degree | 21.1% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 7.7% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 2.6% |
Most workers in social studies teacher education have at least a master's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in social studies education have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which social studies teacher education career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your social studies teacher education degree? Social Studies Education careers are expected to grow 7.7% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to social studies education.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 1,095,500 | 7.5% |
| Middle School Teachers | 677,700 | 7.5% |
| Education Professors | 82,200 | 10.3% |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Professors | 12,700 | 10.4% |
As you might expect, salaries for social studies teacher education graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for social studies education graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers social studies teacher education grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Professors | $85,450 |
| Education Professors | $73,680 |
| High School Teachers | $64,340 |
| Middle School Teachers | $62,030 |
With over 423 different social studies teacher education degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased social studies teacher education school rankings to help you with this.
Social Studies Education is one of 37 different types of Teacher Education Subject Specific programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Education Teaching & Coaching | 8,121 |
| Reading Teacher Education | 6,490 |
| Music Education | 4,761 |
| Mathematics Education | 3,395 |
| English & Language Arts Education | 3,113 |
Image Credit: By Aparajita Datta under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
