by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, early childhood education was the 34th most popular major nationwide with 32,920 degrees awarded. This represents a 5.8% increase in child development degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 31,017.
Our 2023 Best Early Childhood Education Schools ranking analyzes 497 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for early childhood education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of child development programs later in this article.
Teaching others how to do something is a required skill for child development majors. Talking to others to convey information effectively and selecting and using training instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things are all required skills for careers related to this major.
early childhood education degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific child development careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are many different child development degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in early childhood education to something that takes less time like a . Depending on the early childhood 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 bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to child development, with approximately 46.4% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to child development tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 47.7% |
| High School Diploma | 14.8% |
| Master’s Degree | 13.3% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 9.5% |
| Some College Courses | 6.2% |
About 68.6% of workers in careers related to child development obtain at least bachelor's degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in early childhood education have received.
The education level required is different depending on the child development career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your child development degree? Early Childhood Education careers are expected to grow 9.9% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to early childhood education.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teachers | 528,600 | 10.5% |
| Kindergarten Teachers | 166,700 | 8.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for child development graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for early childhood education graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers child development grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $58,370 |
| Preschool Teachers | $34,410 |
With over 1,877 different child development 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 child development school rankings to help you with this.
Early Childhood Education is one of 12 different types of Teacher Education Grade Specific programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Elementary Education | 43,003 |
| Secondary Education | 10,547 |
| Teacher Education | 9,949 |
| Teacher Development & Methodology | 6,165 |
| Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education & Teaching | 3,517 |
