by our College Data Analytics TeamSecondary Education was the 84th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 10,547 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 9.6% increase in secondary teaching degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 9,530.
Our 2023 Best Secondary Education Schools ranking analyzes 369 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for secondary education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of secondary teaching programs later in this article.
When studying Secondary Teaching, 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 teaching others how to do something and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
secondary 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. Once you obtain your degree, additional secondary teaching certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are various different levels of secondary teaching degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in secondary education to something that takes less time like a . Secondary Education programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| 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 secondary teaching, with approximately 52.6% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for secondary teaching workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 52.9% |
| Master’s Degree | 24.3% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 14.8% |
| Doctoral Degree | 4.3% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 4.3% |
100.0% of secondary teaching workers have at least a associate. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in secondary education have received.
This of course varies depending on which secondary teaching career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your secondary teaching degree? Secondary Education careers are expected to grow 7.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to secondary education.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 1,095,500 | 7.5% |
As you might expect, salaries for secondary teaching graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for secondary education graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers secondary teaching grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Teachers | $64,340 |
With over 979 different secondary teaching 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 secondary teaching school rankings to help you with this.
One of 12 majors within the Teacher Education Grade Specific area of study, Secondary Education has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Elementary Education | 43,003 |
| Early Childhood Education | 32,920 |
| Teacher Education | 9,949 |
| Teacher Development & Methodology | 6,165 |
| Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education & Teaching | 3,517 |
