Early Childhood Education Degree Programs

The early years are crucial for child development. In fact, a 2018 Harvard study found children who attended high-quality early childhood education (ECE) programs were more likely to finish high school and less likely to be held back or placed in special education programs throughout their formative years.

Studies like this have led many states to invest heavily in early childhood education, with 43 states now offering public preschool programs. What's more, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that preschool enrollment has increased 20 percent and kindergarten enrollment is up by about 30 percent since the turn of the millennium.

That extra public sector focus and increased overall enrollment can mean an array of job opportunities for those who want to work with young children. With a degree from a campus-based or online early childhood education program, you can learn the skills you need to excel in teaching, administrating or creating programs and policy for early childhood schools.

Hundreds of schools around the country offer early childhood education degrees, so you'll likely have your pick of education destinations. In California alone, universities and community colleges offer a total of nearly 200 early childhood education programs at the associate degree level, as well as around 50 bachelor's programs and 30 graduate and post-graduate plans.

A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education in the field, although administrators and other leadership positions may require a master's degree or higher. Online early childhood education programs may be available at some institutions, particularly at the graduate level. If you're interested in working with children as a career, keep reading to learn more about some top schools, career opportunities at various degree levels and financial aid options for early childhood education students.

Best Colleges for Early Childhood Education Degree Programs 2019-20

The best colleges for early childhood education degrees aren't necessarily the biggest names in higher education. Our methodology focused on schools that offer at least one undergraduate degree in early childhood education and considered variables like affordability, student success, institutional academic support spending and the availability of online, weekend and evening degrees. Check out our top schools below.

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Methodology
1Florida International University (Miami, FL)+
Admission Rate
59%
Graduation Rate
57.81%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Florida International University is one of the anchor institutions in South Florida and the only public research university operating in the Miami-Dade area. It's also one of the larger institutions on our list, boasting a student body of nearly 58,000 learners per semester in 2018. A bonus for students is that once a year, FIU also plays host to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, one of the largest gatherings of its kind in the U.S.

Early childhood education programs at FIU: Four ECE degrees are offered here, including teaching-focused programs at both the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Master of Science (M.S.) levels. A fully online degree in early childhood development is available as well, and a study abroad program to Trento, Italy, allows ECE students gain an international perspective.

Additional Info
2University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)+
Admission Rate
43%
Graduation Rate
72.54%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Just two other schools on our list had a higher graduation rate than the University of Central Florida, which is an even more impressive feat when you consider the size of its student population. UCF has the largest student body of any individual campus on our list, reporting total enrollment of more than 68,000 to the NCES, and over 85 percent of its student body are pursuing undergraduate degrees.

Early childhood education programs at UCF: The bachelor's degree in early childhood development and education at UCF features two tracks -- classroom teaching from pre-kindergarten to primary school (PK-3) and early childhood development -- and offers an undergraduate ECE minor for students in other fields. M.S. and Ph.D. programs are also available.

Additional Info
3Brigham Young University-Idaho (Rexburg, ID)+
Admission Rate
97%
Graduation Rate
56.83%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

The Idaho outpost of Utah's Brigham Young University features the lowest average tuition and fees cost of any school on our list, reporting a yearly charge of just over $4,000 for in-state tuition and fees. BYU-I also earmarked the third-largest percentage of its annual budget for academic support expenses out of all 700+ schools we surveyed for this analysis.

Early childhood education programs at BYU-I: Students here can pursue a B.S. in child development that focuses on research and scholarship or a classroom teaching degree in early childhood special education (ECSE). The ECSE degree features several opportunities to apply your classroom lessons, from early practicum sessions for student-teaching experience to working with families and other professionals in on-campus early childhood education labs.

Additional Info
4University of Washington (Seattle, WA)+
Admission Rate
49%
Graduation Rate
84.16%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

The Seattle campus of the University of Washington posted an impressive graduation rate in 2017-18 -- over 84 percent -- qualifying it for the No. 10 spot in the country in that category. UW was also one of the top schools nationally for its raw dollar amount spent per student per year on academic and instructional support expenses, nearly doubling the amount reported by the second-highest spending institution on our list.

Early childhood education programs at UW: Students looking for online early childhood education degrees can pursue a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in early care and education at UW, which can be completed entirely in the virtual classroom. ECE pros who want to move into the leadership tier can pursue a Master's in Education Policy (M.E.P.) on campus here.

Additional Info
5San Diego State University (San Diego, CA)+
Admission Rate
35%
Graduation Rate
74.09%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Founded in 1897, this member of the California State University system began its life with just seven faculty members and fewer than 100 students. San Diego State University has grown quite a bit since then, enrolling 36,000 students in 2018 and awarding approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees that spring. The student body here is highly decorated, as well, earning a total of more than 90 Fulbright awards since 2005.

Early childhood education programs at SDSU: The department of special education at SDSU offers an early childhood special education specialization for undergraduates hoping to teach in the classroom. Five study plans in child and family development are available as well, including an M.S. degree with a concentration in early childhood mental health.

Additional Info
6University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)+
Admission Rate
39%
Graduation Rate
89.93%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

No other school on our list posted a higher graduation rate than the University of Florida, where more than 88 percent of students complete their degrees in fewer than 12 semesters. Students who enroll also tend to stay the course once they begin studying; UF has a 96 percent retention rate for first-year students, better than all but five of the over 700 schools in our study.

Early childhood education programs at UF: ECE students have five total study plans to choose from here. UF's one undergraduate plan, the Unified Early Childhood ProTeach program, takes an interdisciplinary approach and combines bachelor's and master's study to culminate in a master's degree. Working teachers can also earn a fully online graduate certificate in early childhood education.

Additional Info
7California State University, Fullerton (Fullerton, CA)+
Admission Rate
43%
Graduation Rate
67.75%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Another member of the CSU system, California State University, Fullerton features a dynamic list of adjunct learning centers that includes a wildlife sanctuary in a regional wilderness park and an art center in the city of Santa Ana in Orange County. No other school on our list awards a higher number of ECE degrees than Cal State Fullerton, where around 450 early childhood education students graduate each semester.

Early childhood education programs at Cal State Fullerton: If you're hoping to focus your ECE study on literacy and reading education, Cal State Fullerton has a set of programs for you. Graduate students here can earn an M.S. in education with a concentration in literacy and reading education, a reading and literacy leadership specialist credential and more.

Additional Info
8Rasmussen College-Minnesota (St. Cloud, MN)+
Admission Rate
Open
Graduation Rate
43.18%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Founded in Stillwater, Minnesota, in 1900, Rasmussen College is a nationally distributed network of private, for-profit schools that focuses much of its energy on distance education programs. It posted the largest percentage of online enrollment among all the schools that made our list -- more than 93 percent of Rasmussen students take at least some of their courses in the virtual classroom.

Early childhood education programs at Rasmussen: A full range of online early childhood education degrees is available through Rasmussen's St. Cloud campus. Students in the ECE bachelor's program may choose to specialize their study toward child development or ECE leadership, while the associate degree and diploma programs offer specializations in child development and special needs education.

Additional Info
9University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)+
Admission Rate
73%
Graduation Rate
68.02%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

Only one other school on our list reserves a larger portion of its annual budget for academic support expenses than this Ohio institution. More than 41 percent of the student body at the University of Cincinnati took at least one online course in 2018, and its graduation rate ranks in the 90th percentile among the hundreds of schools we analyzed.

Early childhood education programs at UC: Online early childhood education programs at UC include a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) plan that prepares students to teach children from birth to age five in a variety of educational and child care settings. It also provides a certificate-level program to train students for the Child Development Associate (CDA) exam, and the two-year associate degree features three distinct focus areas.

Additional Info
10Ohio University-Main Campus (Athens, OH)+
Admission Rate
52%
Graduation Rate
83.51%
Number of Degrees Offered
N/A
Number of Degrees Conferred
N/A
At least 1 program offered
N/A

First opening its doors in 1808 with just one professor and three students, Ohio University is the longest-standing institution to make our list of top ECE schools, It's grown in leaps and bounds since that fateful year, adding ten more campuses around the Buckeye State and educating more than 28,000 students in 2018 while managing to keep its student-faculty ratio to a comfortable 17:1.

Early childhood education programs at OHIO: Students here have access to a B.S.Ed. in early childhood education that leads to a teaching license for preschool through third grade. Graduate students can pursue a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in reading education, and online offerings include a 10-credit ECE generalist endorsement and a dual licensure master's degree in ECE and ECSE.

Additional Info
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

Early Childhood Education Degrees and Careers

There are many levels of early childhood education degrees, ranging from non-degree undergraduate certificates to highly advanced doctoral degrees for post-graduate professionals. Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect from each degree level:

Undergraduate certificate programs in early childhood education
Often designed for completion in one year or less, undergraduate certificates in early childhood education may qualify you to work with children in private schools or child care centers, but they usually do not prepare students fully for public school ECE certification. Common courses in these ECE programs include children's literature, foundations of child development and health, safety and nutrition.
Childcare worker
These professionals work primarily in day care centers or private households, although some are employed at religious organizations or elementary schools. They read and play with children, organize play activities and monitor children's hygiene and safety.
Private school teacher assistant
A certificate may qualify you to work in-classroom as an assistant or aide, helping established early childhood teachers keep classroom records and supervise students.
Associate degree programs in early childhood education
Some colleges and universities offer fully online early childhood education programs at this level, which goes somewhat deeper into the necessary knowledge and skills of the field than non-degree programs typically do. These programs often include some subject based-courses, such as science and math for young children, and provide additional general education instruction.
Public school teacher assistant
Most teacher assistants in public schools must have at least an associate degree or two years of college experience. Some jobs may require candidates to hold certifications in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Preschool teacher
Preschool teachers create and implement learning activities that help children aged five or younger develop important social and pre-learning skills.
Bachelor's degree programs in early childhood education
ECE degrees at the bachelor's level take roughly four years of full-time study to complete and include both theoretical and practical components. Bachelor's degree plans often include courses on curriculum principles, play and creativity, special needs learning, phonics and methods for teaching reading.
Kindergarten teacher
Kindergarten teachers in public schools must be licensed as well as holding a bachelor's degree. They are responsible for teaching, creating lesson plans and communicating effectively with parents and administrators.
Special education teacher - preschool
Workers in this occupation specialize in providing instruction to children facing physical, mental or emotional challenges. Special education teachers may also coordinate services with other care professionals.
Childcare center director
With some experience in the field and a certification like the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, you can become the supervisor or administrator of a childcare facility.
Master's degree programs in early childhood education
Master's-level ECE programs address the core concepts of early childhood education in great depth and tend to include a considerable focus on theory and research. Depending on the program, ECE graduate degrees might cover concepts like applied learning theories, birth-to-kindergarten integrated curriculum strategies, family studies, infant behavior and qualitative research methods.
Instructional coordinator
These high-level education strategists oversee the curriculum and teaching standards of entire schools or school districts. They typically need around five years of experience on the job as well as a master's degree. Learn more about becoming an instructional coordinator.
Elementary school principal
Principals oversee all the operations of an individual school, including school safety, staff operations and curriculum implementation. Considerable work experience (five years or more) is often required' learn more about becoming a school principal.
Doctoral programs in early childhood education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees are the most advanced credentials available at early childhood education schools. Some ECE programs at this level place a strong emphasis on research and statistical analysis, while others focus on areas such as educational leadership and the global challenges faced by the early childhood teaching profession.
Education researcher
This scholarly profession takes a critical eye toward the theories and methods employed by working teachers and uses qualitative and statistical research to determine their success and look for improvements.
Postsecondary early childhood education teacher
Many high-level university professors of early childhood education hold doctoral degrees. They are typically responsible for shaping the next generation of teachers and producing scholarly writing in their field of specialization.

For more insight into working in the field of early childhood education, read about becoming an early childhood education specialist.

Early Childhood Education Program Accreditation

Early childhood education program accreditation is a process by which an independent industry group certifies that the instruction provided in ECE programs meets the standards of quality expected by school administrators and employers. Most ECE degrees are accredited by the following agencies:

Individual states may also conduct their own accreditation process for ECE programs. Check with your state board of education for more details.

Early Childhood Education Certification and Licensure

Certification and licensure are handled at the state level, so the exact requirements for ECE certification can vary from one region to another. Some states may use the terms “teacher certification” and “teacher license” interchangeably, while others may have one set of requirements to become certified and a different set for licensure. Make sure to contact your state board of education or another reliable source to find out what it takes to teach in the state where you live.

Different occupations in the education field may also have unique certification requirements. To give you more detailed information on ECE certification for specific careers, we’ve put together profiles for education careers like the following:

Career Outlook for Early Childhood Development

Given the high priority many states and parents place on early childhood education, the future of several careers in this field is bright. Here's a closer look at the job outlook for some early childhood professions.

JOB TITLE
AVERAGE SALARY($)
EMPLOYMENT
PROJECTED JOB GROWTH(%)
Child, Family, and School Social Workers$51,030327,7107.3%
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$53,69052,3607.2%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$34,650431,3507.1%
Preschool, Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Special Education Teachers$61,4204,211,4703.9%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$60,210124,2903.8%
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,9301,430,4803.3%
Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Many colleges and universities offer their own scholarship and financial assistance to those enrolled in their early childhood education programs. Plus, private organizations and foundations may offer their own awards. These include the Inspire Our Future Scholarship and the Bright Futures Scholarship for Early Childhood Teachers, among others.

Elda Washer Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating senior from Cleveland or Jefferson High School who will attend a public or nonprofit college university. FAFSA required. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$10,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

1-Mar

Nick Van Pernis Scholarship Fund
Applicant must be a graduate of a public or private high school in the Districts of North Kona, South Kona, North Kohala, South Kohala or Ka'u who is majoring in biotechnology, early childhood education, health sciences or marine sciences. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$5,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

31-Jan

Slippery Rock University Scholarships
Awards to Slippery Rock University students are based upon a variety of criteria including grade point average, test scores, leadership, activities and community service More

AWARD AMOUNT

$5,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

28-Feb

Guy C. and Grace Glancy Mahorney Scholarship Fund
Applicant must be pursuing a degree in elementary education at Ball State University. More

AWARD AMOUNT

$5,000

APPLICATION DEADLINE

1-May

Source: Scholarship directory data is copyrighted material which is reproduced on this website by permission of CollegeXpress, a division of Carnegie Dartlet. Copyright © 2024 by CollegeXpress.
Scholarship Database

Q&A with an expert

Tiffany Bridgewater
Tiffany Bridgewater
Head of Lower School at Louisville Collegiate School
Q:

What are the most common educational paths for those interested in this career field?

A:

First and foremost, anyone interested in this career field should love working with young children between the ages of about four through eight. Some schools require a bachelor's degree in child development or early childhood education; however, a graduate degree in early childhood education has become more common among early childhood educators.

Q:

Why is a degree in early childhood education important?

A:

Advances in brain research show that the first five years are important to the cognitive as well as social emotional development of young children. This time is also important to the success young children experience later in their academic journey because those early years are building block years.

Professional Organizations

With nearly 60,000 members, this association represents individuals working with children from birth through age 8.
Founded in 1892, this organization is committed to promoting excellence in early childhood education globally.
The largest professional organization in the country, the NEA represents educators working in public schools at all levels.
Methodology

To be included in these rankings, all schools must meet the following initial criteria for the specific subject being ranked.

  1. Offer a degree or certificate program in that subject.
  2. Have awarded at least one degree or certificate in that subject in the most recent year of IPEDS data available.

Based on those criteria, we ranked all 2-year and 4-year schools in IPEDS that reported data for all of the following points. Ratings are calculated on a 10-point scale, using the weights specified.

  1. In-state undergraduate tuition & fees, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017
  2. Median debt of completers, College Scorecard, 2017
  3. 3-year loan repayment rate, College Scorecard, 2017
  4. Graduation rate, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017
  5. Full-time retention rate, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017
  6. Institutional spending, based on two equally weighted factors, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017
    1. Instructional and academic support expenses per full-time enrolled student
    2. Instructional and academic support spending as a percentage of all expenses
  7. Flexibility, based on the following factors, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017
    1. Percent of students enrolled fully or partly in distance education
    2. Whether the school offers programs that can be completed entirely in the evenings and on weekends
    3. Whether the school offers academic and career counseling
  8. Size of program, based on how many of the degrees and certificates awarded in 2016-17 were in this particular subject, National Center for Education Statistics, 2017
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