Graduate to a better career with one of the nation's Best Master's in Early Childhood Education Degrees.
Do you envision yourself in the classroom, inspiring young learners to pursue their curiosities? Are you interested in what causes a child to learn, grow, and develop? Then an advanced degree in early childhood development and education may be the next best career move for you.
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What kind of Master's in Early Childhood Education degree should you get?
Earning a Master's in Early Childhood Education degree can mean many things depending on the program experience and licensure you seek. For example, a MA won't prepare you for state exams and licensure like a Master's in Education (MEd) will, but it does provide a solid foundation in childhood development theory and practice.
If you hope to work directly in nurseries, pre-kindergarten, or kindergarten classrooms then a MEd is the best route to take. But if you would rather work in childcare settings or in early childhood administration, a MA or MS can help you get there.
Though most of these degrees are traditional on-campus programs, some can be completed fully online. We've been sure to note which. Because online education is not only a flexible way to advance your education and career, it's affordable too.
So, be sure to check out College Choice's Best Online Masters in Education degrees.
How much money do people make with a Masters in Early Childhood Education degree?
With an advanced degree in early childhood development and education you can acquire a number of exciting career roles that are both financially rewarding and economically stable.
For example, early education teachers make, on average, $55,490 annually. And special education teachers working in pre-kindergarten classrooms make nearly $58,000 a year.
And those numbers nearly double for those who go into early childhood administration. Administrators make $95,390 on average each year.
And while all of these job roles differ from one another, all are in high demand with projected growth rates of around 10 percent in the next few years.
What are the requirements for a Masters in Early Childhood Education degree?
Though our lists includes MEd, MS, and MA programs, each have similar requirements. So as a graduate student at any of these schools you can expect take a number of traditional core classes covering early literacy, diverse learning, family and child relationships, and more.
In addition to these, you'll have the opportunity to specialize and gain hands-on experience through an internship or fieldwork. Some programs even require it. We've been sure to note which.
Finally, allocate between one and two years to earn your degree. Depending on the kind of degree and licensure you seek you may be able to graduate in just 12 months, though it could take longer.
What are the best Masters in Early Childhood Education degrees?
While some of these early childhood education (ECE) degrees are Masters of Education and others Masters of Arts, they all share on thing in common: they are the best early childhood education graduate programs in the country.
To determine the best programs we first examined every university and college around the nation that offers the degree. From there we looked at the school's academic reputation, considering also the student retention rates—as those are a clear sign of student satisfaction. Finally, we factored in the affordability of the program and the early salaries of graduates.
After such exhaustive research and data collation, we found those programs that are the nation's best at training educators. Our figures and information come from the university and colleges' websites, PayScale, and nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics.
Top 10 Best Master's in Early Childhood Education Degrees
See our rankings methodology page.
