Early Education
What you'll do in college
Early Childhood Education majors focus on the critical developmental stages of children from birth through age eight. Coursework dives deeply into early cognitive, social, and emotional development, literacy acquisition, play-based learning, and family engagement.
You will learn how to create nurturing, stimulating environments and gain extensive practical experience through practicums in preschools, kindergartens, and primary classrooms.
What you'll do after college
Graduates frequently become preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary school teachers. Others manage or direct childcare centers, work as family support specialists, or develop early learning curricula.
The field is foundational to lifelong learning, and while salaries in pre-K settings can sometimes be lower than public K-12 schools, many find profound joy in shaping the minds of the youngest learners.
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Education | 889 | 35,873 | 6% / 94% | 1% | $52,007 |
| Elementary Education | 751 | 24,575 | 7% / 93% | 1% | $52,022 |
| Early Childhood Education | 419 | 9,668 | 4% / 96% | 1% | $51,458 |
| Early Childhood Special Education | 27 | 316 | 8% / 92% | 1% | $58,317 |
| Early Childhood and Family Studies | 8 | 197 | 4% / 96% | 0% | $51,018 |
| Middle Grades Education | 15 | 193 | 21% / 79% | 1% | $53,280 |
| Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence Education | 1 | 129 | 7% / 93% | 0% | $59,840 |
| Childhood Education | 2 | 126 | 6% / 94% | 1% | $57,758 |
| Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching | 3 | 112 | 3% / 97% | 1% | $52,186 |
| Middle Childhood Education | 7 | 103 | 29% / 71% | 0% | $50,557 |
| Early Care and Education | 1 | 94 | 4% / 96% | 11% | $69,906 |
| Early Childhood Development and Education | 1 | 68 | 4% / 96% | 1% | $48,523 |
| Teacher Education: Elementary Education | 1 | 44 | 5% / 95% | 0% | $50,669 |
| Child Care Management | 2 | 41 | 0% / 100% | 2% | $52,172 |
| Early Childhood Administration | 2 | 32 | 9% / 91% | 0% | |
| Pre-K and Kindergarten Education | 1 | 20 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $50,681 |
| Montessori Teacher Education | 4 | 19 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $52,788 |
| Education and Child Study | 1 | 19 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $52,083 |
| Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship | 1 | 19 | 5% / 95% | 0% | $41,942 |
| Inclusive Early Childhood Education | 1 | 19 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs | 1 | 15 | 0% / 100% | 7% | $53,710 |
| Teacher Education: Early Childhood Education | 1 | 15 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $50,669 |
| Child Care and Support Services Management | 3 | 14 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $54,661 |
| Preschool Education | 2 | 13 | 15% / 85% | 0% | $56,495 |
| Birth-Kindergarten Education | 1 | 8 | 0% / 100% | 12% | $54,370 |
| Teacher Assistant/Aide | 2 | 7 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching | 2 | 4 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $47,244 |
| Child Care and Development | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $57,073 |
| Pre-Kindergarten Education | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $46,320 |
| PreK-4 Education | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $44,828 |