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Specific Subjects Education

What you'll do in college

This major bridges your passion for a specialized subject—such as music, art, physical education, or business—with the pedagogical skills needed to teach it. You will split your time between mastering your specific craft in studios, gyms, or labs, and taking core education courses in classroom management and educational psychology.

The degree culminates in specialized student teaching, where you learn to adapt your subject's curriculum to various age groups and skill levels.

What you'll do after college

Most graduates find employment as specialized teachers in elementary, middle, or high schools. Because subjects like art, music, and PE span multiple grades, you may teach an entire school's student body rather than a single homeroom.

Others pursue careers as athletic coaches, private music or art instructors, corporate trainers, or directors of community recreation and arts programs.

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$51,349
315
100–82%
$53,055
624
82–62%
$59,262
313
62–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$50,549
220
400–1100
$53,050
440
1100–1260
$59,245
215
1280–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$44,333p10 $62,919p90 Work College Female-only Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–25 Private University 21–40 College of the Ozarks · $30,444 St Catherine University · $59,427 Barton College · $47,658 Albion College · $52,146 Buena Vista University · $52,766 Huntington University · $45,716 Linfield University · $63,542 University of Montana Western · $49,711 Cal Poly - Pomona · $63,425 Clemson University · $45,156 North Carolina A&T State University · $59,489 North Carolina Central University · $55,387 CUNY Queens College · $69,509 Fayetteville State University · $40,839 Pennsylvania State University · $53,731 New Mexico State University · $50,639 CUNY York College · $54,127 Northwestern Oklahoma State University · $49,691 Illinois State University · $55,738 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $50,134 Southern Arkansas University · $47,945 Fresno State · $59,795 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $51,467 Oklahoma State University · $52,976 SUNY Oneonta · $66,871 East Carolina University · $47,784 Northeastern State University · $49,576 Northwest Missouri State University · $43,088 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $63,679 Temple University · $53,579 University of Central Arkansas · $45,778 University of Nebraska at Kearney · $51,268 University of Northern Iowa · $47,443 Western Illinois University · $49,121 SUNY College at Geneseo · $53,810 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse · $53,004 Old Dominion University · $50,910 University of Idaho · $51,940 University of Louisville · $56,902 Washington State University · $60,883 Indiana University · $50,736 Valdosta State University · $46,175 Winona State University · $50,609 Eastern Kentucky University · $40,497 Fitchburg State University · $54,313 Southeast Missouri State University · $38,822 State University of New York at Oswego · $57,669 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $51,736 University of Central Oklahoma · $51,142 Valley City State University · $51,811 Bowling Green State University · $46,039 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $52,671 Eastern Washington University · $54,916 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $52,857 University of North Carolina Asheville · $40,255 University of North Dakota · $51,709 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater · $51,631 Western Michigan University · $49,919 Central Washington University · $62,919 Emporia State University · $46,340 Ferris State University · $48,907 Fort Hays State University · $53,261 Indiana State University · $46,163 SUNY Buffalo State University · $47,811 South Dakota State University · $51,722 Southern Utah University · $52,567 University of Nevada, Reno · $68,939 West Virginia University · $50,557 Western Kentucky University · $41,362 Western Oregon University · $49,490 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $52,202 Minot State University · $52,934 University of Wisconsin - Platteville · $48,600 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $43,771 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $53,835 North Dakota State University · $50,243 Pennsylvania State University - Hazleton · $51,246 Pennsylvania State University - Scranton · $52,032 Plymouth State University · $40,843 San Francisco State University · $65,728 Utah State University · $60,160 Pittsburg State University · $49,676 Idaho State University · $51,383 Kansas State University · $47,825 Dickinson State University · $49,935 Montana State University · $49,990 Langston University · $41,553 Utah Valley University · $50,438 Wayne State College · $49,237 Brigham Young University · $52,995 North Carolina Wesleyan University · $49,106 Liberty University · $60,547 Harding University · $46,567 Manhattan College · $69,703 Messiah University · $50,981 Missouri Baptist University · $39,372 Concordia University Wisconsin · $46,891 Queens University of Charlotte · $53,804 Caldwell University · $60,457 Morningside University · $51,164 Trinity Christian College · $64,580 Emmanuel University · $49,383 Immaculata University · $50,094 Lee University · $45,840 Otterbein University · $49,349 Saint Norbert College · $49,985 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $44,333 Butler University · $50,028 University of Georgia · $51,750 University of Maryland, College Park · $67,437 Ohio State University · $54,863 Lehigh University · $65,245 Work College: mean $30,444 Female-only: mean $59,427 Liberal Arts: mean $52,366 Public University: mean $51,592 Religious University: mean $51,953 Private University: mean $50,028 Public University 1–25: mean $58,017 Private University 21–40: mean $65,245 All colleges: p10 $44,333 All colleges: p90 $62,919
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Specific Subjects Education 127 1,252 22% / 78% 1% $52,595 96%
Agricultural Teacher Education 29 317 26% / 74% 0% $51,704 96%
Public Health Education 16 196 16% / 84% 1% $52,871 97%
Trade and Industrial Teacher Education 11 158 38% / 62% 0% $52,305 95%
Community Health Education 4 157 16% / 84% 1% $57,106 93%
Family and Consumer Sciences Education 21 99 3% / 97% 0% $49,379 94%
Inclusive Childhood Education 1 63 6% / 94% 0% $53,810 100%
Health Sciences Education 1 61 23% / 77% 0% $50,736 96%
Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education 9 60 3% / 97% 0% $53,163 96%
Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education 10 32 47% / 53% 0% $51,128 96%
Business Education 10 19 53% / 47% 0% $49,558 95%
Exercise Science Education 1 19 32% / 68% 0% $54,863 98%
Business Teacher Education 14 17 65% / 35% 12% $50,500 95%
Dance Education 2 17 18% / 82% 0% $50,585 97%
Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 4 8 38% / 62% 0% $56,679 92%
Marketing Education 1 8 38% / 62% 0% $53,835 93%
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education 3 7 0% / 100% 0% $53,735 96%
Dance and Drama Education 1 6 0% / 100% 0% $50,438 87%
Business Teaching 1 3 33% / 67% 0% $47,443 100%
Psychology Teacher Education 4 2 50% / 50% 0% $52,974 96%
Psychology Education 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $52,146 100%
Indian/Native American Education 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $49,576