by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 842 U.S. colleges awarded 44,746 degrees and certificates in Educational Administration. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 79% of graduates. College Factual ranks 598 schools in its 2027 Best Educational Administration Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $65,167 one year after completing, rising to $75,584 after four years.
Would you describe yourself as the teacher's pet? If you find the field of education fascinating and rewarding, you might want a career as a principal or superintendent. A major in Educational Administration will be the ideal preparation for this career. In this major you will be prepared to lead schools ranging from elementary to high school level. This path is can be very different from classroom teaching. You manage the day to day operations of the school and help the school move towards the set goals and objectives.
This major will require you to take classes such as counseling, education, law, curriculum development, ethics, management and psychology.
There are many different concentrations under this major. Some of the more popular concentrations are Educational Leadership and Administration, Adult and Continuing Education, Curriculum Supervision, Higher Education Administration, and Elementary and Middle School Administration.
Studying Educational Administration involves the study of Educational Administration And Supervision.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, educational administration is a popular field of study, with 44,746 degrees awarded annually. 842 colleges award educational administration degrees, an average of 53 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,963.
By level, the 44,746 awards include 1 certificates, 32 associate degrees, 536 bachelor’s degrees, 35,227 master’s degrees and 8,948 doctorates.
Women earned 72% of educational administration degrees and certificates in the latest year (32,398 of 44,746). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (25,997) and Black or African American (8,220), and international students earned 773.
College Factual ranks 598 schools in its 2027 Best Educational Administration Schools ranking, including 13 for bachelor’s degrees, 474 for master’s degrees and 261 for doctorates. It also ranks educational administration schools within 51 states. In all, 842 colleges offer educational administration programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Educational Administration Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common educational administration credential is the master’s degree: 35,227 of the 44,746 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to educational administration call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Education and Training, Administration and Management and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
As an administrator or principal you need excellent communication and leadership skills. As a person in the leadership position you will be managing resources, personnel, and school finance and law. Administrators must be organized, computer savvy and up-to-date on recent technology.
As well as being an effective leader to your staff, you will also make decisions that impact the school. As an administrator you will share your perspective and ideas on factors like politics and economics. You will use others to help develop your ideas and broaden your perspectives. You need to have an open mind to hear others, but also have the ability to make hard decisions. Those who do well in this field have a heard for service as well as a vision of the future of education. This person should also be someone who likes to take charge and have ideas on how to get their vision accomplished.
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How long an educational administration degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 32 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 536 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 35,227 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 8,948 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to educational administration, at 45.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 45.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 21.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 7.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.2% |
| Some college courses | 2.5% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to Educational Administration, with an average median salary of $140,127; the strongest outlook belongs to Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, at 7.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Testing Director, Education Supervisor, Education Director and Extension Work Director.
As an educational administrator you can become a principal, superintendent, or another type of school official. You may also work in law or school policy. In order to become an educational administrator, you need a minimum of your master's degree and a certain number of years as a teacher.
The occupation related to educational administration with the most projected jobs is Training and Development Managers, at 394,938.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Training and Development Managers | 394,938 | -0.4% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 309,910 | 7.7% |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 237,062 | -1.7% |
| Education Administrators, All Other | 234,350 | -0.8% |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | 105,632 | 2.6% |
Educational Administration graduates earn a median $65,167 one year after completing their program, $75,584 after four years and $74,368 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,167 |
| 4 years | $75,584 |
| 5 years | $74,368 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to educational administration is Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare, with a median salary of $178,795.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | $178,795 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $161,927 |
| Training and Development Managers | $139,524 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $129,049 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $91,340 |
Educational Administration includes 14 concentrations that together award 44,746 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Educational Leadership and Administration, General (31,629), Higher Education/Higher Education Administration (4,258) and Educational Administration and Supervision, Other (2,266). It has 14 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 281,088 degrees a year; the largest are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (108,824), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (40,395) and Special Education and Teaching (35,428). Browse all Education majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,824 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 40,395 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 35,428 |
| Education, General | 26,982 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 23,141 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 14,088 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 9,479 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5,808 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,483 |
| Education, Other | 4,291 |
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