by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 708 U.S. colleges awarded 31,629 degrees and certificates in General Educational Leadership & Administration. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 79% of graduates. College Factual ranks 499 schools in its 2027 Best General Educational Leadership & 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.
A degree in General Educational Leadership & Administration covers Educational Leadership And Administration, General. A Program That Focuses On The General Principles And Techniques Of Administering A Wide Variety Of Schools And Other Educational Organizations And Facilities, Supervising Educational Personnel At The School Or Staff Level, And That May Prepare Individuals As General Administrators And Supervisors. Examples: [Educational Leadership And Policy], [Educational Administration And Policy], [K-12 Educational Leadership], [K-12 Educational Administration], [School Business Management].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, general educational leadership & administration is a popular field of study, with 31,629 degrees awarded annually. 708 colleges award general educational leadership & administration degrees, an average of 45 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,667.
By level, the 31,629 awards include 1 certificates, 229 bachelor’s degrees, 24,913 master’s degrees and 6,486 doctorates.
Women earned 73% of general educational leadership & administration degrees and certificates in the latest year (22,968 of 31,629). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (18,450) and Black or African American (5,815), and international students earned 474.
College Factual ranks 499 schools in its 2027 Best General Educational Leadership & Administration Schools ranking, including 7 for bachelor’s degrees, 375 for master’s degrees and 210 for doctorates. It also ranks general educational leadership & administration schools within 51 states. In all, 708 colleges offer general educational leadership & administration programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Educational Leadership & Administration Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general educational leadership & administration credential is the master’s degree: 24,913 of the 31,629 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general educational leadership & administration call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Critical Thinking, 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.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a general educational leadership & administration degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 229 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 24,913 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 6,486 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general educational leadership & administration, at 46.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 46.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 15.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 7.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.2% |
| Some college courses | 3.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to General Educational Leadership & Administration, with an average median salary of $140,278; the strongest outlook belongs to Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, at 7.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Testing Director, Education Director, Student Services Director and Education Supervisor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to general educational leadership & administration, at 309,910.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
General Educational Leadership & 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 general educational leadership & 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 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $129,049 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $91,340 |
General Educational Leadership & Administration has 13 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 13,117 degrees a year; the largest are Higher Education/Higher Education Administration (4,258), Educational Administration and Supervision, Other (2,266) and Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision (1,919). Browse all Education majors or the full list of college majors.
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