by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 1,072 U.S. colleges awarded 40,395 degrees and certificates in Teacher Education Subject Specific. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 51% of graduates. College Factual ranks 582 schools in its 2027 Best Teacher Education Subject Specific Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $50,000 one year after completing, rising to $58,727 after four years.
A major in Teacher Education & Development prepares you teach different subjects to students. This means you could teach English, history, chemistry, math, or even art. The subject possibilities are endless, what is important is that you focus your major around what you are interested in and also pursue a teaching certificate. Each teacher education program is different based on what college you attend and your focus. This program will prepare to become a classroom teacher on your specific subject.
Every college will require different courses for your degree. You will be required to take content courses based upon your focus. These courses will vary depending on the path you intend to pursue. Education courses will also be required; for example literacy, educational psychology, and teaching methods. Concentrations in this major include anything from Agricultural and Art, to Driver and Safety Ed, Health, Math, Music, Science, Computers, Technology and much more.
Studying Teacher Education Subject Specific involves the study of Teacher Education And Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., teacher education subject specific draws strong interest, with 40,395 degrees awarded annually. 1,072 colleges award teacher education subject specific degrees, an average of 38 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,912.
By level, the 40,395 awards include 201 certificates, 1,255 associate degrees, 17,788 bachelor’s degrees, 20,419 master’s degrees and 492 doctorates.
Women earned 66% of teacher education subject specific degrees and certificates in the latest year (26,831 of 40,395). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (28,684) and Hispanic or Latino (4,345), and international students earned 797.
College Factual ranks 582 schools in its 2027 Best Teacher Education Subject Specific Schools ranking, including 28 for associate degrees, 409 for bachelor’s degrees, 301 for master’s degrees and 17 for doctorates. It also ranks teacher education subject specific schools within 49 states. In all, 1,072 colleges offer teacher education subject specific programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Teacher Education Subject Specific Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common teacher education subject specific credential is the master’s degree: 20,419 of the 40,395 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to teacher education subject specific call most for Speaking, Instructing and Learning Strategies, and for knowledge of Education and Training, English Language and Psychology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Speech Clarity and Written Comprehension.
As a teacher, you make the decision about what is being taught in your classroom. You need to have direction and organizational skills in order to make sure what is required by your district is being covered in your classroom. Another skill that is necessary is to be authoritative; it is important to ensure learning will happen in your classroom. You need to be assertive and maintain control while you are teaching your students. However, other important traits of a teacher include patience and creativity. You should also be approachable and kind. Students respect teachers who respect them. Students are also willing to share their problems when teachers show that they are available and they want to help.
Creativity is important in every subject. Students have a short attention span, especially when other students are around to distract them. It is important to use your resources such as technology, other teachers, and items in your community to add to your lessons. An example of this might be teaming up with the science teacher to have a lesson on both the history of mummification and a science lesson on how people were mummified. Then you could all go on a field trip to a museum to view mummies. You cannot be afraid to ask for help or to work with colleagues to make your students learning memorable and exciting.
You should be confident in your subject matter. You should be willing to research to answer difficult questions from your students, while at the same time admitting when you are stumped and get your students on board with figuring out an answer.
In order to become a teacher you must complete a semester of student teaching and become certified in your state. Prior experience working with kids will help you decide if this is the right career for you.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a teacher education subject specific degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 201 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,255 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 17,788 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 20,419 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 492 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to teacher education subject specific, at 43.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 43.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.5% |
| Master’s degree | 12.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 5.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.7% |
| Some college courses | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
30 occupations are related to Teacher Education Subject Specific, with an average median salary of $68,041; the strongest outlook belongs to English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, at 14.3% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Educator, Instructor, Professor and Assistant Professor.
With a degree in teaching you can become a classroom teacher for your specific subjects. Most colleges will require you to get a Master's degree in your concentration which will allow you to succeed in any job in relation to your degree.
The occupation related to teacher education subject specific with the most projected jobs is Education Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,441,246.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | 1,384,848 | 9.0% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,328,652 | -4.2% |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,273,615 | 14.3% |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,269,153 | 10.5% |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,267,153 | 0.4% |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | 1,154,676 | 1.9% |
Teacher Education Subject Specific graduates earn a median $50,000 one year after completing their program, $58,727 after four years and $56,439 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,000 |
| 4 years | $58,727 |
| 5 years | $56,439 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to teacher education subject specific is Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, with a median salary of $99,604.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,604 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $88,437 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,398 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $84,688 |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $83,682 |
| Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $83,485 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific includes 38 concentrations that together award 40,395 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Physical Education Teaching and Coaching (7,130), Reading Teacher Education (6,129) and Music Teacher Education (4,149). It has 14 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 285,439 degrees a year; the largest are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (108,824), Educational Administration and Supervision (44,746) 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 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 44,746 |
| 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
