by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 1,771 U.S. colleges awarded 108,824 degrees and certificates in Teacher Education Grade Specific. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 48% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1,290 schools in its 2027 Best Teacher Education Grade Specific Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $44,824 one year after completing, rising to $51,285 after four years.
Teacher Education and Development will give you all the skills you need to be an excellent teacher. Depending on your concentration, you will learn how to teach different age groups of students. You could choose to concentrate anywhere from preschool to adult learning. Those who graduate with this degree can become classroom teachers or they could teach remedial programs or adult learning classes.
Courses that you may be required to take will vary based on the college in which you attend. Some courses will be urban education, language and literacy, special education, issues in contemporary education, and educational psychology. Courses will also vary depending on what path you intend to pursue. Concentrations in this major include everything from Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Secondary, Adult Education and others.
Studying Teacher Education Grade Specific covers Teacher Education And Professional Development, Specific Levels And Methods.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, teacher education grade specific draws strong interest, with 108,824 degrees awarded annually. 1,771 colleges award teacher education grade specific degrees, an average of 61 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 3,056.
By level, the 108,824 awards include 2,736 certificates, 11,937 associate degrees, 51,915 bachelor’s degrees, 40,141 master’s degrees and 439 doctorates.
Women earned 88% of teacher education grade specific degrees and certificates in the latest year (95,278 of 108,824). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (64,730) and Hispanic or Latino (19,191), and international students earned 1,512.
College Factual ranks 1,290 schools in its 2027 Best Teacher Education Grade Specific Schools ranking, including 315 for associate degrees, 811 for bachelor’s degrees, 423 for master’s degrees and 18 for doctorates. It also ranks teacher education grade specific schools within 52 states. In all, 1,771 colleges offer teacher education grade specific programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Teacher Education Grade Specific Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common teacher education grade specific credential is the bachelor’s degree: 51,915 of the 108,824 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to teacher education grade 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 Oral Comprehension.
You must possess certain skills in order to authoritatively step into a teaching position in the 21st century. Teachers must be confident and assertive in managing their classroom. One of the hardest parts of teaching is enforcing the rules and order in the classroom. You need to be patient, understanding, king, and caring without getting taken advantage of by your students. This is important no matter the age or skill level of your classroom.
Teachers will also be taught how to use technology seamlessly and creatively in your classroom. Depending on the age level of your students, you will employ different methods to keep the attention of every student.
Connecting with your classroom is important no matter the age level. Kindergarteners will need more patience and emotional support, while high school students will appreciate a sense of humor and intelligence. When students see that you are invested in them as people, they are much more willing to work hard for you. Teachers will need to have flexible hours and an approachable manner so that students can feel comfortable coming to talk to you. It is important to pick the student level that you are comfortable with and that you will excel because students can range from the age of 2 to adult.
Experience working with kids or the age-group of your choice will help you decide if this is the career for you. Try getting a job baby-sitting or tutoring, or volunteer with a kids or adult learning program.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a teacher education grade specific degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,736 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 11,937 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 51,915 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 40,141 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 439 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to teacher education grade specific, at 36.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 36.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 31.9% |
| Master’s degree | 10.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 6.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.4% |
| Some college courses | 2.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
13 occupations are related to Teacher Education Grade Specific, with an average median salary of $79,968; the strongest outlook belongs to Training and Development Specialists, at 11.3% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Educator, Teacher, Instructor and Art Teacher.
This major does an excellent job providing students with the skills to become a classroom teacher. Students can continue on to receive a master's degree in their area or another related field.
The occupation related to teacher education grade specific with the most projected jobs is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education, at 1,457,958.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,457,958 | 2.6% |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | 1,154,676 | 1.9% |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,058,186 | 6.4% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Self-Enrichment Teachers | 944,792 | 8.8% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 692,039 | -1.4% |
| Teaching Assistants, Special Education | 656,798 | 9.5% |
Teacher Education Grade Specific graduates earn a median $44,824 one year after completing their program, $51,285 after four years and $48,771 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,824 |
| 4 years | $51,285 |
| 5 years | $48,771 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to teacher education grade specific, with a median salary of $99,352.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,352 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Teaching Assistants, Special Education | $96,801 |
| Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education | $89,337 |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $83,682 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $83,105 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $77,927 |
| Self-Enrichment Teachers | $77,096 |
Teacher Education Grade Specific includes 13 concentrations that together award 108,824 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Elementary Education and Teaching (42,620), Early Childhood Education and Teaching (33,737) and Secondary Education and Teaching (10,793). It has 14 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 217,010 degrees a year; the largest are Educational Administration and Supervision (44,746), 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 |
|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 44,746 |
| 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
