by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 43,003 people earned their degree in elementary education, making the major the 17th most popular in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 8,975 elementary education graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major” ranking looked at 429 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in elementary education. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in elementary education.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
The elementary teaching school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree elementary teaching students.
Out of the 429 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Medaille College landed the #1 spot on the list. Medaille is a small school located in Buffalo, New York that handed out 102 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 429 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Sinte Gleska University landed the #2 spot on the list. Sinte Gleska University is a public institution located in Mission, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Elementary Education at Sinte Gleska University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of West Alabama. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major. University of West Alabama is a medium-sized school located in Livingston, Alabama that handed out 276 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Elementary Education at University of West Alabama
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Sierra Nevada College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major. This small school is located in Incline Village, Nevada, and it awarded 27 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Heritage University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major. Heritage University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Toppenish, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
With a ranking of #6, Piedmont College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. Piedmont College is a small school located in Demorest, Georgia that handed out 100 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Elementary Education at Piedmont College
Metropolitan College of New York landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Metropolitan College of New York is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 36 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Elementary Education at Metropolitan College of New York
Georgia Southwestern State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Georgia Southwestern State University is located in Americus, Georgia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 masters’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Antioch University - Seattle ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. Antioch University - Seattle is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 18 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Elementary Education at Antioch University - Seattle
Truett McConnell University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Truett McConnell University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Pittsburg State University ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. Pitt State is a medium-sized public school situated in Pittsburg, Kansas. It awarded 118 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
National Louis University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. National Louis University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 138 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
Niagara University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Niagara University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Niagara University, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 72 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Delta State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Delta State University is located in Cleveland, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 masters’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Elementary Education at Delta State University
Brandman University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Brandman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 191 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Eastern Oregon University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking, coming in at #16. Eastern Oregon University is a small public school situated in La Grande, Oregon. It awarded 43 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Elementary Education at Eastern Oregon University
Wesleyan College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. Wesleyan College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Macon, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
American International College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. This small school is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 47 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
SUNY Potsdam came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Located in Potsdam, New York, this small public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified masters’s elementary teaching students in 2020-2021.
Cardinal Stritch University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. Cardinal Stritch University is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 masters’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
William Carey University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking, coming in at #21. This medium-sized school is located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and it awarded 59 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Elementary Education at William Carey University
With a ranking of #22, Hawaii Pacific University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. This small school is located in Honolulu, Hawaii, and it awarded 34 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Elementary Education at Hawaii Pacific University
With a ranking of #23, University of Bridgeport did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. University of Bridgeport is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It awarded 58 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #24, City University of Seattle did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major list. This small school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 26 masters’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Indiana University - Southeast came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Elementary Teaching Major ranking. Located in New Albany, Indiana, this small public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified masters’s elementary teaching students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Elementary Education at Indiana University - Southeast
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | University of Montevallo | Montevallo, AL |
| 52 | University of Alaska Southeast | Juneau, AK |
| 53 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | Olathe, KS |
| 54 | Bank Street College of Education | New York, NY |
| 55 | Le Moyne College | Syracuse, NY |
| 56 | Whitworth University | Spokane, WA |
| 57 | Hunter College | New York, NY |
| 58 | University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, KY |
| 59 | McDaniel College | Westminster, MD |
| 60 | Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL |
| 61 | Cambridge College | Boston, MA |
| 62 | Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL |
| 63 | Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA |
| 64 | The College of New Jersey | Ewing, NJ |
| 65 | Blue Mountain College | Blue Mountain, MS |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
