Guide to getting a bachelor’s degree in education

Most of us can think of a teacher that had a massive impact on us growing up. Perhaps it was that one math teacher who finally made algebra make sense, or an English teacher who introduced us to a book series we devoured throughout middle school. Maybe it was a drama teacher who saw our potential when nobody else seemed to, or the gym teacher who lent an ear and sage advice when friendship or family struggles were getting us down.

The academic foundation teachers construct is essential for many future pursuits, from the work we choose to do as adults, to knowledge of how to participate in a democratic political system. A good teacher providing a fresh and unique perspective on a familiar subject may spark an interest that alters the entire trajectory of our lives and career paths.

Teachers also educate in other ways, helping students build what are known as “noncognitive skills”. These include motivation, adaptability to new situations, and self-regulation (the ability to consider long-term consequences of actions and to respond to experiences in appropriate but spontaneous ways — a key skill for entry into adulthood, according to most psychologists). Research increasingly suggests that helping students improve noncognitive skills improves their grades and likelihood of graduating from high school more than a focus on test scores does.

After parents, teachers are often the most important role models and dependable adults in young people’s lives. There’s a reason we remember their names and influence even decades later.

Because teaching is such an indispensable and influential profession, the path to this career is highly regulated. Earning the best bachelor’s in education is the primary educational route to becoming a licensed K-12 public school teacher.

Bachelor’s in education program basics

A bachelor’s degree in education is a crucial component towards a career as a public school teacher. It can be difficult to enter the program straight out of high school, as there are college-level course prerequisites that need to be completed. If applying straight out of high school, look for programs that have a preparatory semester where prerequisites can be taken, or consider an associate’s degree in education as a first step. A bachelor’s in education that includes teacher prep will save you time. Otherwise, you will be required to complete teacher prep after graduating. Following graduation, completion of required examinations will be the final hurdle on your way to licensure.

What can you do with a bachelor’s in education?

Following completion of a bachelor’s in education, a teacher preparation program is completed before seeking licensure. Depending on the state you wish to teach in, you may need to pass additional assessments and exams before being admitted to a teacher prep program or being eligible for licensure.

Teacher preparation programs are based either on the grade level or subject area you wish to teach. They can be taken alongside your bachelor’s degree, or after, as a post-baccalaureate or master’s program. The completion of a particular program qualifies you to teach at that level.

» Read: Exploring the value of community college baccalaureates

Should you get a bachelor’s in education?

Whether you would like to educate children face-to-face by teaching, enhance the curriculum by conducting research, or mentor teachers in a leadership role, a bachelor’s degree in education can offer an abundance of professional opportunities. It also equips you with the skills necessary for working in the education sector, and provides key knowledge and credentials for transferring to a master’s program.

Below you can view a short-term comparison between the entire bachelor’s degree market and a bachelor’s in education. It is a snapshot of earnings 2 years after graduation. Keep in mind that things change over years of employment as experience and expertise grow.

Below you can find a longer-term estimate of degree performance. It is based on census survey data detailing people’s major, age, and salary.

In terms of the teaching profession, 2 year post-degree is not the ideal milestone at which to measure earnings. At that point, many would-be teachers may still be completing additional coursework and teacher’s prep programs, as well as obtaining licensure, meaning not yet being employed full-time as teachers.

Salary growth is somewhat slower for teachers at first when compared to all bachelor’s degree holders, but salaries are less likely to drop in the final decades of employment. Part of the explanation for this is that in other roles, individuals often taken seniority and thus salary cuts as they age, which isn’t as common in teaching.

The District of Columbia and New Jersey offer some of the highest teacher salaries in the country 2 years out, on average – both above $45,000 per year – about $10,000 more than the national average. However, D.C. also has on average, the most expensive programs in the country.

» Read: Calculating the earning potential of your college degree

How to pick a bachelor’s in education degree

Along with the cost of the program, other important considerations when choosing where to study include finding an accredited program and one that offers specialization in the field that interests you.

Accreditation refers to a degree meeting national academic standards and being officially designated as such. Enrolling in an accredited program qualifies students for federal financial aid and future licensure, while also assuring future employers that graduates have the skills and training needed to practice with their degree.

Look for schools with regional accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and approved by the relevant state board of education. Other accrediting bodies for teacher preparation programs include the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).

At the bachelor’s level, you may choose an area of study that corresponds to the age group and subjects you wish to teach. Programs may be organized under specific titles such as Mathematics Education (Secondary) – B.S. or Special Ed. and Elementary Ed. (Dual Licensure) – B.A., but these likely all technically fall within the bachelor of education category.

The following are common age-based specializations:

Early childhood education

This specialization focuses on the early years of education, up to around third grade, or age 8, but the focus is on the earliest years of schooling, starting in preschool. It is often pursued by those wishing to become preschool teachers, childcare directors, or kindergarten teachers. Topics covered include developmentally appropriate curriculums, developmental milestones, and encouraging learning through play, movement, and interpersonal communication.

Elementary education

Elementary education cover the period from kindergarten through grade school, or ages 5 through 12. In urban areas, it usually refers to elementary and middle school up to 6th grade. In rural areas, grades K-6 are usually grouped together as elementary school. Teacher training for this level focuses on fostering more advanced academic skills in specific subjects such as English, music, or math, as well as developing interpersonal and communication skills.

Secondary education

This specialization is most often pursued by those wishing to become high school teachers. This category is further subdivided into lower secondary and upper secondary, better known as junior high and high school. More advanced knowledge of taught areas is required at this level, and the teaching focus shifts from behavior to academic achievement. Secondary school subjects are typically taught by different teachers, meaning most secondary schools hire separate math, science, physical education, history, language, and arts teachers for each grade level.

Other types of specializations:

English as a second language (ESL)

ESL teachers work with English language learners to help them learn to speak, read, understand, and write in English. Approximately 10% of all U.S. children are ELLs, so, there is a tremendous need for teachers who specialize in this area.

» Read: Which EFL program is right for you?

Special education

Special education programs are usually aimed at children with unique educational needs, often with mild to moderate mental, emotional, physical, or learning disabilities, autism, or mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression. This teaching specialization focuses on the special approaches to teaching required in this field, as well as on understanding the diverse needs and experiences of special education students.

Can you get a bachelor’s of education online?

A significant majority of bachelor of education programs are offered in-person.

Teacher education programs are far less likely to be offered online than the average bachelor’s degree. This may be in part because supervised internship or fieldwork experience are such crucial components of teacher training. You can read more about these further below.

Top bachelor’s in education programs

Find below our ratings of the comparative earnings, costs, and payback rates of different bachelor of education programs. Please review our methodology for more information on what metrics we look at, and how to determine comparative value between institutions.

Public colleges and universities offer the most affordable programs, highest earnings 2 years out, and the fastest payback, making them the better choice in all 3 regards.

For-profit programs are generally far less common across the country, except in California. California also has a higher-than-average proportion of online programs, which could explain the proliferation of for-profit programs.

Financial aid and scholarships for bachelor of education programs

As with most degree programs, the first steps in applying for most types of aid involves filling out the FAFSA form on the Federal Student Aid website. Arrange a meeting with the student financial aid service at your chosen college to uncover options that are provided by the school, or that you may be unaware of.

» Read: What is student loan refinancing?

Loan forgiveness for teachers

Many bachelor of education programs are also eligible for loan forgiveness programs, including:

Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) Program

Under this federal program, teaching full-time for 5 complete and consecutive academic years in a low-income school or educational service agency may qualify you for forgiveness of up to $17,500 (for highly qualified special education and secondary mathematics or science teachers) or $5,000 (for all others) on your direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans and your subsidized and unsubsidized federal Stafford loans.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

PSLF forgives the remaining federal loans after a minimum of 120 qualifying monthly payments (approximately 10 years) while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Qualifying employers are usually government and nonprofit organizations. Working at a low-income school is not required under this program.

Perkins Loan Cancellation for Teachers

Special education teachers, as well as those serving low-income areas, or teaching STEM, languages, bilingual education, or other specialized areas that experience shortages may be eligible for loan cancellation of up to 100% under this program.

What to expect from a bachelor of education program

A bachelor’s of education is a professional degree, meaning it prepares you in practical ways to teach. It is also a generalist degree, meaning it offers broad instruction on pedagogical methods for different age groups and types of students. Within the broad umbrella of a bachelor of education, specializations and endorsements can be sought if appropriate coursework is completed.

What are the admission requirements for a bachelor of education?

Admission requirements depend on whether you have transferable credits. Some students apply to a bachelor of education program directly from high school, while others take 2 years of general education coursework – such as for instance, an associate degree in elementary education – and transfer to a bachelor’s program at the junior level.

Because of prerequisite course requirements, many bachelor of education programs include a pre-teaching term, wherein prospective applicants complete introductory coursework, observe classrooms, and satisfy entry requirements for applying to the program. The field experiences in pre-teaching semesters offer the opportunity to confirm your decision to become a teacher.

Other common admission requirements include all past transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, letters of recommendation, and a supplemental essay.

» Read: How to not get overwhelmed with the admissions process

How long does it take to get a bachelor’s in education?

A bachelor of education typically takes 4 years to complete.

Fieldwork requirements

As it is often a licensure requirement, many programs include a fieldwork placement in a local public school, often in the final year of study. These placements usually last an entire school year, with student-teachers working as many as 4 days per week at a school and taking teaching method courses on their days off.

Coordinating fieldwork for students in online programs can be challenging, as online institutions do not have an existing network of placement sites. In some cases, student may be required to find their own fieldwork sites. Advance planning and ongoing support are usually necessary to ensure that online students complete field hours successfully.

What are teacher prep programs?

Teacher preparation programs are often integrated into a B.A. or B.S. in education, but if not, they can be taken separately. Some, but not all teacher prep programs are housed within universities. If your undergraduate program did not include a teacher prep program, be sure to choose one accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Test prep

Following the completion of a bachelor’s in education and a teacher prep program, there are several tests candidates pass before becoming licensed teachers. There are many paths to licensure, and states vary significantly in terms of requirements. Most states require completion of the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) tests, which evaluate essential reading, writing, and math skills. States usually have their own educator certification assessment exams.

What type of courses are there in a bachelor’s of education?

Most bachelor of education programs require core coursework in your major, which will be the subject you will specialize in teaching, such as math or science. If you want to add endorsements, meaning additional specializations, corresponding coursework will be required. Many programs are also structured around which grade level you wish to teach. Finally, general education courses in subjects such as history, geography, biology, and politics are taken. Pedagogical topics such as curriculum design, classroom management, and educational psychology are covered by most programs.

The following are common courses in a bachelor of education program:

Introduction to education

This course will introduce you to the field of education. It will cover historical perspectives, evidence-based research, and current issues that the education system faces. You will learn about educational policies, philosophies, and government regulations affecting the education system

Instructional strategies

Techniques for effective teaching go beyond just presenting information. Educators need to establish learning objectives, help students understand goals, organize lessons, and provide students with clear explanations. A course of this type will cover how to craft effective instructional strategies.

Childhood and adolescent development

To become an effective educator an understanding of human development is imperative. This course will cover the different domains of development such as cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and language to help educators better understand developmentally appropriate activities and lessons.

Assessment and evaluation

An important aspect of education is the ability to assess and evaluate student progress. This helps teachers measure their students’ strengths and weaknesses which notifies them what topics or areas need to be covered again. This course covers assessment techniques, when to use them, and how to evaluate the data collected to adjust teaching strategies.

Fieldwork

Depending on your program, this could involve student teaching, an internship, or classroom observation. The fieldwork component is a fundamental part of the education process because it gives students the opportunity to apply the content learned in their coursework to real-world scenarios. Interacting with young students, seeing academic development unfold, and addressing students’ strengths and weaknesses are practiced in preparation for full-time work in the field.

What type of bachelor of education degrees are there?

Bachelor’s degrees in education are generally offered as a bachelor of arts (B.A.) or bachelor of science (B.S.). The distinction usually depends on the subject you will eventually teach – the B.S. for math and science, and the B.A. for most other subjects. Additionally, some programs are divided according to the age group you will focus on.

Conclusion

Teacher shortages, exacerbated by the COVID19 pandemic, mean teachers continue to be in high demand across the country. According to recent reports, there were 575,000 fewer local and state education employees in October 2021 than in February 2020. Shortages are particularly serious among math, science, language, and special education teachers. If any of these fields interest you, it is an excellent time to pursue teacher training with a focus on one of these subjects.

If the teaching profession calls to you, a bachelor’s degree in education may be the ideal education path. It provides the comprehensive training required to confidently enter the classroom, and many of these programs incorporate teacher’s prep, simplifying the process.