Early Education

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Early Childhood Education majors focus on the critical developmental stages of children from birth through age eight. Coursework dives deeply into early cognitive, social, and emotional development, literacy acquisition, play-based learning, and family engagement.

You will learn how to create nurturing, stimulating environments and gain extensive practical experience through practicums in preschools, kindergartens, and primary classrooms.

What you'll do after college

Graduates frequently become preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary school teachers. Others manage or direct childcare centers, work as family support specialists, or develop early learning curricula.

The field is foundational to lifelong learning, and while salaries in pre-K settings can sometimes be lower than public K-12 schools, many find profound joy in shaping the minds of the youngest learners.

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$57,163

1,523

100–85%

$51,406

3,222

85–82%

$51,163

4,698

82–72%

$51,567

6,384

72–70%

$52,503

6,320

70–55%

$55,698

4,741

55–55%

$56,196

3,251

55–38%

$48,764

1,499

38–0%

Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings

By SAT median

$51,156

1,168

400–990

$52,381

2,238

990–1051

$50,920

3,430

1055–1099

$52,195

4,560

1100–1150

$54,203

4,555

1150–1210

$55,496

3,438

1210–1265

$52,281

2,222

1265–1365

$53,994

1,199

1365–1600

Median SAT · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings

Majors in this category

Major	Colleges	Degrees ▼	Male/Female	Intl	5yr Earn
Early Education	930	36,469	6% / 94%	1%	$52,013
Elementary Education	786	24,970	7% / 93%	1%	$52,059
Early Childhood Education	436	9,846	4% / 96%	1%	$51,412
Early Childhood Special Education	28	317	9% / 91%	1%	$58,317
Early Childhood and Family Studies	8	197	4% / 96%	0%	$51,018
Middle Grades Education	15	193	21% / 79%	1%	$53,280
Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence Education	1	129	7% / 93%	0%	$59,840
Childhood Education	2	126	6% / 94%	1%	$57,758
Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching	3	112	3% / 97%	1%	$52,186
Middle Childhood Education	7	103	29% / 71%	0%	$50,557
Early Care and Education	1	94	4% / 96%	11%	$69,906
Early Childhood Development and Education	1	68	4% / 96%	1%	$48,523
Child Care Management	3	59	2% / 98%	2%	$49,506
Teacher Education: Elementary Education	1	44	5% / 95%	0%	$50,669
Early Childhood Administration	2	32	9% / 91%	0%
Pre-K and Kindergarten Education	1	20	0% / 100%	0%	$50,681
Montessori Teacher Education	4	19	0% / 100%	0%	$52,788
Education and Child Study	1	19	0% / 100%	0%	$52,083
Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship	1	19	5% / 95%	0%	$41,942
Inclusive Early Childhood Education	1	19	0% / 100%	0%
Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs	1	15	0% / 100%	7%	$53,710
Teacher Education: Early Childhood Education	1	15	0% / 100%	0%	$50,669
Child Care and Support Services Management	3	14	0% / 100%	0%	$54,661
Preschool Education	3	14	14% / 86%	0%	$56,495
Birth-Kindergarten Education	1	8	0% / 100%	12%	$54,370
Teacher Assistant/Aide	2	7	0% / 100%	0%
Early Childhood Education and Teaching	2	4	0% / 100%	0%	$47,244
Preschool and Kindergarten Education	1	3	0% / 100%	0%
Child Care and Development	1	1	0% / 100%	0%	$57,073
Pre-Kindergarten Education	1	1	0% / 100%	0%	$46,320
PreK-4 Education	1	1	0% / 100%	0%	$44,828