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General Education
What you'll do in college
Education majors learn how children and adults learn—and how to teach them. Coursework includes child development, educational psychology, classroom management, curriculum design, and methods classes specific to your subject area or grade level.
Most programs require classroom observations from your first year and a semester of full-time student teaching as a senior. Graduates typically pursue state teaching licensure, which usually requires a state-administered exam.
What you'll do after college
Most grads become K-12 teachers in public, private, or charter schools. Others work in tutoring, educational nonprofits, education tech companies, museums, and school administration. Pay varies by state and district but tends to be modest, especially early on.
The work is demanding—long hours, paperwork, and emotional energy—but for many teachers it's deeply meaningful. Many grads earn master's degrees, which can boost their pay and open up administration or specialized roles.
Famous graduates
- Christa McAuliffe — Educator and astronaut; B.A. in Education and History from Framingham State University
- Rita Pierson — Celebrated educator and speaker; B.S. in Elementary Education from Elmhurst University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings
By SAT median
Median SAT · bar = degree-weighted adjusted 5-year earnings
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | 5yr Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Education | 790 | 23,460 | 28% / 72% | 2% | $53,354 |
| General Education | 196 | 8,842 | 34% / 66% | 2% | $51,299 |
| Education | 320 | 6,028 | 17% / 83% | 4% | $54,795 |
| Secondary Education | 161 | 2,013 | 39% / 61% | 1% | $52,772 |
| Secondary Education and Teaching | 77 | 1,374 | 38% / 62% | 1% | $54,158 |
| Middle School Education | 148 | 875 | 28% / 72% | 0% | $49,361 |
| Teacher Education, Multiple Levels | 23 | 827 | 14% / 86% | 0% | $51,472 |
| Teacher Education | 37 | 529 | 14% / 86% | 1% | $51,395 |
| Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching | 20 | 505 | 28% / 72% | 1% | $50,908 |
| Teaching, Learning and Culture | 1 | 308 | 6% / 94% | 0% | |
| Education Sciences | 2 | 302 | 15% / 85% | 11% | $69,312 |
| Technology Education | 19 | 150 | 75% / 25% | 1% | $54,964 |
| Career and Technical Education | 8 | 105 | 63% / 37% | 0% | $59,770 |
| Urban Education | 1 | 103 | 15% / 85% | 1% | $59,172 |
| Education, Communities, and Organizations | 1 | 101 | 27% / 73% | 21% | $93,986 |
| Educational Studies | 5 | 90 | 20% / 80% | 0% | $77,634 |
| Education and Social Transformation | 1 | 90 | 17% / 83% | 8% | |
| Middle Level Education | 9 | 88 | 25% / 75% | 0% | $47,876 |
| Technical Teacher Education | 12 | 87 | 37% / 63% | 0% | $60,750 |
| Learning Sciences | 4 | 81 | 28% / 72% | 2% | $48,095 |
| Educational Technology | 6 | 79 | 48% / 52% | 0% | $77,082 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor | 3 | 76 | 22% / 78% | 0% | $52,870 |
| Teacher Preparation | 1 | 76 | 7% / 93% | 0% | $50,920 |
| Exceptional Student Education | 2 | 69 | 6% / 94% | 0% | $61,337 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 7 | 65 | 45% / 55% | 0% | $57,332 |
| Urban Education and Leadership | 2 | 55 | 31% / 69% | 7% | $65,254 |
| K-12 Education | 3 | 49 | 18% / 82% | 0% | $57,357 |
| Middle Level Teacher Education | 1 | 43 | 21% / 79% | 0% | $50,449 |
| Education Studies | 4 | 37 | 24% / 76% | 8% | $78,789 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 2 | 36 | 28% / 72% | 0% | $49,516 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 6 | 35 | 17% / 83% | 0% | |
| Adolescence to Young Adult Education | 1 | 34 | 26% / 74% | 0% | $58,587 |
| Middle Grade Education | 2 | 27 | 15% / 85% | 0% | $49,104 |
| Vocational Education | 2 | 27 | 37% / 63% | 0% | |
| Educational Policy Studies | 1 | 26 | 23% / 77% | 46% | |
| Applied Learning and Development | 1 | 24 | 4% / 96% | 0% | |
| K-12 Collaborative Teacher Education | 1 | 22 | 55% / 45% | 0% | $56,504 |
| Liberal Studies for Teachers | 1 | 20 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $37,100 |
| Reading Education | 1 | 18 | 6% / 94% | 0% | $55,238 |
| Educational Assessment | 1 | 16 | 12% / 88% | 44% | |
| International and Comparative Education | 1 | 13 | 31% / 69% | 0% | $70,238 |
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 1 | 12 | 17% / 83% | 0% | $61,539 |
| Instructional Technology | 1 | 12 | 67% / 33% | 0% | |
| Educational Leadership | 2 | 11 | 45% / 55% | 0% | $50,717 |
| Individually Designed | 1 | 11 | 27% / 73% | 0% | |
| Interdisciplinary Studies in Education | 1 | 11 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $64,101 |
| Learning and Education Studies | 1 | 11 | 9% / 73% | 9% | $67,122 |
| School Administration | 1 | 7 | 14% / 86% | 0% | |
| Technology and Engineering Education | 1 | 7 | 71% / 29% | 0% | $56,301 |
| Teacher Education: Middle Level Education | 1 | 5 | 20% / 80% | 0% | $50,669 |
| Adult Education | 1 | 4 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $57,240 |
| Educational/Instructional Technology | 1 | 4 | 25% / 75% | 0% | $75,030 |
| Higher Education/Higher Education Administration | 1 | 3 | 67% / 33% | 0% | $66,851 |
| Philosophy of Education | 1 | 3 | 33% / 67% | 0% | |
| Teaching | 1 | 3 | 0% / 100% | 33% | $42,521 |
| Career and Technology Education | 1 | 2 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $58,042 |
| Educational Foundations | 1 | 2 | 50% / 50% | 0% | |
| Integrated Language Arts Education | 1 | 2 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| School Counseling | 1 | 2 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development | 4 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $55,784 |
| Educational Leadership and Administration | 3 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | |
| Technical Education | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $55,465 |