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STEM Education

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

STEM Education majors blend rigorous coursework in their chosen scientific, technological, engineering, or mathematical discipline with intensive pedagogical training. While you will tackle core subjects relevant to your track—such as calculus, organic chemistry, classical mechanics, or computer programming—you will also take education classes focused on instructional methods, STEM curriculum design, cognitive development, and classroom management. Instead of just proving theorems or running lab experiments in isolation, you will learn how to make complex, abstract concepts accessible, safe, and engaging to diverse learners. Programs heavily feature hands-on field experiences, culminating in a semester or more of full-time student teaching in a real classroom or laboratory setting.

What you'll do after college

The most direct and common path is becoming a middle or high school teacher in a specific STEM discipline (such as biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, or mathematics)—roles with persistent, critical shortages and excellent job security nationwide. However, your career isn't limited to the traditional classroom. Graduates also step into roles in STEM curriculum development, educational technology (EdTech), science museum or nature center education, instructional coaching, and specialized tutoring. Many educators later pursue graduate degrees in educational leadership to become school administrators, or transition into STEM education policy.

Famous graduates

  • Jaime Escalante — Legendary high school calculus teacher whose students' remarkable success inspired the movie 'Stand and Deliver'; B.S. in Mathematics from California State University, Los Angeles
  • Eddie Woo — Renowned mathematics teacher and creator of the widely popular 'Wootube' channel used by students globally; Bachelor of Education (Secondary) in Mathematics from the University of Sydney
  • Danica McKellar — Actress and prominent STEM education advocate who has authored multiple bestselling math books aimed at middle schoolers; B.S. in Mathematics from UCLA
  • Sal Khan — Educator and founder of Khan Academy, a massive platform for free online STEM education; B.S. in Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science from MIT
  • Steve Spangler — Science teacher, author, and creator of the viral Diet Coke and Mentos experiment, highly regarded for his work in elementary science education; B.A. in Chemistry and Humanities from the University of Colorado

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$54,011
342
100–85%
$54,198
684
85–65%
$63,705
343
65–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$50,925
245
400–1090
$55,271
470
1090–1270
$65,609
243
1270–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$47,120p10 $61,555p90 Work College Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–15 Private University 1–30 Berea College · $45,549 Claflin University · $46,851 Florida Southern College · $66,924 Providence College · $63,437 Grove City College · $52,754 Ohio Wesleyan University · $51,010 Adrian College · $48,971 Carroll College · $51,608 Elizabethtown College · $64,271 Hope College · $51,089 Augustana College (IL) · $51,127 Huntingdon College · $57,989 Juniata College · $52,587 Gustavus Adolphus College · $53,924 Taylor University · $47,426 Calvin University · $51,605 Hamline University · $50,467 Dakota Wesleyan University · $55,173 Doane University · $45,973 York College of Pennsylvania · $47,388 Huntington University · $49,800 Keene State College · $47,201 Saint Mary's College (IN) · $54,326 Bethel University · $52,617 Coker University · $56,501 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · $56,255 CUNY Hunter College · $68,829 University of Montana Western · $53,207 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire · $50,506 University of South Florida · $50,688 University of Washington · $71,441 Clemson University · $47,555 Delaware State University · $52,210 State University of New York at New Paltz · $55,116 Auburn University · $56,733 Ohio State University · $91,878 CUNY Queens College · $63,561 Florida Atlantic University · $50,663 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $63,543 University of Connecticut · $57,757 CUNY Lehman College · $84,659 Northwestern Oklahoma State University · $54,867 Illinois State University · $57,714 State University of New York at Cortland · $59,657 Jackson State University · $44,835 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $52,687 Arkansas State University · $52,934 Ball State University · $57,733 Central Michigan University · $51,427 Eastern Michigan University · $47,641 University of Michigan - Dearborn · $50,468 SUNY Oneonta · $66,579 Eastern Illinois University · $55,730 East Carolina University · $51,618 Indiana University - Northwest · $51,916 Indiana University - South Bend · $51,879 Indiana University Southeast · $55,544 Minnesota State University Moorhead · $53,011 Northeastern State University · $56,293 Northwest Missouri State University · $46,293 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $65,264 University of Delaware · $61,555 University of Maine at Farmington · $47,552 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $54,969 University of Southern Maine · $50,496 University of Vermont · $54,394 Miami University - Ohio · $49,369 SUNY College at Geneseo · $59,865 Southeastern Oklahoma State University · $50,445 Bemidji State University · $49,237 University of Louisville · $62,530 University of Mississippi · $45,895 University of Illinois Chicago · $59,046 SUNY Brockport · $51,756 SUNY Old Westbury · $74,823 University of North Florida · $51,948 Winona State University · $52,783 University of New Hampshire · $48,766 Youngstown State University · $47,944 Saginaw Valley State University · $49,627 Southeast Missouri State University · $43,020 Western Carolina University · $49,670 University of Iowa · $53,505 State University of New York at Oswego · $56,725 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $52,145 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $56,984 Bowie State University · $57,248 SUNY College at Potsdam · $55,305 University of Central Oklahoma · $56,524 Valley City State University · $58,215 Eastern Washington University · $57,521 Kent State University at Kent · $50,147 Nevada State University · $62,288 University of North Dakota · $57,360 Savannah State University · $46,430 Western Michigan University · $51,215 University of Nevada, Reno · $69,630 Arkansas Tech University · $50,618 Central Washington University · $57,396 Emporia State University · $51,489 Ferris State University · $50,285 Indiana State University · $50,297 Northern State University · $52,308 Rhode Island College · $53,121 SUNY Buffalo State University · $47,000 Saint Cloud State University · $48,115 Southern Utah University · $54,468 University of Akron · $49,294 Wichita State University · $51,184 Northern Michigan University · $50,238 Bridgewater State University · $50,126 Francis Marion University · $47,119 Towson University · $54,676 Minot State University · $60,143 Northern Arizona University · $51,006 University of Kentucky · $46,855 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $51,873 SUNY at Fredonia · $49,183 North Dakota State University · $55,866 Grand Valley State University · $53,058 Utah State University · $62,175 Western Washington University · $61,930 Pittsburg State University · $56,541 College of Staten Island CUNY · $67,202 Lewis-Clark State College · $49,770 University of Wyoming · $59,256 Dickinson State University · $56,107 Montana State University · $50,867 Chadron State College · $57,592 Lake Superior State University · $51,157 Mayville State University · $63,278 Montana State University - Billings · $52,326 Peru State College · $49,243 Southwestern Oklahoma State University · $55,755 Wayne State College · $55,807 Weber State University · $52,425 Boston College · $66,487 Union University · $52,716 Southeastern University · $51,350 Texas Christian University · $55,928 Liberty University · $59,747 Baylor University · $56,166 John Brown University · $51,772 Ohio Dominican University · $52,205 Oklahoma Baptist University · $54,424 Charleston Southern University · $47,854 Capital University · $51,803 Texas Wesleyan University · $56,815 William Penn University · $52,079 Spring Arbor University · $49,404 Olivet Nazarene University · $49,871 Anderson University · $45,077 Cedarville University · $47,076 Harding University · $52,808 Messiah University · $51,287 Concordia University Ann Arbor · $47,373 Evangel University · $41,919 University of Mobile · $50,831 East Texas Baptist University · $56,024 Our Lady of the Lake University · $57,823 Mount Marty University · $54,588 Ashland University · $49,660 California Baptist University · $43,770 Brigham Young University · $54,381 Concordia University Wisconsin · $49,078 Pepperdine University · $55,292 North Greenville University · $44,383 Reinhardt University · $56,184 Elmhurst University · $57,492 Lee University · $50,630 Centenary University · $55,874 Niagara University · $55,184 Lindsey Wilson College · $54,258 College of St. Scholastica · $52,240 Morningside University · $56,661 Colorado Christian University · $47,120 Mercer University · $56,225 Millikin University · $52,252 Waynesburg University · $66,348 Loyola University Chicago · $55,151 Dominican University New York · $51,289 Trinity Christian College · $63,966 Fresno Pacific University · $55,573 McMurry University · $45,993 Midway University · $47,692 Emmanuel University · $50,924 Geneva College · $42,865 University of Mary · $54,015 St. Joseph's University - New York · $57,797 Saint Joseph's College of Maine · $60,220 Shorter University · $54,284 Wayland Baptist University · $43,596 Marywood University · $54,239 Grace College and Theological Seminary · $48,533 Siena College · $57,679 University of Findlay · $51,993 Saint Norbert College · $53,111 Saint Xavier University · $56,208 St. John's University - New York · $57,034 Martin Luther College · $51,602 Catholic University of America · $56,157 Heidelberg University · $52,001 Duquesne University · $56,462 Roberts Wesleyan University · $49,919 Concordia University - Chicago · $50,060 DePaul University · $55,062 Thiel College · $52,817 Brigham Young University Hawaii · $49,961 Misericordia University · $50,397 Cornerstone University · $48,844 Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion · $51,749 Dallas Baptist University · $56,225 Virginia Union University · $43,403 Bryan College - Dayton · $47,251 Hardin-Simmons University · $54,191 Southwest Baptist University · $44,543 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $45,178 Union Adventist University · $55,581 Blue Mountain Christian University · $56,683 Marist University · $55,499 Drake University · $55,973 Bradley University · $52,649 Long Island University · $61,101 Roger Williams University · $59,134 Daemen University · $56,110 Trine University · $53,961 Keystone College · $45,439 Nova Southeastern University · $48,558 National University · $52,248 University of Georgia · $53,968 North Carolina State University · $59,033 University of California, San Diego · $74,510 Boston University · $53,556 Work College: mean $45,549 Liberal Arts: mean $53,091 Public University: mean $54,968 Religious University: mean $52,539 Private University: mean $54,067 Public University 1–15: mean $62,504 Private University 1–30: mean $53,556 All colleges: p10 $47,120 All colleges: p90 $61,555
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
STEM Education 360 1,524 37% / 63% 1% $55,374 96%
Mathematics Teacher Education 176 431 38% / 62% 0% $53,635 96%
Mathematics Education 112 361 31% / 69% 1% $53,238 95%
Science Education 71 143 38% / 62% 0% $51,889 95%
Biology Teacher Education 109 119 26% / 74% 1% $54,847 96%
Biology Education 45 73 25% / 75% 1% $54,252 94%
Agriscience Education 1 64 91% / 9% 0% $91,878 95%
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 18 55 22% / 78% 2% $53,057 96%
Computer Teacher Education 4 37 8% / 92% 0% $56,384 96%
Chemistry Teacher Education 52 32 44% / 56% 0% $55,741 94%
Science Teacher Education 31 29 34% / 66% 0% $52,685 97%
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Educational Methods 2 29 38% / 62% 0% $52,014 91%
Technology Teacher Education 12 24 88% / 12% 0% $51,927 95%
Earth Science Teacher Education 13 17 35% / 65% 0% $56,446 97%
Physics Teacher Education 28 15 60% / 40% 0% $57,682 95%
Integrated Mathematics Education (Grades 7-12) 1 13 23% / 77% 0% $49,369 96%
Mathematics - Secondary Education 1 12 67% / 33% 8% $74,510
Chemistry Education 18 10 10% / 90% 0% $54,013 93%
Adolescence Education Mathematics 1 9 11% / 89% 0% $59,866 100%
Physics Education 10 7 71% / 29% 0% $54,038 92%
Earth Science Education 8 6 33% / 67% 0% $57,237 96%
Adolescence Education Earth Science 1 6 67% / 33% 0% $59,866 100%
Integrated Science Education (Grades 7-12) 1 6 33% / 67% 0% $49,369 96%
STEM Education 4 5 40% / 60% 0% $47,803 97%
Adolescence Education Biology 1 5 60% / 40% 0% $59,866 100%
Integrated Science Education 1 4 75% / 25% 0% $49,294 99%
Teacher Education: Mathematics Education 1 4 25% / 75% 0% $54,394 91%
Teacher Education: Science Education 1 3 33% / 67% 0% $54,394 91%
Earth/Space Science Teacher Education 2 2 0% / 100% 0% $49,665
Adolescence Education Physics 1 2 50% / 50% 0% $59,866 100%
Math Teaching 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $43,770