Education graduates earn $49,113 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,735 and $63,919. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
Education is a specialized field of study. Graduates typically earn around $49,113 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. The program is available at 315 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 4,693 students complete this program each year. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$32,461
Median Earnings · 4yr
$49,113
Colleges Offering
315
Graduates / Year
4,693
Avg Net Price / yr
$24,737
How Much Do Education Graduates Earn?
Education graduates earn $49,113 four years out, below average for bachelor's degree holders. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,735 and $63,919. Earnings typically jump significantly in the first few years. The one-year figure of $32,461 climbs to $49,113 by year four.
$32,461
1 Year After Graduation
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$49,113
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$48,652
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
There is a moderate earnings spread across Education graduates. Degree level and sector drive the gap. Graduate-level government and research roles anchor the top; entry-level social services and nonprofit roles anchor the bottom.
$35,73525th pct.
$49,113Median
$63,91975th pct.
Understanding the Cost vs. Return
At median 4-year earnings of $49,113 and an estimated $98,948 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 5.2 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.
Based on outcomes from 124 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 4,693 students who complete Education programs each year, the majority (37%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
37%35%
Bachelor's37%
Master's35%
Doctorate18%
What Can You Do With an Education Degree?
Education connects to 1 occupations in the job market. Education Teachers leads at $75,350/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Top Colleges for Education
The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Education students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Education program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Education carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 1 strengths and 4 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.
PROS
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $32,461 at graduation to $49,113 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $49,113 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Slow job growthTop related careers project less than 3% growth over the next decade; limited expansion means more competition for new openings.
High earnings varianceGap between 25th ($35,735) and 75th ($63,919) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.
Education Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Education graduates earn?
Education graduates earn a national median of $49,113 four years after completing their program. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,735 and $63,919. Where you land typically depends on employer, role, and location.
What is the starting salary for a Education degree?
One year after graduation, Education degree holders earn a median of $32,461. That climbs to $49,113 four years out. The biggest salary jumps typically come once you move past entry-level roles.
What jobs can you get with a Education degree?
Education degree holders pursue careers including Education Teachers, which pays a median of $75,350/yr. Scroll down to the Career Paths section to see wages and job growth projections for every related occupation.
How long does a Education program take?
A Education bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study. Community colleges offer associate programs in two years for students who want a faster path into the workforce.
How many colleges offer Education?
315 colleges and universities in the United States offer Education programs. Options range from community colleges with certificates and associate degrees to research universities with doctoral tracks.
Is a Education degree worth it?
With a median 4-year salary of $49,113 and an average net price of roughly $24,737/yr, a Education degree can pay off well, especially at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific programs before deciding.
What skills do employers look for in Education graduates?
Employers hiring Education graduates consistently prioritize research methodology, interpersonal communication, and policy understanding. Experience with surveys, qualitative interviews, or statistical tools is often a differentiator in government, nonprofit, and research roles.
Related Education Programs
Other programs in Education. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Choose a Major Pillar
A decision framework for picking a college major using your interests, aptitudes, and federal earnings data to reach a defensible choice before applying.
The real cost of a second major, when it pays back and when it doesn't, and why a focused single major with a relevant minor often beats a double major.
Why the 10-year job-growth outlook often matters more than today's salary, what the BLS projections measure, and how to use them to weigh the future of a field, not just its present.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
All 38 Majors, Ranked by What Graduates Earn
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
Major earnings
Highest paying majors
Job growth
STEM
Field of study
Does Engineering Tech Out-Earn Engineering? The Data Says No
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Engineering tech
Engineering
Program earnings
Applied degree
Technician careers
STEM Is Not One Thing: The Pay Gap Within STEM
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
STEM earnings
Engineering pay
Computer science
Program earnings
Major choice
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
