Many educators have a long-standing tradition of continuing their education far beyond the bachelor's level; it will come as no surprise, then, that the online Master's in Early Childhood Education is a popular degree for these working professionals. The degree prepares licensed teachers to work with children from newborn to the fourth grade while giving them a firm understanding of childhood development through the prism of education. Many educators find that this advanced degree has been critical in their ability to educate their young students.
But traditional degrees are difficult to obtain for most teachers. Since educators work full-time, and often overtime, the idea of commuting to a campus at set times isn't feasible. What these professionals need is an online program that is both flexible and affordable in order to meet their needs. This ranking provides exactly the information an educator will need when researching schools for graduate education.
Education Master's Programs for You
These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master's or PhD programs.
10 Most Affordable Online Early Childhood Education Master's
Frequently Asked Questions
What are My Career Options for an Online Master's in Early Childhood Education Degree?
There are a variety of career options open to professionals who earn a graduate degree in this field. While it is possible to become a researcher or an academic, most professionals will work as educators within the school system in America. It is interesting to note that there are different careers available within the schools as well.
For example, a professional can become a Director of Educational Programming at a private school, a position that comes with a great deal of responsibility and often requires total supervision over all of the early childhood curriculum and instruction materials. It's also possible to become an early childhood special education teacher or a teacher with another specialization, such as ESL or gifted teacher. These provide professionals with a specific field of expertise and allows them to grow and advance in their career.
These are just some of the career options available. This master's degree can lead to many different career paths, from grant writer to headmaster of a private school, so it all depends on what a professional intends for their career path to look like. Students are advised to do more research to see what career path may fit them best.
How Much Can You Earn in this Field?
The salary range for a Master's in Early Childhood Education can range anywhere from $42,000 to $100,000. Most professionals with this degree go into teaching and the median salary for this job is $57,000. Early childhood special education teachers make more than traditional teachers, often earning up to $95,000.
The salary range, as well as specific job salaries, differ on one major factor: whether a professional has chosen to work in a public or private school or setting. Private schools are notorious for demanding more from their teachers, but they are also paid, on average, around $25,000 more than their public school counterparts.
What are the Various Disciplines in Early Childhood Education?
Early childhood education relies on several different disciplines to make up this field. The first is the most obvious: education. It is the central discipline the field is based in and makes up for a majority of the disciplines at play.
There are other disciplines, however, that are important. Psychology, specifically childhood development, plays a large role in how the field has taken shape. As society changes and technology becomes more important, this field has undergone a lot of changes and advancements to help educators keep children at pace to become educated adults.
Law and policy, funnily enough, also play another large role. This is because education in America is regulated by the government. From charter schools to public schools to private schools, secular to religious educational institutions, the government instills rules and regulations to provide a standard basis of education for each and every child. Therefore, politics also plays a role, as different political factions have their own ideas about education.
Other disciplines include technology, business, the various disciplines taught in early childhood education, counseling, and human services. The above three, however, are the major disciplines in the field and will be the ones that most professionals will work with on a daily basis.
What are Some of the Requirements for Applying for this Degree?
Requirements vary from school to school, but some requirements are universal for an online Master's in Early Childhood Education. For example, a bachelor's degree from an accredited university is required by all schools as well as GMAT or GRE scores. Most also require a professional letter of recommendation and some form of a personal essay.
The Master of Education degree, which is the most common degree in this field, often does require a teaching license that is valid and in good standing from applicants. This is because most of these programs are either non-licensure programs, meaning they do not offer the ability to earn a teaching license of any kind, or they offer advanced teaching licensure, which means that in order to upgrade a license, a professional must first possess one.
Most online programs also require that a teaching license must be held in the same state as the campus itself. This is because many states place limitations on where a teacher can earn their graduate degree for the purposes of ensuring that teachers meet the standards of their home state. Additionally, teaching practicums are often required by these programs and in order to earn licensure, it must be completed within the same state as the campus.
Another common requirement for graduate students is that of work experience. Because this is a professional degree, many schools require that a student has two years or more of teaching experience in a classroom. In some cases, this requirement can be waived, but it is rare and up to the discretion of the department head.
Is Licensure Necessary to Work in the Field of Early Childhood Education?
Licensure is not necessary for every career in the early childhood education field; this is reserved mostly for educators who work in private and public schools. It is possible to work with children and not receive any type of licensure in general, but it is important to note here that these careers restrict what a professional's responsibilities are and where they can work.
The most common form of licensure is a teaching licensure, which makes sense because any educator who works in a school in America must be certified by their state of residence in order to teach children. This is because schools must uphold a certain standard when it comes to education which is measured by standardized tests that are given at the state and national level. Teachers must also go through licensure to ensure that they themselves do not pose a risk to students and are equipped to help students with a variety of issues and concerns that may arise during their time in that professional's care.
Early childhood education starts in Kindergarten, so it is possible that some educators work in after-school programs, camps, or community centers. They would work closely with students, helping them with homework and providing supervision as they study and play with other classmates. In this scenario, licensure is not necessary as these professionals are not working in a classroom. However, alternative certification or licensure may be required by the state.
As stated above, it is possible to work as a researcher or academic in the field of early childhood education. These positions do not require any form of licensure or certification, although it is certainly encouraged if their specialization offers such a credential from a professional organization. Unlike educators working in after-school programs or teachers, however, these academics rarely work with children.
Early childhood education is an important field, both for parents and students. Because students are entrusted to educators during their formative years, professionals are expected to have a high degree of education and training. With an online master's in early childhood education, educators can move forward in their goal of helping each and every child reach their full potential.
