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More Information About Elementary Education

What should I know when considering a degree in Elementary Education ?
  • Elementary education includes grades K-6.
  • Elementary teachers are required to have a specified certificate entitling them to teach at this level.
  • New professionals with a passion to teach are needed desperately in some areas.

What is considered elementary education?

Elementary education is the basic level of learning that generally includes grades K-6 (although some elementary schools will not include 6th grade). This is the level of education in which most children learn their basic math, reading, and writing skills.

What kinds of degrees are needed to work as an elementary teacher?

An elementary teacher is required to have, at least, a bachelor's degree with a teaching certificate in elementary education. A bachelor's degree typically requires a high school diploma along with four years of post-secondary schooling. Depending on the program, some elect to get their teaching certificate along with their bachelor's degree. If this is the case, usually a person's college major is elementary education in science, language arts, or math. This is not the rule however; many choose to have a completely separate major from their teaching certificate and it works. Earning an elementary teaching certificate requires a student teaching internship in an elementary school. This internship usually lasts for two academic quarters or one semester.

What career opportunities are opened with a degree in elementary education?

Like any job in the education field, teaching is the most obvious and most common career path people take when they go into education. Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the location, grade level, and subject taught. Usually school districts with a higher poverty rate, less money and fewer resources have a higher demand for teachers. Specific states that are expected to grow and need more teachers are California, Idaho, Hawaii, Alaska, Utah and New Mexico. After a few years of teaching, an individual can choose to advance into a department head position or an administration position such as a principalship.

How much money does an elementary education professional make?

A teacher's salary depends greatly on experience and location. The average national annual salary for a teacher is $46,000, with a low end of the spectrum making $26,000 and the higher end making $71,000. Beginning teachers, with just a bachelor's degree, earn an average of $31,700 a year. Private school teachers generally earn less than public school teachers, but may be given other benefits, such as free or subsidized housing. Teachers can boost their salary by volunteering to coordinate extracurricular activities or by pursuing more education such as a master's degree.

What are the leading schools offering programs in Elementary Education ?
  • University of Phoenix - Education Founded in 1976, University of Phoenix Online is the largest private university in the United States offering Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees in Education. The University of Phoenix also meets individual requirements set by state education departments which means a degree earned at the University of Phoenix is guaranteed to be honored in all states in the U.S. ( More Info )
  • Liberty University Online With more than 40 online degrees offered, Liberty University is a convenient, flexible, and affordable way to earn an accredited degree from a solid, Christian perspective. ( More Info )
  • Walden University Walden University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, offers Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees in management and doctoral and master's degrees in psychology, education and health and human services to meet the specific needs of adult learners. Walden University has over 30 years of experience delivering programs from a distance while maintaining its student-centered focus on quality and integrity. ( More Info )
  • Western Governors University Western Governors University emphasizes mastery of essential skills and knowledge in your field, basing progress toward your online degree on passing rigorous assessments (such as tests, projects, assignments, etc.) instead of accumulating credit hours. We call it competency-based learning. WGU offers Bachelors and Masters degree programs in Healthcare, Business, MBA, IT and Education. ( More Info )
  • Jones International University Founded in 1993, Jones-International University is the first regionally accredited online university providing quality education for busy adults. JIU offers customized degree programs for a Bachelor Degree in Business or an MBA, Masters in Education, and Masters in Business Communication. ( More Info )
  • Capella University (Graduate) Capella University offers online graduate degree learning in Education, Human Services, Psychology, Business, and Technology. Students earn master and doctorate degrees while preparing for professional entry-level and advanced career opportunities - all without entering a classroom. ( More Info )
  • Marygrove College Marygrove College was founded in 1905 in Monroe, Michigan, and moved to its current location in Detroit in 1927. It is an independent Catholic liberal arts college sponsored by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Marygrove offers Master's degrees in a wide variety of education specialties. ( More Info )
  • Dominican University Dominican University online offers a series of Masters in Education programs designed for working teachers who wish to advance their careers and increase their pay. The programs offered are MAED's in Elementary Education, English as a Second Language and Reading. The Master's programs can be taken whenever and wherever the students want to, so long as an Internet connection is available. ( More Info )
  • Grand Canyon University Graduate Programs Grand Canyon University is an accredited, private, Christian university located in Phoenix, AZ. The institution offers online and on-site graduate programs through the Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Liberal Arts. GCU emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students as well as the working professional. ( More Info )
  • Grand Canyon University Online Founded in 1949 as a private, non-denominational Christian university, Grand Canyon University emphasizes individual attention and staff support. Students learn professional essentials for success in Education careers—all with the convenience of flexible online classes. ( More Info )
  • California University of Pennsylvania California University of Pennsylvania provides career-oriented online training to those students interested in professional careers in education and legal studies. Bachelor and master degrees are available along with graduate certificates to help students start new careers without disrupting their busy schedules. ( More Info )
  • Richard W. Riley College The Richard W. Riley College of Education is part of Walden University. The College of Education offers an assortment of higher education degrees including master's and doctorates. Some programs are entirely online, whereas other programs are a combination of online coursework and face-to-face collaboration. ( More Info )
  • Ashford University Founded in 1918, Ashford University specializes in Teacher Education and Organizational Leadership. Students choose from associate and bachelor degrees in business, psychology, criminal justice, and teaching. The accelerated classes will offer you a swift path to program completion. ( More Info )
  • Brandman University Founded in 1958, Brandman University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, and credentials in education, psychology, and healthcare. ( More Info )

Find Schools offering Elementary Education Degree Programs