by our College Data Analytics TeamWould you describe yourself as the teacher's pet? If you find the field of education fascinating and rewarding, you might want a career as a principal or superintendent. A major in Educational Administration will be the ideal preparation for this career. In this major you will be prepared to lead schools ranging from elementary to high school level. This path is can be very different from classroom teaching. You manage the day to day operations of the school and help the school move towards the set goals and objectives.
This major will require you to take classes such as counseling, education, law, curriculum development, ethics, management and psychology.
There are many different concentrations under this major. Some of the more popular concentrations are Educational Leadership and Administration, Adult and Continuing Education, Curriculum Supervision, Higher Education Administration, and Elementary and Middle School Administration.
Studying Educational Administration involves the study of Educational Administration And Supervision. Continue reading for the essential details every educational administration student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering educational administration programs.
Across the country, educational administration is a popular field of study, with 42,255 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Educational Administration Schools ranking analyzes these 846 schools to determine the best overall colleges for educational administration students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of educational administration programs later in this article.
Coursework for Educational Administration build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations educational administration graduates commonly enter.
As an administrator or principal you need excellent communication and leadership skills. As a person in the leadership position you will be managing resources, personnel, and school finance and law. Administrators must be organized, computer savvy and up-to-date on recent technology.
As well as being an effective leader to your staff, you will also make decisions that impact the school. As an administrator you will share your perspective and ideas on factors like politics and economics. You will use others to help develop your ideas and broaden your perspectives. You need to have an open mind to hear others, but also have the ability to make hard decisions. Those who do well in this field have a heard for service as well as a vision of the future of education. This person should also be someone who likes to take charge and have ideas on how to get their vision accomplished.
The skill set emphasized by a educational administration program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a educational administration major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several educational administration degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 69 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 557 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 32,648 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 8,979 |
People currently working in careers related to educational administration tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 45.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 21.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 7.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.2% |
| Some college courses | 2.5% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.8% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in educational administration careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
As an educational administrator you can become a principal, superintendent, or another type of school official. You may also work in law or school policy. In order to become an educational administrator, you need a minimum of your master's degree and a certain number of years as a teacher.
Majoring in educational administration prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to educational administration.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to educational administration.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Training and Development Managers | 394,938 | -0.4% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 309,910 | 7.7% |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 237,062 | -1.7% |
| Education Administrators, All Other | 234,350 | -0.8% |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | 105,632 | 2.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of educational administration graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,211 |
| 4 years | $67,022 |
| 5 years | $74,441 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for educational administration graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers educational administration grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | $178,795 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $161,927 |
| Training and Development Managers | $139,524 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $129,049 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $91,340 |
With 846 different educational administration programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased educational administration school rankings to help you.
Students interested in educational administration, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,054 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 39,881 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 33,988 |
| Education, General | 27,481 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 21,331 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 13,714 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 8,879 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5,695 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,092 |
| Education, Other | 4,326 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
