by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Early Childhood Program Administration explores A Program That Focuses On Early Childhood Educational Program Administration And Prepares Individuals To Serve As A Principal Or Director Of An Early Childhood Educational Program. Includes Instruction In Early Childhood Education, Program And Facilities Planning, Budgeting And Administration, Public Relations, Human Resources Management, Early Childhood Growth And Development, Counseling Skills, Applicable Law And Regulations, School Safety, Policy Studies, And Professional Standards And Ethics. Continue reading for the key facts every early childhood program administration major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering early childhood program administration programs.
Nationwide, early childhood program administration is a popular field of study, with 104 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Early Childhood Program Administration Schools ranking analyzes these 8 schools to determine the best overall colleges for early childhood program administration students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of early childhood program administration programs later in this article.
Coursework for Early Childhood Program Administration emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations early childhood program administration graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a early childhood program administration program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a early childhood program administration major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several early childhood program 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 54 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 34 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 16 |
People currently working in careers related to early childhood program administration tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 20.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 11.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 6.8% |
| Some college courses | 5.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.6% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in early childhood program administration careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying early childhood program administration opens doors to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to early childhood program administration.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to early childhood program administration.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 309,910 | 7.7% |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | 105,632 | 2.6% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of early childhood program administration graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 early childhood program administration graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers early childhood program administration grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | $178,795 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $129,049 |
With 8 different early childhood program administration programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased early childhood program administration school rankings to help you.
Students interested in early childhood program administration, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
