by our College Data Analytics TeamThis is a program that allows you to help design, develop, use, and evaluate educational tests and other devices used to evaluate student learning and progress. You will learn how to apply the data and analyze the development of the students and the educational programs. This will allow you to gather the information needed to plan and develop more effective tests and techniques to help students grow and develop.
Every school will have different major requirements, but some courses you may take include: instruction in evaluation theory, evaluation research design and planning, data analysis, data interpretation, data reporting, research evaluation, test implantation, economics, and policy.
Concentrations in this major include: Educational Evaluation and Research, Educational Statistics and Research Methods, Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement, Learning Sciences, and other types of Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research.
A degree in Educational Assessment involves the study of Educational Assessment, Evaluation, And Research. Continue reading for the essential details every educational assessment major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering educational assessment programs.
Across the country, educational assessment is a popular field of study, with 5,695 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Educational Assessment Schools ranking analyzes these 132 schools to determine the best overall colleges for educational assessment students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of educational assessment programs later in this article.
Studies in Educational Assessment build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations educational assessment graduates commonly enter.
This is a good path for people who are attracted to the education field, but do not want to work directly with students every day. You should like to work with data and statistics and be interested in analyzing and researching. Not only should you like to gather the information, but in this field you should have the desire to take your findings and figure out how to update and manipulate the current programs in order to make them more effective and more efficient. It is important to be able to think logically and clearly.
Communication skills are important. You will find it necessary to explain the changes that need to be made in order to create more effective assessments to measure success for both students and teachers.
Skills built by a educational assessment program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a educational assessment major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several educational assessment 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2,975 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,254 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 466 |
People currently working in careers related to educational assessment tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 57.6% |
| Master’s degree | 20.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 16.9% |
| Some college courses | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in educational assessment careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
This field will prepare you to go into the educational testing world. You could work with companies like Pearson, ETS (Educational Testing Service), or the state for state examinations. You may work directly with data or you could be researching more effective ways to teach or test. This major will not prepare you for just one specific career path.
A degree in educational assessment can lead to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to educational assessment.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to educational assessment.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 1,421,275 | 11.1% |
| Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other | 638,385 | -0.5% |
| Management Analysts | 484,759 | 12.6% |
| Training and Development Managers | 394,938 | -0.4% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Biostatisticians | 76,966 | 7.4% |
| Survey Researchers | 76,556 | 11.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of educational assessment graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $62,037 |
| 4 years | $57,700 |
| 5 years | $64,541 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for educational assessment graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers educational assessment grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Training and Development Managers | $139,524 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Survey Researchers | $108,538 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other | $65,582 |
| Management Analysts | $51,034 |
| Transportation Planners | $50,855 |
With 132 different educational assessment programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased educational assessment school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in educational assessment, 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 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 42,255 |
| 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 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,092 |
| Education, Other | 4,326 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
