by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Teacher Education & Development prepares you teach different subjects to students. This means you could teach English, history, chemistry, math, or even art. The subject possibilities are endless, what is important is that you focus your major around what you are interested in and also pursue a teaching certificate. Each teacher education program is different based on what college you attend and your focus. This program will prepare to become a classroom teacher on your specific subject.
Every college will require different courses for your degree. You will be required to take content courses based upon your focus. These courses will vary depending on the path you intend to pursue. Education courses will also be required; for example literacy, educational psychology, and teaching methods. Concentrations in this major include anything from Agricultural and Art, to Driver and Safety Ed, Health, Math, Music, Science, Computers, Technology and much more.
Studying Teacher Education Subject Specific involves the study of Teacher Education And Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. Read on to learn the important information every teacher education subject specific student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering teacher education subject specific programs.
In the U.S., teacher education subject specific draws strong interest, with 39,881 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Teacher Education Subject Specific Schools ranking analyzes these 1,081 schools to determine the best overall colleges for teacher education subject specific students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of teacher education subject specific programs later in this article.
Studies in Teacher Education Subject Specific emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations teacher education subject specific graduates commonly enter.
As a teacher, you make the decision about what is being taught in your classroom. You need to have direction and organizational skills in order to make sure what is required by your district is being covered in your classroom. Another skill that is necessary is to be authoritative; it is important to ensure learning will happen in your classroom. You need to be assertive and maintain control while you are teaching your students. However, other important traits of a teacher include patience and creativity. You should also be approachable and kind. Students respect teachers who respect them. Students are also willing to share their problems when teachers show that they are available and they want to help.
Creativity is important in every subject. Students have a short attention span, especially when other students are around to distract them. It is important to use your resources such as technology, other teachers, and items in your community to add to your lessons. An example of this might be teaming up with the science teacher to have a lesson on both the history of mummification and a science lesson on how people were mummified. Then you could all go on a field trip to a museum to view mummies. You cannot be afraid to ask for help or to work with colleagues to make your students learning memorable and exciting.
You should be confident in your subject matter. You should be willing to research to answer difficult questions from your students, while at the same time admitting when you are stumped and get your students on board with figuring out an answer.
In order to become a teacher you must complete a semester of student teaching and become certified in your state. Prior experience working with kids will help you decide if this is the right career for you.
Skills developed in a teacher education subject specific program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a teacher education subject specific major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several teacher education subject specific 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 | 307 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,247 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 18,524 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 19,101 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 529 |
People currently working in careers related to teacher education subject specific tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 43.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.5% |
| Master’s degree | 12.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 5.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.7% |
| Some college courses | 0.5% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in teacher education subject specific careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
With a degree in teaching you can become a classroom teacher for your specific subjects. Most colleges will require you to get a Master's degree in your concentration which will allow you to succeed in any job in relation to your degree.
Majoring in teacher education subject specific can lead to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to teacher education subject specific.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to teacher education subject specific.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | 1,384,848 | 9.0% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,328,652 | -4.2% |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,273,615 | 14.3% |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,269,153 | 10.5% |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,267,153 | 0.4% |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | 1,154,676 | 1.9% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of teacher education subject specific graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $49,919 |
| 4 years | $50,204 |
| 5 years | $56,331 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for teacher education subject specific graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers teacher education subject specific grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,604 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $88,437 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,398 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $84,688 |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $83,682 |
| Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $83,485 |
With 1,081 different teacher education subject specific programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased teacher education subject specific school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in teacher education subject specific, 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 |
| 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.
