by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Distributive Education involves the study of Sales And Marketing Operations/marketing And Distribution Teacher Education. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Teach Vocational Sales And Marketing Operations/marketing And Distributive Education Programs At Various Educational Levels. Read on to learn the essential details every distributive education student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering distributive education programs.
Nationwide, distributive education draws strong interest, with 9 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Distributive Education Schools ranking analyzes these 2 schools to determine the best overall colleges for distributive education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of distributive education programs later in this article.
Programs in Distributive Education build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations distributive education graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a distributive education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a distributive education major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several distributive education 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 | 9 |
People currently working in careers related to distributive education tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 39.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.8% |
| Master’s degree | 15.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.8% |
| Some college courses | 1.9% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in distributive education careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying distributive education can lead to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to distributive education.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to distributive education.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | 1,384,848 | 9.0% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | 474,592 | 2.1% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 202,912 | 0.6% |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 181,317 | 10.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of distributive education 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 distributive education graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers distributive education grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,398 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,576 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | $48,506 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | $46,297 |
With 2 different distributive education programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased distributive education school rankings to help you.
Students interested in distributive education, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 6,964 |
| Reading Teacher Education | 5,986 |
| Music Teacher Education | 4,544 |
| English/Language Arts Teacher Education | 3,018 |
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 2,993 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other | 2,352 |
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 1,963 |
| Art Teacher Education | 1,860 |
| Health Teacher Education | 1,472 |
| Agricultural Teacher Education | 1,051 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
