by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Reading Teacher Education covers Reading Teacher Education. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Diagnose Reading Difficulties And To Teach Reading Programs At Various Educational Levels. Continue reading for the key facts every reading teacher education major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering reading teacher education programs.
In the U.S., reading teacher education draws strong interest, with 5,986 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Reading Teacher Education Schools ranking analyzes these 302 schools to determine the best overall colleges for reading teacher education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of reading teacher education programs later in this article.
Studies in Reading Teacher Education build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations reading teacher education graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a reading teacher education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a reading teacher education major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several reading teacher 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 | 29 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5,816 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 106 |
People currently working in careers related to reading teacher education tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 47.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 34.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 7.2% |
| Master’s degree | 6.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 2.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in reading teacher education careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying reading teacher education prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to reading teacher education.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to reading teacher education.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 692,039 | -1.4% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 571,954 | 1.8% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of reading teacher education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 reading teacher education graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers reading teacher education grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $83,105 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $77,927 |
With 302 different reading teacher education programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased reading teacher education school rankings to help you.
Students interested in reading teacher 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 |
| 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 |
| Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education | 1,022 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
