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Major · Education

The people who shape how young children first learn to learn

Early Childhood Education and Teaching prepares graduates to work with children from infancy through third grade, covering child development, curriculum design, and classroom management. Over 19,300 degrees are awarded annually across 953 colleges. Career destinations range from preschool teacher at a $37,120 median wage to elementary school teacher at $62,340.

Schools offering
953
Annual completions
19,347
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$46k

About this major

Early childhood education as a formal major prepares graduates to work with children from infancy through approximately age eight — roughly preschool through third grade, though the exact range varies by state. The CIP definition frames it as preparing individuals to teach all relevant subject matter to this age group, which in practice means the curriculum spans child development theory, literacy and numeracy foundations, curriculum design for young learners, observation and assessment techniques, and classroom management adapted for developmentally appropriate practice. Field placements begin early in most programs and are central to the degree: students spend significant time in daycares, Head Start programs, preschools, and early elementary classrooms before graduation.

The major draws students who are genuinely interested in how young children learn — not just in caring for them, but in the cognitive and social mechanics of early development. Coursework is applied but grounded in research: developmental psychology, language acquisition, and family engagement theory underpin what looks like practical classroom technique from the outside. Students who find themselves curious about why a four-year-old engages with a problem differently than an eight-year-old tend to find the academic side more engaging than those who see the theory as an obstacle to getting into a classroom.

On scale, this is a substantial major: 19,347 completions annually across 953 colleges. Career destinations split along degree lines. Associate's completers typically move into preschool or childcare roles — preschool teachers earn a $37,120 median wage with 4.1% projected growth. Bachelor's completers who obtain state licensure are eligible for kindergarten ($61,430 median) and elementary school ($62,340 median) positions. Five-year median earnings across all completers sit around $46,418.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Elementary school teachers, except special education $62k -2.0% Bachelor's degree
Preschool teachers, except special education $37k +4.1% Associate's degree
Kindergarten teachers, except special education $61k -1.6% Bachelor's degree
Education teachers, postsecondary $72k +2.1% Doctoral or professional degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$46k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$38k

Bachelor's

$48k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you find early childhood development genuinely fascinating rather than just likeable — if questions about how children acquire language, navigate social conflict for the first time, or develop number sense actually interest you enough to study systematically. You may also fit well here if you are drawn to work that is immediate and relational, where the results of what you do show up in the room with you rather than in a report. If your goal is a licensed K–3 classroom position, the data makes the path clear: plan for a bachelor's degree and a state teaching credential, since associate's-level completers report median five-year earnings around $38,454 — roughly $9,800 less than bachelor's completers and without access to the licensed teacher roles that pay $61,000–$62,000.

Think twice if you are primarily drawn to older students and find early childhood development less interesting as a subject in itself — Elementary Education or a subject-specific secondary program will give you a more appropriate grade-band focus and broader licensure options. Think twice, too, if you are expecting strong earnings growth over time without moving into administration: K–3 teacher roles show slightly negative projected growth nationally (-1.6% to -2%), and the salary ceiling in classroom roles is set largely by district salary schedules rather than experience alone. And if the idea of working in a physically active, often noisy, highly relational environment for an entire school day sounds draining rather than energizing, the daily reality of this work will test that tolerance repeatedly.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Early Childhood Education and Teaching

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Ashford University San Diego, CA 160 446 606
California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA 0 504 504
Dallas College Dallas, TX 243 151 394
California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA 0 376 376
California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 0 358 358
California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA 0 339 339
Lone Star College System The Woodlands, TX 230 0 230
California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA 0 228 228
Liberty University Lynchburg, VA 114 113 227
Florida International University Miami, FL 0 222 222
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Elementary Education and Teaching

31,672 completions/yr

Special Education and Teaching, General

5,456 completions/yr

Physical Education Teaching and Coaching

4,787 completions/yr

Secondary Education and Teaching

4,057 completions/yr

Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

3,430 completions/yr

Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs

2,223 completions/yr

Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching

2,213 completions/yr

Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching

1,867 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Early Childhood Education and Teaching field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Early Childhood Education and Teaching worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Early Childhood Education majors actually study day-to-day?
Coursework centers on child development theory, age-appropriate curriculum design, observation and assessment methods, and classroom and behavior management. Students spend time in field placements — daycares, preschools, or early elementary classrooms — applying what they study. Upper-division work typically covers literacy development, family engagement, and inclusive practices for children with diverse needs. The program is applied from the start: you are not just reading about children, you are regularly working with them.
Does the degree level — associate's vs. bachelor's — actually matter for this major?
It matters more here than the raw earnings gap might suggest. Associate's completers in this major report median earnings around $38,454 at five years, while bachelor's completers report about $48,274 — a gap of roughly $9,800. But the more important difference is which jobs each credential opens. Preschool teacher roles, where an associate's is the typical credential, have a $37,120 median wage and 4.1% projected growth. Kindergarten and elementary teacher roles require a bachelor's and a state teaching license, and pay $61,430–$62,340 — nearly double the preschool median. If your goal is a licensed K–3 classroom position, an associate's alone will not get you there.
What kinds of jobs do Early Childhood Education graduates end up in?
The most direct career is preschool teacher, with a $37,120 median wage and 4.1% projected job growth — one of the few positive growth figures among the careers linked to this major. Kindergarten teacher ($61,430 median) and elementary school teacher ($62,340 median) are the bachelor's-level targets; both require state licensure. Graduates also move into childcare center management, family services coordination, and curriculum development roles, though those paths are less directly captured in the career data here.
How competitive is the job market for Early Childhood Education graduates?
The picture is mixed and grade-band specific. Preschool teacher shows 4.1% projected growth — modestly above average. Kindergarten teacher shows -1.6% projected growth and elementary school teacher shows -2% projected growth, both in slight contraction. That contraction reflects demographic trends in school-age populations in some regions and is not uniform nationally. Over 19,300 degrees are awarded in this field annually, which is a meaningful supply of graduates relative to a job market with flat-to-declining projections for licensed roles. Geographic flexibility and willingness to work in high-need districts significantly changes the competitive picture.
Is Early Childhood Education the right major, or should I look at related programs?
If your goal is K–3 specifically, this major is purpose-built for that path. If you want to teach upper elementary or middle school, Elementary Education and Teaching (31,672 completions annually) or a subject-specific secondary education program gives you broader licensure flexibility. If you want to work with children with disabilities, the closely related Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs (2,223 completions) targets that path directly. If you want to teach in higher education eventually, the path runs through graduate study regardless of which undergraduate education major you choose.
What's a realistic earnings picture after an Early Childhood Education degree?
Median five-year earnings across all completers in this field run about $46,418. Bachelor's completers land closer to $48,274 at that mark; associate's completers around $38,454. The ceiling in the field is set by the licensed classroom roles: elementary and kindergarten teachers earn $61,430–$62,340 median, and experienced educators moving into administration or curriculum coordination can earn beyond that. But this is not a high-earnings major by the numbers — it is a field where the non-financial returns (direct work with children, clear social mission) are a real part of what attracts and retains graduates.