Best Doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education Administration Programs in 2026
All 5 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database, ranked on degrees awarded and local teacher pay. CIP 13.0403.
A doctorate in adult and continuing education program administration prepares senior leaders who direct adult education, workforce, and continuing education programs at colleges, agencies, and organizations. It is pursued by experienced program directors, deans of continuing education, and lifelong learning administrators who want to lead at the highest levels or contribute research to the field. Graduates become directors and deans of continuing and professional education, adult education administrators, and program leaders in universities, community colleges, and public agencies. There is usually no state license involved; the credential is the degree combined with significant leadership experience.
- Most education doctorates take three to five years beyond a master's, built around coursework, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation or applied research project, often part-time.
- 4 of 5 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option.
- Graduates most often work as education administrators, where the median wage is $104,590.
- Graduate programs are ranked on degrees awarded, cost-of-living-adjusted local pay, and institutional standing, not the undergraduate stats that do not describe a doctorate.
- 1
University of Arkansas
56score- 10Doctorates/yr
- $61,010Metro teacher pay
- Ed.D. in Adult and Lifelong Learning
- On-campus
About the programThe University of Arkansas offers an Ed.D. in Adult and Lifelong Learning aimed at scholar-practitioners who lead in adult education and community college settings. The 60-credit program uses a blended format, combining online study with periodic in-person cohort meetings, so working professionals can stay in their positions while they progress. Admission alternates between two focused cohorts, an Adult Education Leadership group in even years and a Community College Leadership group in odd years, giving each entering class a shared professional identity. A preregistered dissertation format is meant to remove traditional research barriers and keep busy professionals moving toward completion. This is a leadership degree rather than a licensure track, positioning graduates for advancement in adult and community college education rather than any certification. Graduates of this adult and continuing education administration program at the doctoral level often go on to work as education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 10 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,010, roughly $66,785 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 2
Northern Illinois University
42score- 12Doctorates/yr
- Ed.D. in Higher Education
- On-campus
About the programNorthern Illinois University offers an Ed.D. in Higher Education with a specialization in Higher Education Administration, designed for working professionals moving into leadership across colleges and universities. The 54-credit program follows a hybrid format, pairing online instruction with monthly in-person Saturday sessions, and a cohort moves through the sequence together over three years. Its curriculum is grounded in the Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate framework, and the degree culminates in a dissertation of practice rather than a traditional research dissertation. That structure marks it clearly as a practitioner doctorate built to help administrators solve real problems in their institutions. The program does not lead to licensure or certification, so it functions as leadership preparation for higher education careers. As a doctoral degree in adult and continuing education administration, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as education administrators in Illinois.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 12 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 3
Texas State University
39score- 6Doctorates/yr
- $61,270Metro teacher pay
- Ed.D./Ph.D. in Adult, Professional, and Community Education
- On-campus
About the programTexas State University offers a doctoral program in Adult, Professional, and Community Education with both Ed.D. and Ph.D. tracks, letting students choose between practitioner leadership and a more research-centered path. The program is on-campus and cohort-based, with numbered cohorts such as Cohort 24 marking each entering class and building a strong sense of shared community. Doctoral research assistantships give students funded, hands-on involvement in scholarship, a feature that signals real support for those leaning toward research and the professoriate. An Accelerated Dissertation Completion Award further encourages timely progress toward the degree. Earning a doctoral degree in adult and continuing education administration is a common route toward becoming one of Texas's education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 6 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,270, roughly $62,478 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 4
Valdosta State University
37score- 4Doctorates/yr
- Ed.D. in Adult Learning & Development
- On-campus
About the programValdosta State University offers an online Ed.D. in Adult Learning and Development for educators working across secondary, postsecondary, and workforce or government contexts. Unlike the many lockstep cohort doctorates in this field, this 54-credit program admits students individually each fall, giving candidates more control over their own pacing. The curriculum reflects a serious research orientation for an Ed.D., requiring a comprehensive exam, a publication-ready manuscript, and a defended dissertation. That combination suits professionals who want to produce scholarship on adult and career education while remaining in their jobs. The program mentions no licensure or certification outcome, so it should be understood as advanced preparation for leadership and inquiry rather than a credentialing pathway. As a doctoral degree in adult and continuing education administration, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as education administrators in Georgia.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 4 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 5
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
31score- 18Doctorates/yr
- $60,170Metro teacher pay
- Ed.D. in Community College Leadership (Adult and Community College Education)
- On-campus
About the programNC State University offers an Ed.D. in Community College Leadership, part of its Adult and Community College Education program, tailored to sitting and aspiring community college leaders. The executive format runs on alternating weekends with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous virtual sessions, letting a new cohort each May stay in their roles while completing the three-year sequence. The program is affiliated with the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research, and it organizes inquiry around themes such as access, completion, transfer, learning outcomes, and labor market results. Students begin dissertation work in their first semester, reinforcing a research-informed but leadership-focused identity backed by SACSCOC accreditation. This is not a licensure program; it prepares practitioners to lead and study the community college sector. As a doctoral degree in adult and continuing education administration, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as education administrators in North Carolina.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 18 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Raleigh-Cary, NC, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,170, roughly $61,300 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
How we rank
Doctoral programs specifically in elementary education are rare, most educators earn a doctorate in curriculum and instruction or educational leadership, so this is a short, complete list rather than a deep ranking. The few programs are ordered by graduate tuition affordability (50%), the university's acceptance rate (30%), and the university's graduation rate (20%). Graduate tuition is researched from each program's official page. Because the federal data does not publish graduation or admission rates for individual doctoral programs, those rates are the university's institution-wide figures, used only as rough context. Every program is shown, with no per-state cap.
- Established program size, degrees awarded per year, capped so volume alone does not win: 30%
- Local-area teacher pay, cost-of-living adjusted (BLS + BEA): 30%
- Program strength, institutional research standing plus accreditation, less a for-profit deduction: 40%
What careers can you get with a doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education Administration?
Graduates most often go on to work as education administrators. Nationally, the median wage for that occupation is $104,590, with most earning between $64,560 and $215,620, and roughly 180,470 people employed across the United States, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prepares candidates for senior college and university administration.
Read the full guide on how to become an education administrator, or see education administrators pay by state →
Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 11-9033), and BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wages are national and not school-specific.
Education Administrators Salary by State in 2026
Median annual wage for education administrators, by state. Highest is New York at $139,640, lowest is Arkansas at $78,240.
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| New York | $139,640 |
| New Jersey | $131,570 |
| Massachusetts | $128,970 |
| Delaware | $128,570 |
| Wyoming | $127,960 |
| Washington | $127,630 |
| South Dakota | $126,160 |
| California | $125,460 |
| Wisconsin | $124,960 |
| Connecticut | $123,190 |
| Virginia | $120,840 |
| Oregon | $120,110 |
| Maryland | $118,550 |
| Colorado | $118,440 |
| Kentucky | $114,310 |
| Georgia | $110,200 |
| Kansas | $110,020 |
| New Mexico | $109,480 |
| Michigan | $108,500 |
| District of Columbia | $107,390 |
| Rhode Island | $106,520 |
| Oklahoma | $105,830 |
| Minnesota | $104,740 |
| Missouri | $104,560 |
| Vermont | $104,450 |
| Texas | $104,390 |
| New Hampshire | $104,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,740 |
| Arizona | $103,280 |
| Alaska | $103,080 |
| Montana | $102,980 |
| North Dakota | $101,600 |
| Idaho | $101,200 |
| North Carolina | $101,060 |
| Tennessee | $100,850 |
| Utah | $100,420 |
| Alabama | $100,030 |
| Illinois | $99,770 |
| Louisiana | $98,840 |
| Indiana | $98,000 |
| Nebraska | $96,030 |
| South Carolina | $95,570 |
| Iowa | $89,320 |
| Nevada | $88,810 |
| Maine | $88,180 |
| Ohio | $87,370 |
| Mississippi | $86,590 |
| West Virginia | $84,660 |
| Florida | $83,840 |
| Hawaii | $81,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $80,410 |
| Guam | $79,080 |
| Arkansas | $78,240 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How much a doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education Administration program costs in 2026
A doctorate is a multi-year commitment, usually three to five years beyond a master's, so the total cost depends far more on how long it takes and a school's per-credit rate than on any single year's tuition. Public universities are typically the least expensive for residents, and EdD programs built for working professionals often price a fixed cohort program rather than charging by the credit. Because IPEDS reports only an institution-wide undergraduate tuition that does not describe a doctoral program, each card shows a researched per-program cost wherever a school publishes one.
Funding changes the math, and it differs sharply by track. Research-focused PhD students are frequently funded through assistantships or fellowships that waive tuition and pay a stipend in exchange for teaching or research. Practice-oriented EdD students more often pay their own way, but can use federal Grad PLUS loans, Public Service Loan Forgiveness while working in public education, and, in many districts, tuition reimbursement or a raise on the administrator salary schedule once the degree is complete.
The destination pays accordingly: education administrators earn a median of $104,590 nationally, with the top of the field near $215,620.
Sources: program data from IPEDS; graduate aid from Federal Student Aid; wages from BLS OEWS.
Ways to earn your doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education Administration
Education doctorates come in two forms, and choosing the right one matters more than the format. A Doctor of Education (EdD) is practice-oriented, built for working leaders and centered on an applied problem-of-practice dissertation, and it is commonly offered part-time, in the evening, or online so candidates can keep their jobs. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is research-oriented and prepares candidates for university faculty and research careers, usually as a longer, more full-time program with a traditional research dissertation.
Delivery is flexible at this level: 4 of the 5 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option, most often on the EdD side, typically as a cohort with periodic on-campus residencies. Whichever the path, the through-line is the same: doctoral coursework, comprehensive or qualifying exams, and an original dissertation or applied research project.
Sources: online and program counts from IPEDS.
How to earn a doctorate in adult and continuing education program administration
The path moves from a master's and administrative experience through advanced coursework, examinations, and an original dissertation or applied project.
- 1
Build a foundation in adult education leadership
Most programs expect a master's degree and several years of experience in adult, continuing, or workforce education administration. A clear leadership record and research interest strengthen your application.
- 2
Choose a PhD or EdD program
Decide whether a research-oriented PhD or a practice-oriented EdD better fits your goals, then apply with a statement of purpose, references, and relevant experience. EdD programs are common here because they are built for working administrators.
- 3
Complete advanced coursework
Take doctoral seminars in adult learning theory, program administration, finance, policy, and research methods. Coursework blends leadership practice, organizational study, and specialized electives.
- 4
Pass comprehensive examinations
Demonstrate mastery of the field through written and sometimes oral comprehensive exams. Passing advances you to candidacy and clears the way for dissertation work.
- 5
Complete a dissertation or applied project
Design and carry out original research or an applied project that addresses a real problem in adult and continuing education, then defend it before your committee. This capstone often takes one to two years.
Requirements summarized from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and each state's department of education. Exact requirements vary by state.
Frequently asked questions about a Doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education Administration
What is the difference between an EdD and a PhD in adult and continuing education administration?
The difference between an EdD and a PhD in this field is that a PhD is research-oriented and prepares you for university faculty and research careers with a traditional research dissertation. An EdD is practice-oriented and built for working administrators who want to apply research to real programs, often through an applied dissertation. Many candidates in adult education administration choose the EdD because it fits leaders who are already employed.
How long does a doctorate in adult and continuing education administration take?
A doctorate in adult and continuing education administration takes most students three to five years beyond the master's, and part-time enrollment often extends that. The timeline includes coursework, comprehensive exams, and the dissertation or applied project. The dissertation stage is the most variable and depends on your research scope.
Can you earn a doctorate in adult and continuing education administration online or part-time?
You can earn a doctorate in adult and continuing education administration online or part-time at many programs, which are designed for working administrators and offer part-time, hybrid, or fully online formats. Some include summer residencies or on-campus intensives. Because most candidates keep working while they study, confirm the schedule and residency expectations before you apply.
What jobs can you get with a doctorate in adult and continuing education administration, and what do they pay in 2026?
A doctorate in adult and continuing education administration leads to careers as directors and deans of continuing education, adult education administrators, and program leaders in colleges and agencies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education Administrators, Postsecondary earn a median wage of $104,590. Pay varies by institution, region, and the scope of the role.
Do you need a license with a doctorate in adult and continuing education administration?
You usually do not need a license for this administrative role. Unlike K-12 school administration, senior continuing education and adult education leadership generally does not require a state administrator license. The credential that matters is the doctorate combined with a strong record of leadership experience. Requirements can vary by employer, so check specific job postings.
Is a doctorate in adult and continuing education administration worth it?
A doctorate in adult and continuing education administration is worth it if your goal is to lead adult education, workforce, or continuing education programs at the highest levels, since the degree signals expertise and often distinguishes you for dean and director roles. It is a meaningful investment of time and usually means years of part-time study while working. For experienced administrators aiming for senior leadership, it can pay off in both opportunity and impact.
Answers draw on IPEDS, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, and each state's department of education.
Data sources for our Doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education Administration ranking
- Program counts and degrees awarded: IPEDS, US Department of Education. Cost figures are researched from each program's own published tuition, since IPEDS reports only undergraduate tuition.
- Wages and employment outlook: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- Program descriptions: each school's official catalog and program pages.