Hakia Education

Best Master's in Art Teacher Education Programs by Local Teacher Pay

Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology

Published ·Last updated

Ranked by the median wage for elementary teachers in each program metro area, from BLS. The top 25 out of 87 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database.

  1. 1

    Azusa Pacific University

    Azusa, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 7Master's/yr
    • $101,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Art Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Azusa Pacific University offers a Master of Arts in Art Education built as a low-residency program for working artists and teachers who cannot step away from their lives to study. Its 30-unit design pairs online coursework with two required one-week summer studio practicums on the Azusa campus, concentrating hands-on and face-to-face work into short, intensive residencies. Five entry points across the year, in fall, spring, or a July summer intensive, give candidates unusual flexibility about when to begin. That combination of mostly remote study and brief campus immersions reads as a program shaped around adults balancing careers with graduate work. Azusa Pacific is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. As a master's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in California.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 7 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,860, roughly $89,692 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.

    School site
  2. 2

    Boston University

    Boston, MAPrivate nonprofit

    • 21Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Art Education with Initial License
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Boston University offers a Master of Arts in Art Education with Initial License, a hybrid program organized around a single May cohort that moves together through a summer online or blended term and two subsequent campus terms. The tight cohort sequence, anchored by an eight-unit practicum and a pre-practicum seminar, signals a program built to carry candidates from studio training into supervised classroom teaching in one focused year-plus. Coursework aligns with the Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers and Curriculum Frameworks and prepares candidates for initial licensure in visual art. For those with different goals, BU also offers the MA without licensure, a fully online MA, and a combined BFA/MA (4+1) with Initial License. The program aligns with NASAD requirements, and the university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Massachusetts's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 21 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 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.

    School site
  3. 3

    Bridgewater State University

    Bridgewater, MAPublic

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching, Visual Arts Education
    • NASAD-accredited Department of Art and Art History
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Bridgewater State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Visual Arts Education, a small-cohort evening program clearly designed around the schedules of working teachers. Meeting after the school day, candidates build studio proficiency in at least one visual arts area and progress toward a culminating body of cohesive artwork paired with a thesis. That pairing of a sustained studio portfolio with a written thesis reads as a program that expects its educators to keep growing as artists even as they refine their teaching. Coursework meets Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requirements for professional state licensure in PreK-12 visual arts, positioning it for those advancing an existing teaching career. Housed in a NASAD-accredited department of art and art history, it blends professional preparation with serious studio grounding. As a master's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 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.

    School site
  4. 4

    Framingham State University

    Framingham, MAPublic

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Secondary Education, Visual Art concentration
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Framingham State University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education with a Visual Art concentration, a hybrid program that folds Massachusetts Initial Licensure requirements into advanced graduate study. Candidates choose a PreK-8 or 5-12 grade band and can typically complete the degree in about two years, a structure that reads as a focused, licensure-oriented entry into art teaching. Because the concentration lives within a broader Secondary Education M.Ed. that also spans English, history and social science, and mathematics, art candidates share a common professional-education core with future teachers across subjects. The visual art track carries its own studio expectation, asking applicants to submit 10 to 15 digital images of their artwork through Slideroom during admissions. The result combines classroom preparation for initial Massachusetts licensure with evidence of genuine studio practice. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Massachusetts's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 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.

    School site
  5. 5

    State University of New York at New Paltz

    New Paltz, NYPublic

    • 8Master's/yr
    • $97,920Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education in Visual Arts Education
    • Online
    About the program

    SUNY New Paltz offers a fully online Master of Science in Education in Visual Arts Education designed for art teachers who already hold Visual Art PreK-12 certification. The 15-month program treats studio practice as a site of inquiry and asks candidates to carry out original practitioner research, so it reads as professional advancement for working teachers rather than an entry credential. Because it is delivered entirely online, certified educators can continue teaching while they study, and completion qualifies them for Professional, or advanced, certification in Visual Art PreK-12. For candidates who do not yet hold certification, the college offers a separate Master of Arts in Teaching in Visual Arts Education, which keeps this degree cleanly focused on the already-licensed cohort. The overall design points to reflective, research-minded growth for teachers deepening their practice from within the classroom. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 8 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Kingston, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $97,920, roughly $97,231 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.

    School site
  6. 6

    New York University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 12Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • MA, Teaching Art, Grades K-12, Initial Certification
    • Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    NYU Steinhardt offers a Master of Arts in Teaching Art for grades K through 12, accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council and designed to prepare candidates for New York State initial certification in visual art. The 30-credit program builds toward licensure through mentored field placements that begin with an initial learning-partner placement and culminate in student teaching, alongside the NYU Visionary Studio Saturday Workshop that keeps candidates engaged in studio practice. Certification requires passing the Educating All Students exam and the Visual Arts Content Specialty Test, and the mentored progression reads as a scaffolded route from observation to full classroom responsibility. As of the research date, the program is listed as not currently accepting applications. Prospective students should confirm availability with the school. This master's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 12 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  7. 7

    CUNY Hunter College

    New York, NYPublic

    • 22Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Visual Arts Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Hunter College offers a Master of Arts in Visual Arts Education that leads to New York State certification to teach visual arts from PreK through grade 12. The program is built with two credit pathways that recognize where a candidate is starting from, requiring 44 credits for those without prior New York State teacher certification and 30 credits for those already certified. That structure lets the degree serve both career changers entering art teaching for the first time and practicing teachers deepening their credentials without repeating groundwork they have already completed. Delivered on campus in Manhattan, it pairs studio practice with the pedagogy needed for licensure. The result reads as a flexible, certification-focused path into public school art teaching. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 22 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  8. 8

    CUNY City College

    New York, NYPublic

    • 16Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Art Education, Master of Arts
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The City College of New York offers a Master of Arts in Art Education with a justice-oriented, community-facing curriculum that prepares graduates for schools, museums, community centers, and alternative learning sites. The 38-credit MA track is a non-certification degree aimed at teaching-artist and museum-education careers, while a separate 26-credit Advanced Certificate track, open to those who already hold an MFA or MA, leads to New York State Certification in Visual Arts Pre-K-12 and includes a semester of student teaching. That split lets students choose between broad community arts work and the classroom certification path. The program's civic commitment is concrete, anchored by City Art Lab, a free after-school program students help run. Together these features characterize a degree focused on art education as public and community practice as much as classroom teaching. This master's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 16 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  9. 9

    Hofstra University

    Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 3Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Fine Arts Education, MSEd
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education in Fine Arts Education that leads to a candidate's first New York State certification to teach visual arts in grades K through 12. Across its 38 credits the program threads literacy, multicultural education, and information technology through the coursework, positioning art teaching within the broader competencies contemporary classrooms demand. It culminates in full-time student teaching, the clinical capstone that turns preparation into supervised classroom practice. That combination signals a program for candidates entering the profession who want a well-rounded pedagogical foundation rather than studio work alone. Delivered on campus on Long Island, it points graduates toward initial licensure as art educators. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  10. 10

    Adelphi University

    Garden City, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 40Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Art Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Adelphi University offers a Master of Arts in Art Education that prepares students for New York State Visual Arts Pre-K-12 teaching certification through a largely asynchronous online format. Rather than fixed concentrations, the program leaves room for personalization, with four elective courses letting students steer the degree toward their own interests. The online coursework is grounded in real classrooms through 100 hours of fieldwork and a full-day student teaching placement, so certification rests on supervised practice rather than theory alone. An unusual study-abroad student teaching option lets candidates complete that culminating experience internationally, broadening how they think about arts classrooms. The blend of flexible online study and hands-on placement makes it a practical route to certification for aspiring art teachers who need scheduling latitude. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 40 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  11. 11

    Teachers College at Columbia University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 29Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Art and Art Education with Initial Teacher Certification (M.A. Init)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Teachers College, Columbia University offers a Master of Arts in Art and Art Education with Initial Teacher Certification, the one degree in its art and art education suite that leads to a New York State teaching credential. Spanning two years and 40 points, the program is carefully mapped to state certification requirements, so candidates finish prepared to teach Visual Arts, PreK-12. Its certification focus distinguishes it from the college's general Master of Arts in Art and Art Education, which does not lead to licensure and instead offers focus areas in museum education, art pedagogy, creative technologies, and community arts. That contrast makes clear who this track is for, namely people who want to enter public school classrooms as licensed art teachers. Housed within a leading school of education, the degree pairs a strong teaching orientation with a serious grounding in artistic practice. As a master's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 29 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  12. 12

    CUNY Brooklyn College

    Brooklyn, NYPublic

    • 8Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Art Teacher, M.A.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Brooklyn College offers an Art Teacher M.A. that leads to New York State teaching certification from Pre-K through high school and is aligned with the state's teacher education standards, with credentials recognized in many other states through reciprocal agreements. The program admits students through two pathways, Option A and Option B, depending on how much prior art or art education background they bring, and it offers a separate Advanced Certificate in Teaching Art for those who already hold a master's degree. That tiered admission structure signals a program built to meet candidates at different starting points. Flexible, self-paced scheduling makes room for working students, most of whom finish in about two years by combining education coursework, field experience, and arts coursework. It reads as an accessible, certification-focused path for aspiring and career-changing art teachers in New York. This master's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 8 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  13. 13

    CUNY Queens College

    Queens, NYPublic

    • 17Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education in Art Education (K-12)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Queens College offers a Master of Science in Education in Art Education for candidates who already hold New York State Initial Certification in Visual Arts and are pursuing Professional Certification for grades K through 12. The 33-credit program culminates in a written, research-based thesis, framing it as an advanced degree for teachers ready to study their own practice rather than an entry route into the field. Courses meet in late afternoon and evening, a scheduling choice that plainly accommodates full-time art teachers enrolling part-time. Taken together, the design reads as built for working educators moving toward permanent certification while staying in the classroom. It rewards candidates who want scholarly depth alongside continued teaching. This master's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  14. 14

    CUNY Lehman College

    Bronx, NYPublic

    • 5Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Art Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lehman College offers a Master of Arts in Art Education leading to initial New York State certification to teach art from Pre-K through grade 12. What distinguishes the program is its dual-advising model, in which each candidate works with a Graduate Adviser in the Art Department alongside an Art Education adviser in the School of Education. Students enroll in the education course sequence immediately upon entry, signaling a program that keeps studio identity and teaching preparation moving in tandem rather than in sequence. That front-loaded structure suits candidates who want to build classroom readiness from their first semester. Taught on campus in the Bronx, it aims squarely at preparing new art teachers for licensure. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 5 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  15. 15

    Long Island University

    Brookville, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Art Education (Birth to Grade 12)
    • Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    LIU Post offers a Master of Science in Art Education spanning birth through grade 12, with the program page citing accreditation from the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The 30-credit curriculum deliberately pairs hands-on studio coursework, in ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, digital art and design, and photography, with the pedagogical, philosophical, and social foundations of art education. That balance keeps candidates practicing as artists even as they learn to teach, reflecting a conviction that strong art teachers remain makers themselves. The broad birth-to-grade-12 scope prepares graduates for the full span of New York State art classrooms. Offered on campus, it suits candidates who want studio depth and teaching preparation woven together. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  16. 16

    Manhattanville University

    Purchase, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    About the program

    Manhattanville University is a private nonprofit four-year institution in suburban Purchase, NY offering a Master's in art teacher education. It awarded 4 master's degrees in art teacher education in the most recent reporting year, below the national median of 5. Total enrollment across the university is 2,512. Earning a master's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  17. 17

    Kean University

    Union, NJPublic

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Fine Arts (K-12 Art Teaching Certification Option)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Kean University offers a Master of Arts in Fine Arts with three distinct tracks, and its K-12 Art Teaching Certification Option leads to art teacher certification in New Jersey. That certification track is the most demanding of the three at 41 credits, sitting alongside a 33-credit Studio Option and a 30-credit Supervision Certification Option, so applicants can choose between studio practice, classroom teaching, and instructional leadership. The certification path is academically intensive and grounded in artmaking from the outset, with admission requiring a studio portfolio of 12 to 15 images that demonstrate freehand drawing and painting. That portfolio requirement signals a program that expects strong studio ability before candidates step into teacher preparation. Delivered on campus, it suits accomplished artists committed to becoming certified K-12 art teachers. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in New Jersey.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
  18. 18

    Rhode Island College

    Providence, RIPublic

    • 3Master's/yr
    • $86,720Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Rhode Island College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education that leads to full PreK-12 art teaching certification in Rhode Island. The college positions it as the only graduate art education degree at a public institution in the state that carries teacher certification, giving it a distinct role in preparing the region's art teachers. Admission expects a serious studio foundation, requiring 45 credit hours of prior studio art and art history coursework along with a portfolio, so entering students already work as capable artists. That prerequisite signals a program that builds teaching skill on top of established artistic ability rather than starting from scratch. Delivered on campus, it suits accomplished artists ready to move into certified art teaching. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Rhode Island.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, where elementary teachers earn a median $86,720, roughly $85,209 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.

    School site
  19. 19

    Fitchburg State University

    Fitchburg, MAPublic

    • 6Master's/yr
    • $82,810Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Arts Education, Art Concentration (non-licensure)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Fitchburg State University offers a Master of Education in Arts Education with an Art Concentration, a 36-credit hybrid program that is explicitly a non-licensure path and does not lead to initial teacher certification. Instead it pairs core arts pedagogy courses with flexible, individually customized content coursework in studio art, letting educators and artists deepen their practice on their own terms. The design suits already-credentialed teachers or working artists who want graduate-level study in arts education without a licensure track attached. Students can finish in as few as two years, with up to six years allowed, which makes it workable alongside a full teaching load or studio career. A parallel Music Concentration sits within the same Arts Education M.Ed., giving the degree a shared foundation across disciplines. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Worcester, MA, where elementary teachers earn a median $82,810, roughly $80,772 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.

    School site
  20. 20

    Lewis & Clark College

    Portland, ORPrivate nonprofit

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $82,330Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching, Visual Art (Secondary Education)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lewis & Clark College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Visual Art through a full-time, on-campus cohort designed to move artists into secondary classrooms in a single intensive stretch. The thirteen-month program keeps roughly twenty-five students together and pairs them with a mentor art teacher for a school-year-long practicum that totals about a thousand classroom hours, a clinical depth that leaves graduates thoroughly seasoned. Admission itself signals the studio expectation, requiring a portfolio of twelve to fifteen pieces from applicants. The degree leads to an Oregon Preliminary Teaching License in Art for grades K-12, a credential that transfers to other states. Accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and approval by Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission back the program's standing. It reads as an immersive, licensure-focused route for artists committed to teaching. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Oregon.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, where elementary teachers earn a median $82,330, roughly $78,096 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.

    School site
  21. 21

    Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

    Kutztown, PAPublicOnline available

    • 25Master's/yr
    • $79,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Art Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Kutztown University offers a Master of Education in Art Education with unusual scheduling latitude, available online, face-to-face, or in a blended mix and completable over anywhere from two to six years. Most courses run in the evenings, on weekends, over summers, and online, a pattern plainly arranged around working teachers who cannot pause their careers. The thirty to thirty-three semester-hour program offers both thesis and non-thesis tracks and fifteen to eighteen elective credits chosen with an advisor, letting each student shape a focus and decide how research-heavy the degree should be. Optional summer studio institutes add hands-on making for those who want it. The M.Ed. does not by itself confer teacher certification, but it can be paired with Pennsylvania Level I art teaching certification through a companion post-baccalaureate program. The result fits practicing art educators seeking advanced study on a flexible timeline. A master's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Pennsylvania.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 25 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Reading, PA, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,860, roughly $82,279 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.

    School site
  22. 22

    Mount St. Mary's University

    Emmitsburg, MDPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 5Master's/yr
    • $79,470Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching, Art Education (Grades P-12)
    • Online
    About the program

    Mount St. Mary's University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education for grades P-12, delivered part-time in an online synchronous format built around career-changers. The program is aimed squarely at people who already hold a bachelor's degree outside education and want a structured, working-hours-friendly path into the classroom. Candidates move through P-12 content coursework toward two internships and a culminating professional seminar, gaining supervised classroom experience before they lead their own rooms. Art sits alongside other P-12 content concentrations including music, French, and Spanish, giving the program a shared pedagogical core across subjects. Completion leads to initial Maryland teaching certification in art, P-12. The program is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education and nationally accredited with commendation by AAQEP. As a master's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Maryland.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 5 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,470, roughly $72,986 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.

    School site
  23. 23

    Russell Sage College

    Troy, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 7Master's/yr
    • $79,240Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Russell Sage College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education built for artists who want to enter the classroom as certified visual arts teachers. The 30-credit program is compact by design, completable in three full-time semesters or across two years part-time, and it routes candidates through two separate student teaching placements, one at the elementary level and one at the secondary level. That dual placement pairs with K-6 and 7-12 grade-level pathways, so graduates leave prepared for the full span of a school art program rather than a single band. Completion leads to New York State Visual Arts Certification, PreK-12, which makes the degree a direct professional entry point. The structure reads as a focused, credential-driven track for people ready to move from studio practice into teaching. This master's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 7 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,240, roughly $79,585 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.

    School site
  24. 24

    Temple University

    Philadelphia, PAPublic

    • 6Master's/yr
    • $78,570Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Art Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Temple University offers a Master of Education in Art Education through its Tyler School of Art and Architecture, a 33-credit program that weaves together art history, studio art, and art education coursework. Its identity is distinctly urban, with a focus on teaching in city schools and course options in community arts and art therapy that extend art education beyond the classroom, along with study-abroad opportunities through Temple Rome. Students can build depth by concentrating up to three courses in a single studio practice area, shaping the degree around their own medium. Those seeking to teach can add an 18-credit professional sequence of educational psychology, methods, internship, and student teaching, plus Praxis exams, to earn optional Pennsylvania K-12 art certification. Backed by NASAD and Middle States accreditation, it suits artists who want a scholarly, urban-focused degree with a clear teaching option. As a master's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Pennsylvania.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, where elementary teachers earn a median $78,570, roughly $76,613 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.

    School site
  25. 25

    Syracuse University

    Syracuse, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 3Master's/yr
    • $78,560Metro teacher pay
    • Arts Education (PreK-Grade 12, Preparation), M.S.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Syracuse University offers a Master of Science in Arts Education, a certification-preparation degree run jointly by the School of Education and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. That partnership signals a program that weaves pedagogy and studio training together rather than treating art and teaching as separate departments. The 39-credit degree moves quickly, spanning about 15 months, and includes two full-time student teaching placements that give candidates sustained classroom experience across grade levels. It is accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and meets the academic requirements for both initial and professional New York State teacher certification in Visual Arts, all grades. Prospective applicants should note that the program is currently not accepting applications, so its availability may be limited when they inquire. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Syracuse, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $78,560, roughly $82,054 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.

    School site

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