Best Bachelor's in Elementary Education Programs in Delaware
All 4 Elementary Education bachelor's-level programs in Delaware, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
A bachelor's in elementary education is the standard credential behind a Delaware teaching license, and Delaware has 4 accredited elementary education bachelor's programs to compare. This ranking scores every one on the outcomes that actually affect your return: graduation rate, in-state affordability, and selectivity, all pulled from the public federal IPEDS database. Delaware State University ranks first with a score of 77, on a 39 percent graduation rate.
Elementary school teachers in Delaware earn a median of $75,920 a year according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, against a national median of $63,970. Each section below covers a specific decision point, cost and real ROI, Delaware licensure, accreditation, online and accelerated formats, and career outlook, so you can compare elementary education programs in Delaware on the factors that change your outcome rather than on marketing.
- 1
Delaware State University
77score- 39%Grad rate
- $9,050/yrIn-state tuition
- $19,014/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 47%Admit rate
- 4,581Undergrads
- 7Grads/yr
- 910SAT mid
- Elementary Education (K-6), BS
- CAEP-accredited
- On-campus
About the programDelaware State University grounds its Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, covering grades K-6, in the core of what young learners need, preparing candidates for teacher certification in Delaware. Coursework runs through literacy, child development, assessment, and multicultural classroom instruction, giving future teachers a broad foundation in both content and inclusive practice. The program spreads classroom time across the degree, opening with more than 20 hours of early field experience in the sophomore year and progressing over three years to a year-long student-teaching placement in the senior year. Offered through the Department of Education within a Professional Education Unit accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, it holds a recognized standing in the state. Graduates have reported a very high in-state job placement rate, with additional recruitment from districts beyond Delaware. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Delaware's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThe ranking rewards programs that graduate their students, stay at least somewhat selective, and keep tuition reasonable, so here is how this one measures up. Its strongest card is completion: a 39% graduation rate lands it in the top 33% of Delaware programs, and since finishing counts for the most, that does much of the work. A 47% admission rate makes it moderately selective, neither a gatekeeper nor open enrollment. Cost only helps its case: at $9,050 in state, tuition runs below the Delaware median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. Together, that is one of the strongest profiles on the page.
- 2
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry
52score- 22%Grad rate
- $2,287/yrIn-state tuition
- $5,718/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 13,337Undergrads
- 28Grads/yr
- Associate of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education (A.A.T.)
- On-campus
About the programDelaware Technical Community College-Terry in Dover, DE offers an Associate of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education, a Connected Degree pathway for students pursuing elementary education and teacher certification. Students complete at least 61 credits of coursework and field experiences, then transfer as a junior into a Bachelor of Science in Education program at a partner school such as Delaware State University or Wilmington University. That bachelor's degree, not the associate alone, is required for Delaware teacher licensure to teach kindergarten through sixth grade. It carries the lowest in-state tuition among Delaware's 4 ranked bachelor's-level programs, at $2,287. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Delaware.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThree things decide where a program lands on this list: how many students finish, how selective it is, and what it costs. On completion, the heaviest factor, it lands mid-pack among Delaware programs at 22%, solid without being a standout. Cost only helps its case: at $2,287 in state, tuition runs below the Delaware median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 3
University of Delaware
50score- 81%Grad rate
- $14,600/yrIn-state tuition
- $39,190/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 71%Admit rate
- 20,026Undergrads
- 124Grads/yr
- 1280SAT mid
- B.S.Ed. in Elementary and Middle School Teacher Education
- CAEP-accredited
- On-campus
About the programThe University of Delaware takes a hands-on, get-into-classrooms-early approach with its B.S.Ed. in Elementary and Middle School Teacher Education, a CAEP accredited path to elementary teacher certification. Rather than saving practice for the end, the School of Education places students in K-8 classrooms and community settings as early as freshman year, then builds toward two full semesters of student teaching in the senior year. Those willing to travel can even complete a student teaching experience abroad in Greece or Spain. The program is designed to stay flexible within four years, letting candidates add a second certification such as special education or a middle school subject concentration without extending their timeline. It reports that all graduates move on to teaching positions or graduate study. Among Delaware's 4 ranked bachelor's-level programs, this one posts the highest graduation rate at 81%. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Delaware.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThe ranking rewards programs that graduate their students, stay at least somewhat selective, and keep tuition reasonable, so here is how this one measures up. Its strongest card is completion: a 81% graduation rate lands it in the top 1% of Delaware programs, and since finishing counts for the most, that does much of the work. A 71% admission rate makes it moderately selective, neither a gatekeeper nor open enrollment. The one drag is price, $14,600 in state, above the Delaware median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. Together, that is one of the strongest profiles on the page.
- 4
Wilmington University
22score- 20%Grad rate
- $12,570/yrTuition (in or out of state)
- 8,858Undergrads
- 29Grads/yr
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (K-6)
- Hybrid
About the programWilmington University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, offered through the College of Education and Liberal Arts, prepares candidates for K-6 teacher licensure and paces their classroom time carefully across the degree. Students move through a sequence of practicum placements that pair supervised field hours with a matching seminar, then finish with either a full-time clinical experience or a year-long residency for those who want a deeper, more gradual immersion. Because the program comes in classroom, online, and hybrid formats, candidates can fit it around existing commitments without giving up hands-on preparation. The College of Education holds accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, which anchors the program's professional standing. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Delaware's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThree things decide where a program lands on this list: how many students finish, how selective it is, and what it costs. The sticking point is completion, the factor we weigh most heavily: at 20% the graduation rate trails the Delaware median, which caps how high it can climb. The one drag is price, $12,570 in state, above the Delaware median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
Key facts about a bachelor's in Elementary Education in Delaware
- Delaware has 4 accredited bachelor's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- Delaware State University ranks first among elementary education bachelor's programs in Delaware with a score of 77, on a 39 percent graduation rate.
- Delaware Technical Community College-Terry is the most affordable bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware, at $2,287 a year in-state tuition.
- University of Delaware posts the highest graduation rate among elementary education programs in Delaware, at 81 percent.
- Elementary school teachers in Delaware earn a median of $75,920 a year (BLS), ranking Delaware 15 of 51 states and territories for the occupation.
- Delaware requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through Delaware Department of Education, Licensure and Certification, to earn a teaching license.
What a bachelor's in elementary education costs in Delaware (2026)
Published in-state tuition for a bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware runs from $2,287 to $14,600 a year across the 4 programs we rank, with a median of $9,050. The most affordable is Delaware Technical Community College-Terry at $2,287 a year. These are published sticker rates from IPEDS; most future teachers bring the net figure down with the Pell Grant, the federal TEACH Grant, and state teacher-preparation aid, so weigh net price, not the sticker.
Cost only means something next to completion. The elementary education programs ranked here average a 41 percent graduation rate, and a lower-priced program where fewer students finish is not necessarily the cheaper path to a degree. Compare tuition and graduation rate together above.
Sources: IPEDS tuition data
What elementary school teachers earn in Delaware
Elementary school teachers in Delaware earn a median of $75,920 a year, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), compared with a national median of $63,970. That ranks Delaware 15 of 51 states and territories for elementary school teachers pay. Nationally, pay for this occupation spans roughly $47,960 at the 10th percentile to $104,340 at the 90th, with a master's degree, years in the classroom, and the local district salary schedule driving the climb.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 2 percent decline in elementary school teachers employment nationally from 2024 to 2034, with about 103,800 openings a year as teachers retire or change careers. A bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware is the entry point to that market, not the ceiling.
How to get a Delaware teaching license
To teach in Delaware you need a bachelor's in elementary education (or a bachelor's plus an approved preparation program), a supervised student-teaching placement, and a Delaware teaching license issued by Delaware Department of Education, Licensure and Certification. Delaware calls the initial credential the Initial License, and earning it means passing Praxis (The Praxis Series) plus a background check.
Applications are submitted through the Delaware Educator Data System (DEEDS). Confirm your program is currently state-approved before you enroll.
Sources: Delaware educator certification, Praxis exam
Choosing an accredited elementary education program in Delaware
Pick a bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware that is regionally accredited and whose educator-preparation program is approved by the Delaware Department of Education, ideally with CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) accreditation. State approval is what lets the degree count toward a Delaware teaching license, and CAEP is the national standard for program quality, so confirm both before enrolling in any elementary education program in Delaware.
Sources: CAEP accreditation
Frequently asked questions about a bachelor's in Elementary Education in Delaware
How many bachelor's in elementary education programs are in Delaware?
There are 4 accredited bachelor's in elementary education programs in Delaware in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
What is the most affordable bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware?
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry is the most affordable bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware, at $2,287 a year in in-state tuition.
How much do elementary school teachers make in Delaware?
Elementary school teachers in Delaware earn a median of $75,920 a year, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes252021.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics</a>, versus $63,970 nationally.
What exam do you need to teach in Delaware?
Delaware requires the Praxis (The Praxis Series) licensure exam, administered for Delaware Department of Education, Licensure and Certification. See the <a href="https://praxis.ets.org/state-requirements/delaware-overview.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">official exam page</a> for current test requirements.
Is a bachelor's in elementary education worth it in Delaware?
For most future teachers, yes. A bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware is the standard credential for a Delaware teaching license, and it leads to a median elementary school teachers salary of $75,920 a year in Delaware. Compare graduation rate and net price above to find the best value in 2026.
These are the best bachelor's in elementary education programs in Delaware for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 4 bachelor's in elementary education in Delaware above by graduation rate, tuition, and selectivity, then open each program page to take the next step toward teaching in an elementary school classroom in Delaware.