Best Master's in English Language Arts Teacher Education Programs by Local Teacher Pay

1. 1

   University of Washington-Seattle Campus

   Seattle, WAPublic

   • 14Master's/yr
   • $102,920Metro teacher pay
   • Master in Teaching (MIT), Secondary Teaching 6-12 with English Language Arts endorsement
   • On-campus
   About the program

   The University of Washington offers a Master in Teaching in Secondary Teaching for grades 6-12 with an English Language Arts endorsement, structured as a full-time cohort that moves candidates through preparation together. Because it expects endorsement coursework to be completed with a grade of C or higher before entry, the program assumes candidates arrive with subject grounding and concentrate their time on learning to teach it. A defining feature is the linked Community Literacy Program, an eight-credit sequence that places candidates in high-needs schools, signaling a commitment to preparing teachers for the classrooms where strong literacy instruction matters most. The immersive, full-time design reads as intensive professional preparation rather than a part-time credential for working adults. Approved by Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the degree leads to state teaching certification with a grades 6-12 endorsement in English Language Arts. A master's-level path in english language arts teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Washington.

   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 14 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, where elementary teachers earn a median $102,920, roughly $92,610 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

   California State University-Northridge

   Northridge, CAPublicOnline available

   • 13Master's/yr
   • $101,860Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Secondary English Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   California State University, Northridge offers a Master of Arts in Secondary English Education built for teachers who already hold a credential and want to deepen their command of the discipline rather than enter it. Admission assumes an existing teaching credential, though the requirement can be waived for private-school teachers and college instructors, which signals a program aimed at practitioners already in classrooms. The cohort structure with guaranteed enrollment lets full-time working teachers move through the degree on a predictable schedule alongside colleagues. Candidates cap the program with either a Directed Comprehensive Studies option or a Thesis or Graduate Project worth three units, letting them lean toward either broad synthesis or focused inquiry. Taught on campus, it reads as a graduate program for reflective, mid-career English teachers rather than a licensure route. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in California.

   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 13 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
3. 3

   Boston College

   Chestnut Hill, MAPrivate nonprofit

   • 8Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Secondary Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Boston College's Lynch School offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Secondary Education, also available as an M.A.T. or M.S.T., that carries state approval from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and leads to initial licensure. English candidates enter through the Humanities track for grades 5 through 12, sitting alongside a STEM track that serves the sciences and mathematics. The 37-credit structure builds toward the classroom in stages, opening with a ten-week, once-a-week pre-practicum and culminating in a full-time fourteen-week practicum, a rhythm that eases candidates into sustained teaching. An optional Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars track layers on an explicit social-justice emphasis for those drawn to urban schools. Taken together, the program reads as a carefully sequenced, licensure-focused preparation grounded in real classroom time. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

   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 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

   Boston University

   Boston, MAPrivate nonprofit

   • 4Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English Education for Equity & Justice
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Boston University's Wheelock College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English Education for Equity & Justice, a program whose name announces its commitment before describing its mechanics. It leads to Massachusetts initial teacher licensure in English for grades 5 through 12, and once graduates pass the MTEL they become reciprocally eligible for licensure across 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. The design is intensive and immersive: a one-year full-time path with practicum placements in Boston Public Schools puts candidates in urban classrooms quickly. An explicit equity and social-justice framework runs through the coursework on teaching literature, reading, and writing, so methods and mission are treated as inseparable. An optional TESOL add-on broadens reach toward multilingual learners. The program suits new teachers who want to enter the field with a clear stance on why they teach. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

   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 4 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

   Merrimack College

   North Andover, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 8Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Middle School (5-8) and High School (8-12) Education, English content area
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Merrimack College offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Middle School (5-8) and High School (8-12) Education with an English content area that leads to Massachusetts teacher licensure across both grade bands. Approved by the state as an Educator Preparation Program at a NECHE-accredited institution, it lets English candidates sit within a wider slate of content areas spanning the sciences, mathematics, and history. The format is unusually adaptable, allowing students to choose online or on-campus delivery course by course, which suits candidates whose schedules shift term to term. Fieldwork is substantial, with a 450-hour practicum supported by mentors in partner districts, and the program builds in the required Sheltered English Instruction endorsement so graduates are prepared for multilingual classrooms. A tuition-free teaching fellowship option further signals a program built to move committed people into licensed secondary teaching. A master's-level path in english language arts 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 8 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
6. 6

   Gordon College

   Wenham, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 3Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in English Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Gordon College offers an online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in English Education that leads to Massachusetts teacher licensure in English for grades 5 through 12. The program splits into an Initial Licensure track for those entering the classroom and a Professional Licensure track for teachers advancing an existing credential, so it serves candidates at two different career stages within one degree. Coursework blends evidence-based literacy methods with curriculum design, keeping the emphasis on how students actually learn to read and write. Distinctively, the curriculum is faith-integrated, weaving a Christian framework through the professional preparation for educators drawn to that mission. Delivered online, it fits working adults who want a values-grounded route into or up through English teaching. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 3 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
7. 7

   Bridgewater State University

   Bridgewater, MAPublic

   • 8Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English
   About the program

   Bridgewater State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English designed for people who already hold initial teaching licensure and want to deepen their command of the subject. Rather than serving as an entry route into the profession, the program builds licensure-relevant content knowledge and teaching expertise in English, positioning it as a next step for practicing teachers. The learning environment stays small, with average class sizes under fifteen students, which points to close faculty attention and seminar-style work. Graduate assistantships that provide free tuition and paid positions make the degree financially reachable for teachers pursuing advanced study. The overall picture is of an affordable, content-rich master's for licensed educators looking to grow within English teaching. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 8 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
8. 8

   Lesley University

   Cambridge, MAPrivate nonprofit

   • 15Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in High School Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Lesley University offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in High School Education, approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for initial licensure and offered across eight content areas including English for grades 5 through 12. The flexible, low-residency structure lets candidates pursue on-campus, remote, or Teacher Residency options, a design clearly built to accommodate adults balancing work and study. Two features stand out for people who need momentum: a Scholar Partner Program that guarantees a field placement upon acceptance, removing the anxiety of hunting for a school, and a timeline that can be finished in as few as three semesters. That combination of guaranteed placement and accelerated pace reads as a program engineered to move motivated candidates into licensed high school teaching efficiently. This master's-level english language arts teacher education program prepares graduates for work 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 15 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
9. 9

   Salem State University

   Salem, MAPublic

   • 1Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) English
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Salem State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English that leads to Massachusetts licensure for grades 5 through 12, walking candidates through the state's staged system from preliminary license after passing the MTELs to the initial license following coursework and student teaching. Scheduling built around evenings, weekends, online sessions, and summers makes clear the program is designed for working adults rather than full-time day students. A 300-hour practicum with school-based placements keeps the preparation anchored in real classrooms, while optional concurrent certificates in Digital Studies, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Writing and Rhetoric, or TESOL let candidates specialize alongside their license. Prospective applicants should note that the program page currently lists admission to the MA/MAT English program as paused. When open, it reads as an accessible, licensure-focused route for aspiring secondary English teachers. Earning a master's degree in english language arts 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 1 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
10. 10

    State University of New York at New Paltz

    New Paltz, NYPublic

    • 14Master's/yr
    • $97,920Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Adolescence Education: English
    • On-campus
    About the program

    SUNY New Paltz offers a Master of Science in Education in Adolescence Education: English, a 30-credit program that builds on an undergraduate degree in English or its equivalent. Roughly 12 of those credits are graduate coursework in English itself, signaling a program that expects candidates to deepen their subject-matter command alongside their teaching methods. The design emphasizes content-area mastery and holds candidates to exit examination performance targets tied to New York State certification in English education. Delivered on campus, it moves students through pedagogy and advanced literature study toward certification to teach grades 7-12. The result reads as a program for English graduates translating disciplinary expertise into classroom practice. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers 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 14 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
11. 11

    New York University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Transformational Teaching in Middle and High School, English Education Concentration
    • On-campus
    About the program

    New York University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Transformational Teaching in Middle and High School with an English Education concentration, aimed at aspiring English teachers who want an immersive, classroom-centered entry into the profession. The program is built around two full semesters of student teaching in New York City, one in a middle school and one in a high school, which signals a clinical, apprenticeship-style model rather than a purely theoretical one. Housed at NYU Steinhardt and registered with New York State, it leads to initial teaching certification for grades 7-12, with an optional certificate extension to teach grades 5-6. A dual BA/MAT five-year pathway is available to NYU College of Arts and Science students, making it an efficient route for undergraduates already committed to teaching English. The design reads as preparation for reflective practitioners who will teach across the full secondary range in urban schools. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 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
12. 12

    Rutgers University-New Brunswick

    New Brunswick, NJPublic

    • 9Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Ed.M. with Certification in English Language Arts Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Rutgers University's Graduate School of Education offers an Ed.M. with Certification in English Language Arts Education that leads to New Jersey teacher certification for K-12 English. The program serves two kinds of candidates through distinct timelines, with a traditional two-year route for those who already hold a bachelor's degree and an accelerated 4+1 pathway for current Rutgers undergraduates. That 4+1 option lets undergraduates earn a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and teacher licensure in five years, reading as an efficient on-ramp for students who decide early to teach English. Housed at a research university's school of education and accredited by CAEP, the degree carries candidates through certified preparation grounded in the K-12 English classroom. Delivered on campus, it fits both career changers and undergraduates building directly toward licensure. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 9 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

    Fordham University

    Bronx, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Adolescence English Language Arts, M.S.T.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Fordham University offers a Master of Science in Teaching in Adolescence English Language Arts, a 30-credit, clinically rich program that endorses graduates for New York State Initial certification in English, grades 7 through 12. Its defining feature is intensive time in schools: candidates spend three full days a week in a classroom during the first year, beginning with three weeks of observation and moving into ten weeks of student teaching. Admission expects real disciplinary breadth, requiring at least 30 credits of English spanning multiple genres, BIPOC and women authors, writing and composition, and literary criticism. Candidates can add a grades 5-6 extension, and a separate MST track exists for those focused on adolescent special education. The heavy early immersion and demanding subject-matter expectations mark it as a program built to send well-read, classroom-tested English teachers into secondary schools. Earning a master's degree in english language arts 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 2 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 Hunter College

    New York, NYPublic

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in English Education (Adolescent Education, Grades 7-12)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Hunter College offers a Master of Arts in English Education for adolescent teaching in grades 7 through 12, delivered jointly by the School of Education and the English Department in the School of Arts and Sciences. That partnership shows in the curriculum, where 18 of the 43 credits are graduate English coursework, pairing subject depth with professional preparation. The program prepares candidates for New York State secondary certification in English and is designed for those entering the field rather than teachers who already hold that credential. Fieldwork in New York City public schools and a culminating full-time student-teaching semester place candidates in real classrooms before they finish. Taken together, the design points to a program for aspiring English teachers who want strong grounding in both literature and urban classroom practice. A master's-level path in english language arts 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 11 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

    Hofstra University

    Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

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

    Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education in English Education leading to New York State initial certification in secondary English language arts, grades 7 through 12. The 37-semester-hour program blends on-campus coursework with field experience across a range of school settings, so candidates test their teaching in varied environments rather than a single placement. Admission expects a strong disciplinary foundation, calling for an undergraduate major or its equivalent of at least 36 semester hours in English. That expectation, paired with the breadth of field placements, points to a program that wants teachers who know their subject deeply and can adapt it to different classrooms. It reads as a straightforward, certification-focused route into secondary English teaching for candidates ready to build on a solid English background. Earning a master's degree in english language arts 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 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
16. 16

    CUNY City College

    New York, NYPublic

    • 5Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in English Education (also offered as an Advanced Certificate)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The City College of New York offers a Master of Arts in English Education, with an Advanced Certificate option, that leads to New York State Initial Certification through a 43-credit program for candidates holding a BA in English or a closely related field. Three pathways shape who it serves: a degree track for newcomers with no prior teaching experience or coursework, a degree track for candidates who already hold initial certification, and an Advanced Certificate for those who already earned a graduate degree. That layered design lets the program open the profession to career-changers while also advancing teachers already in the field. Its defining emphasis is clinical practice in New York City public school classrooms, with faculty drawing on their own urban-education experience. The result reads as a program built to prepare English teachers specifically for the realities of city schools. A master's-level path in english language arts 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 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
17. 17

    CUNY Brooklyn College

    Brooklyn, NYPublic

    • 21Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • English Teacher (7-12), M.A.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Brooklyn College offers a Master of Arts preparing English teachers for grades 7 through 12, built around three tracks that meet candidates wherever they stand with certification. Option A serves those who already hold Initial Certification and want the professional credential, while Options B and C accommodate candidates without prior certification or those holding an Alternative B certificate, so the same degree can launch a teaching career or advance an existing one. Candidates without prior certification complete a student-teaching or full-time teaching requirement matched to their track, grounding the coursework in real classroom work. The program is licensed by the New York State Education Department and aligned with National Council of Teachers of English standards, and it closes with a comprehensive examination. That structure makes it a flexible, certification-focused path for aspiring and practicing secondary English teachers across New York City. A master's-level path in english language arts 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 21 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

    Teachers College at Columbia University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 20Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Teaching of English, Master of Arts (Initial)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Teachers College, Columbia University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching of English at the initial certification level, a 38-credit full-time program taught on campus. Its two-semester student teaching sequence places candidates in one middle school and one high school classroom, while a master's seminar frames the experience through reflective practice. Elective methods courses in areas such as Literature and Teaching, Literacies and Technologies, Poetry, Shakespeare, and Drama and Theater let candidates shape their preparation around particular literary and pedagogical interests. The program leads to New York State Initial certification in English Language Arts for grades 7-12. The blend of intellectually varied electives and structured reflection reads as a program for candidates who want to enter teaching with both a strong scholarly identity and reflective classroom practice. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 20 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
19. 19

    CUNY Queens College

    Queens, NYPublic

    • 31Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in English Education, or Master of Science in English Education (MSEd)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Queens College offers two routes into secondary English teaching, an MAT and an MSEd, that together lead to New York State certification for grades 7 through 12. The MAT combines initial and professional certification for candidates who arrive without prior certification, while the MSEd serves teachers who already hold initial certification and are completing a master's for full professional standing, so the pairing covers both newcomers and practicing educators. Either path requires a minimum of 36 credits in English or a closely related field, keeping subject expertise central. The program is grounded in social, psychological, cultural, and linguistic theories of how language and literacy develop in adolescence, and it carries an explicit social-justice orientation. That framing signals a program interested in equity and in understanding the students behind the reading and writing, not just the mechanics of instruction. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 31 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
20. 20

    Adelphi University

    Garden City, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • MA in English Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Adelphi University offers an MA in English Education that leads to a recommendation for initial New York State certification in grades 7-12. English is one of five subject-area tracks within the university's Adolescent and High School Education master's, sitting alongside math, science, social studies, and an English with Educational Theater option, so candidates prepare within a shared secondary framework focused on their content. The 37-credit program is anchored in real classrooms, requiring a minimum of 100 hours of fieldwork in local New York-area schools that ties coursework to district practice. An accelerated track running from June to the following May compresses that preparation for candidates ready to move quickly toward certification. Delivered in a hybrid format, the degree reads as a practical, field-grounded route into secondary English teaching in New York. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers 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 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
21. 21

    CUNY Lehman College

    Bronx, NYPublic

    • 13Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • M.S.Ed. in English Education, Grades 7-12
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lehman College offers a Master of Science in Education in English Education for grades 7 through 12, structured around three advising sequences and leading to New York State certification. Candidates can broaden their reach by adding dual certification in Teaching Students with Disabilities as a 7-12 Generalist, and an Advanced Certificate in English Education is available for those on a different starting point. The program requires 100 field hours of observation and participation before a final-semester internship, so candidates spend substantial time in classrooms ahead of taking the lead. An Internship Certificate option lets candidates begin working as full-time teachers once they have completed half of the program credits, a feature that suits people who need to earn while they finish. That combination makes it a practical route into secondary English teaching in the Bronx and beyond. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers 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 13 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
22. 22

    Manhattanville University

    Purchase, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 7Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Middle Childhood/Adolescence Education (Grades 5-12) English; also offered as a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) or Certificate (CERT)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Manhattanville University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Childhood and Adolescence English, spanning grades 5 through 12 and leading to New York State Initial Teacher Certification. The same discipline is available as a Master of Professional Studies or a Certificate, with MPS tracks that reach into English 5-9 and 7-12 as well as Special Education Generalist and Special Education English for grades 7 through 12, so candidates can tune the credential to the grade range and student population they want to serve. The hybrid format keeps most coursework online while pairing it with on-site student teaching, a structure that suits candidates balancing preparation with other commitments. The curriculum reaches beyond method into the history and development of the English language and its grammars alongside adolescent literature. With National Council of Teachers of English recognition noted, it presents as a flexible, subject-grounded path into English teaching across the middle and secondary grades. As a master's degree in english language arts teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers 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 7 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
23. 23

    Mercy University

    Dobbs Ferry, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 13Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Adolescence Education, Grades 7-12 (English concentration)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Mercy University offers a Master of Science in Adolescence Education for grades 7 through 12 with an English concentration, one of several subject options that also include mathematics, social studies, and the sciences. The 30-credit standard track leads to New York State initial certification and closes with a required education capstone before the degree is conferred, while professional certification follows once graduates complete three years of teaching in their area. Candidates who want a wider reach can pursue optional dual certification with Teaching Students with Disabilities, which brings the program to 39 credits. Delivery is flexible, offered on campus at Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester locations as well as fully online, which opens it to working candidates across the region. Mercy states that its Secondary Education master's programs are nationally recognized by their professional associations, and the design overall reads as an accessible, certification-driven route into secondary English teaching. Graduates of this english language arts teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as 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 13 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
24. 24

    College of Staten Island CUNY

    Staten Island, NYPublic

    • 12Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Adolescence Education: English
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The College of Staten Island offers a Master of Science in Education in Adolescence Education with an English subject-area sequence, one strand of a family of tracks that also spans biology, mathematics, and social studies. The program meets the academic requirements for initial New York State certification in Adolescence Education, English grades 7 through 12, giving it a clear certification purpose. Administered jointly by the Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Studies departments, it pairs subject-matter depth with pedagogical training. Undergraduate English majors at the college can double-count up to 14 credits of graduate coursework toward the degree, which makes it an efficient continuation for students already on campus. As of March 2025 the program holds national recognition from its Specialized Professional Association, signaling that its preparation meets discipline-specific standards. A master's-level path in english language arts 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 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
25. 25

    Rhode Island College

    Providence, RIPublic

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $86,720Metro teacher pay
    • Secondary Education, Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), English Pedagogy concentration
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Rhode Island College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education with an English Pedagogy concentration that leads to full Rhode Island certification to teach English in grades 9 through 12. The program pairs small-group classroom instruction with field experiences woven throughout the coursework, keeping candidates connected to real schools as they build their teaching practice. Optional endorsements in English as a Second Language or Special Education let future teachers broaden the range of learners they are prepared to serve. Housed in the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the concentration is aligned with the school's conceptual framework and applicable specialty area standards, and 89 percent of program faculty hold terminal degrees. Together these features make it a grounded, field-connected route into high school English teaching in Rhode Island. This master's-level english language arts teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Rhode Island.

    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 1 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

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