Hakia Education

Best Master's in English Language Arts Teacher Education Programs by Degrees Awarded

Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology

Published ·Last updated

Ranked by the number of master's degrees awarded each year, the most established programs. The top 25 out of 84 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database.

  1. 1

    Western Governors University

    Salt Lake City, UTPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 258Master's/yr
    • $77,920Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts, Teaching - English Education, Secondary
    • Online
    About the program

    Western Governors University offers an online Master of Arts in Teaching in English Education for the secondary level, built on the competency-based, self-paced model that defines the university. Because candidates advance by demonstrating mastery rather than logging seat time, motivated learners can move quickly, and 63 percent of graduates finish within 21 months. Despite the flexible format, the program stays firmly grounded in classroom practice, requiring a minimum of 75 hours of in-classroom observation and a full-time two-part Student Teaching I and II sequence that runs 12 to 20 weeks. Candidates also build a professional portfolio anchored by a Philosophy of Teaching Statement, tying reflection to demonstrated readiness. Nationally recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English, the program leads to initial teacher licensure, with specific requirements including a state-specific basic skills test and background check varying by state. Earning a master's degree in english language arts teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Utah'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 258 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, where elementary teachers earn a median $77,920, roughly $77,249 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

    Grand Canyon University

    Phoenix, AZPrivate for-profitOnline available

    • 118Master's/yr
    • $59,180Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Grand Canyon University offers an online Master of Education in Secondary Education that leads to initial teacher licensure for grades 6-12 in Arizona. Candidates prepare in a content area of math, science, English, history, or the arts, and the curriculum layers in literacy strategies and Structured English Immersion, reflecting the language-support demands of Arizona classrooms. The 41-credit program runs in accelerated six-week sessions, a rhythm that suits working adults completing licensure at a distance while holding other commitments. Fieldwork keeps the program grounded, with 100 hours of experience building toward a 15-week practicum and student teaching placement. That progression from observation into sustained classroom practice reads as a design meant to bring career changers and aspiring teachers fully certification-ready, backed by the university's institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. 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 118 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $59,180, roughly $57,281 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

    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

    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 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
  4. 4

    American College of Education

    Indianapolis, INPrivate for-profitOnline available

    • 24Master's/yr
    • $60,510Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in English Education
    • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)-accredited
    • Online
    About the program

    American College of Education offers an online Master of Education in English Education designed for people already teaching at the secondary or college level rather than for those seeking a first license. That focus on practicing instructors frames the degree as a credential for advancing within the profession and expanding what one is qualified to teach. Its 18 hours of content coursework are often the specific requirement educators need to teach community college and dual credit English, a practical target that gives the program a clear professional purpose. The 34-credit curriculum lets candidates shape their study through elective focus areas in literature, writing, and media studies, and it can be completed in roughly 12 to 16 months. Delivered fully online and backed by Higher Learning Commission accreditation, it suits working English teachers looking to deepen expertise and broaden their teaching reach. This master's-level english language arts teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Indiana.

    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 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,510, roughly $63,231 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
  5. 5

    Liberty University

    Lynchburg, VAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 24Master's/yr
    • $50,470Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) - English Education 6-12
    • Online
    About the program

    Liberty University offers an online Master of Arts in Teaching in English Education for grades 6-12 that leads to a Virginia teaching license usable in other states through reciprocity. The program is built for candidates who arrive with a strong English background, expecting a bachelor's degree with an English major or related field and a minimum of 30 semester hours of content coursework. Its 36 semester hours culminate in a supervised student teaching placement, and gate and field experience requirements keep the online coursework tied to real classrooms. Candidates must pass the Praxis Subject Assessment in the endorsement area before student teaching, a checkpoint that positions the degree squarely on a certification path. Delivered fully online, it offers a flexible route to secondary English licensure for those ready to move from content knowledge into teaching practice. A master's-level path in english language arts teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Virginia.

    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 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Lynchburg, VA, where elementary teachers earn a median $50,470, roughly $56,478 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
  6. 6

    University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

    Mayaguez, PRPublic

    • 21Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in English Education (MAEE)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez offers a Master of Arts in English Education that lets candidates concentrate in Applied Linguistics, Literature, or Pedagogy with an emphasis in Bilingual Education. That range of tracks signals a degree oriented toward deep study of English and its teaching in a bilingual setting rather than a straightforward licensure pipeline. Candidates choose between writing a thesis or sitting a comprehensive examination, an option that accommodates both research-driven and coursework-focused paths through the program. Practicum opportunities are unusually varied, spanning the teaching of undergraduate courses, teacher-training workshops, research and editorial assistantships, and involvement with the MayaWest Writing Project, so candidates gain applied experience while they study. The result is a scholarly, teaching-connected master's suited to those who want to advance their expertise in English education and applied linguistics. Earning a master's degree in english language arts teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Puerto Rico'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.

    School site
  7. 7

    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

    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 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
  8. 8

    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

    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 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
  9. 9

    University at Buffalo

    Buffalo, NYPublic

    • 18Master's/yr
    • $76,490Metro teacher pay
    • English Education: Adolescence, EdM
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University at Buffalo offers an EdM in English Education: Adolescence that takes a broad, humanistic view of what it means to teach English, emphasizing research and practice in language, writing, and response to literature. Rather than funneling every student through one route, the program offers three certification pathways, initial, combined initial and professional, or professional, with credit requirements ranging from 33 to 57 hours depending on the option chosen. That flexibility makes it suitable both for newcomers to teaching and for practicing teachers advancing toward professional certification in grades 7-12 or 5-12. Admission expects a strong grounding in the discipline, requiring an English major or 30 credit hours in English. Registered with the New York State Education Department, the degree reads as a scholarly, discipline-rich preparation for teachers who see literature and writing as central to their craft. 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

    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 18 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,490, roughly $79,807 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

    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

    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 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
  11. 11

    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

    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 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
  12. 12

    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

    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 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
  13. 13

    Truman State University

    Kirksville, MOPublic

    • 13Master's/yr
    • $50,910State teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Education (MAE), Secondary English specialty
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Truman State University offers a Master of Arts in Education with a Secondary English specialty that prepares candidates for Missouri teacher certification in English. The specialty sits within the broader MAE program, giving future English teachers a shared education core while concentrating their subject work in the discipline they intend to teach. What distinguishes the pathway is a reflective admission process, in which applicants assemble a teaching portfolio of artifacts and reflections reviewed by English MAE faculty alongside a personal statement and letters of recommendation. That portfolio-driven entry reads as a program that values evidence of teaching practice and self-reflection from the outset rather than coursework alone. Delivered on campus, the degree is oriented toward candidates ready to demonstrate their readiness for the secondary English classroom. 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

    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 Missouri statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $50,910, roughly $56,058 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

    • 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

    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 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
  15. 15

    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

    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 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
  16. 16

    University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

    Denver, COPublicOnline available

    • 13Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching, English Education (License)
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of Colorado Denver offers an online Master of Arts in Teaching in English Education that leads to Colorado secondary licensure for teaching adolescent English, with candidates passing the Praxis Subject Assessment in content knowledge before certification. The program rests on a residency model refined over nearly three decades with partner schools, so coursework and classroom apprenticeship advance together rather than in sequence. Its 39 credit hours can be finished in as little as one year, with 18 months recommended for a steadier pace. Eligible candidates can earn up to $40,000 in stipends and grants, and a group interview is part of admission, which points to a program that vets for fit and invests heavily in the teachers it enrolls. The design fits aspiring English teachers who want a supported, immersive path into the profession without relocating. Earning a master's degree in english language arts teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Colorado'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 13 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
  17. 17

    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

    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 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

    University of Georgia

    Athens, GAPublic

    • 12Master's/yr
    • $76,600Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in English Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Georgia offers a cohort-based Master of Arts in Teaching in English Education that leads to a certified secondary teaching position in grades 6 through 12 English, with licensure details published on UGA's Licensure Disclosure Portal. The program pairs 36 hours of coursework with 12 hours of student teaching concentrated in the final spring semester, so candidates build knowledge first and then step fully into the classroom. There is no thesis requirement, which keeps the emphasis on practice and certification rather than research. Incoming transcripts are reviewed to build a customized course plan, and students can choose between a standard two-year track and an accelerated four-semester track. Moving through the program as a cohort, candidates are prepared as a cohesive group ready to enter Georgia secondary English classrooms. A master's-level path in english language arts teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Georgia.

    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 12 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Athens-Clarke County, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,600, roughly $82,063 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

    Stony Brook University

    Stony Brook, NYPublic

    • 12Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching: English
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Stony Brook University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in English built on a distributed model in which the Department of English delivers the content courses and the School of Professional Development handles the professional education courses. That collaboration reads as a deliberate effort to keep future English teachers deeply engaged with their subject while they learn to teach it. The 44-credit program layers field experiences in grades 7-9 and 10-12 with a four-week teaching module project, giving candidates graduated, hands-on exposure across the secondary range. Accredited by AAQEP through June 2030, it leads to New York State certification in Adolescent Education: English for grades 7-12, with an optional extension for grades 5-6, and expects candidates to pass the Educating All Students and Content Specialty tests. The result is a subject-rich, clinically grounded route into secondary English teaching. This master's-level english language arts 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.

    School site
  20. 20

    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

    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 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
  21. 21

    Binghamton University

    Vestal, NYPublic

    • 11Master's/yr
    • Adolescence Education, Grades 7-12 (Initial Preparation), MAT - English
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Binghamton University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Adolescence Education with an English track for candidates seeking initial preparation to teach grades 7-12. The curriculum is deliberately balanced across at least 35 graduate credits, with 21 in teaching, learning, and educational leadership, 8 in the academic discipline, and 6 in supervised internships, a structure that weds pedagogical grounding to sustained content study. A full day of fieldwork each week before the internship gives candidates early, regular exposure to real classrooms rather than saving practice for the end. Evaluated under a common cross-program rubric aligned with AAQEP, the program leads to eligibility for New York State initial certification. A 4+1 accelerated BA/MAT pathway makes it especially attractive to Binghamton undergraduates who want to move efficiently from a bachelor's into a teaching credential. This master's-level english language arts 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 11 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
  22. 22

    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

    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 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
  23. 23

    Niagara University

    Niagara University, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $76,490Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education: Middle Childhood and Adolescence Education (Grades 5-12)
    • Online
    About the program

    Niagara University offers an online Master of Science in Education in Middle Childhood and Adolescence Education spanning grades 5 through 12, with English available as a content-area teachable subject alongside biology, chemistry, mathematics, Spanish, French, and social studies. The cohort-based structure, which blends synchronous and asynchronous coursework, suggests a program built to keep a supportive peer group together while accommodating candidates who are balancing other commitments. Fieldwork is substantial, with 150 field hours plus two seven-week or one fourteen-week full-time student teaching placements, and district partnerships that let candidates earn wages during those placements point to a program mindful of the financial realities of entering teaching. Accredited by CAEP, it leads to New York State initial certification in the chosen subject. Overall it reads as an accessible, practice-heavy pathway into secondary teaching for career changers and recent graduates alike. 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 11 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,490, roughly $79,807 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

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, PAPrivate nonprofit

    • 10Master's/yr
    • $78,570Metro teacher pay
    • Urban Teaching Apprenticeship, M.S.Ed., Secondary (7-12) track
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education offers the Urban Teaching Apprenticeship M.S.Ed., and its secondary track prepares candidates to teach English in grades 7 through 12. The program runs as a 10-month, full-time, cohort-based apprenticeship anchored by more than 800 hours of fieldwork in Philadelphia public or charter schools alongside a mentor teacher, so the emphasis falls squarely on learning to teach inside real urban classrooms. In place of a thesis, candidates pursue practitioner research, a choice that keeps the work grounded in daily practice rather than academic writing. Content-area cohorts, including English, sit within a broader set of certification bands covering elementary and middle grades. Completion leads to a faculty recommendation for Pennsylvania Instructional I certification in secondary English, making this an intensive, practice-first entry into city teaching. This master's-level english language arts teacher education program prepares graduates for work 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 10 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

    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

    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 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

← Back to the overall Best Master's in English Language Arts Teacher Education