Best Master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education Programs in 2026

All 9 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database, ranked on degrees awarded and local teacher pay. CIP 13.1308.

A master's in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education, sometimes called home economics education, prepares teachers to lead classes in nutrition and foods, child development, family relationships, textiles, personal finance, and consumer skills. It draws two kinds of students, career-changers moving from a related industry into the classroom and already-licensed teachers deepening their subject expertise. Graduates most often teach at the middle and high school level, where FCS is usually a career and technical education subject.

9Programs analyzed
$66,270Median wage, career and technical education teachers
4Median degrees awarded / year
5Online or hybrid options
  • Most master's programs run 30 to 36 credits and take about two years, with many built to be completed part-time by working teachers.
  • 5 of 9 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option.
  • Graduates most often work as career and technical education teachers, where the median wage is $66,270.
  • Graduate programs are ranked on degrees awarded, cost-of-living-adjusted local pay, and institutional standing, not the undergraduate stats that do not describe a master's.
  1. 1

    University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

    Minneapolis, MNPublic

    45score
    • 17Master's/yr
    About the program

    This institution reports a graduate program in family and consumer sciences education under CIP code 13.1308. Earning a master's degree in family and consumer sciences teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Minnesota's career.

    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 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
  2. 2

    CUNY Queens College

    Queens, NYPublicOnline available

    44score
    • 7Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education (K-12)
    • Online
    About the program

    Queens College offers a Master of Science in Education in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education, a CAEP-accredited, fully online degree aimed at educators who are already in the classroom. Because admission is open only to applicants who already hold an initial teaching certificate, the ten-course program functions as an advancement route toward New York State Professional Certification in Family and Consumer Sciences across grades K-12. Its blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction lets working teachers complete the degree in under two years without stepping away from their jobs. The single, focused FACS pathway means students deepen content and pedagogy in one specialization rather than choosing among tracks. The overall shape reads as a professional-certification capstone for practicing teachers moving from initial to professional standing in New York. As a master's degree in family and consumer sciences teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as career in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 7 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into 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
  3. 3

    Hofstra University

    Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

    42score
    • 3Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education in Family and Consumer Sciences
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education in Family and Consumer Sciences, an on-campus program built as a full initial-certification pathway rather than a content upgrade. Its 37 semester hours embed 100 hours of field experience ahead of a full-time student teaching placement, a clinical structure that signals a program preparing candidates to enter the classroom for the first time. Graduates qualify for New York State certification in Family and Consumer Sciences across all grades, K-12, along with Work-Based Learning Coordinator Certification for Career Development, giving the credential reach into career and technical roles. Small classes and summer and January session options add scheduling flexibility within the campus-based model. The program suits aspiring FACS teachers who want a hands-on, cohort-style route into New York classrooms with a second certification built in. As a master's degree in family and consumer sciences teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as career 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 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

    School site
  4. 4

    Texas Tech University

    Lubbock, TXPublicOnline available

    37score
    • 4Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Texas Tech University offers an online Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education that doubles as an initial certification route, preparing candidates to teach the subject at the secondary level in Texas. Delivered through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, the non-thesis program draws on a multi-university consortium while remaining fully online for working adults. The licensure design is hands-on and place-based: candidates complete student teaching or an internship within Texas and pass the required state certification exams. A minimum of 38 semester hours and a professional portfolio anchor the degree, signaling an emphasis on demonstrated practice over a research capstone. Described as the only Family and Consumer Sciences Education master's in Texas, it fills a distinct niche for future secondary teachers in the state. As a master's degree in family and consumer sciences teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as career in Texas.

    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.

    School site
  5. 5

    North Dakota State University-Main Campus

    Fargo, NDPublicOnline available

    37score
    • 4Master's/yr
    • Master of Education / Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
    • Online
    About the program

    North Dakota State University offers an online Master of Education or Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education that splits cleanly between two audiences. Pathway A is a teacher licensure route that prepares candidates to teach middle and high school Family and Consumer Sciences, carrying them toward North Dakota licensure in the field. Pathway B, in Training and Development, points instead toward non-school settings such as Cooperative Extension, healthcare, and nonprofit work, making the degree flexible for professionals whose careers reach beyond the classroom. A GPIDEA collaborative track broadens the course options through a multi-university consortium, and candidates finish with a choice between a practicum or internship paired with action research or a traditional master's thesis. That structure lets the program serve both practitioners seeking applied fieldwork and those aiming for scholarly inquiry. Earning a master's degree in family and consumer sciences teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of North Dakota's career.

    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.

    School site
  6. 6

    Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

    Stillwater, OKPublicOnline available

    37score
    • 3Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Oklahoma State University offers a fully online Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education built as a professional-advancement degree rather than an entry point to the classroom. The program spans 12 courses totaling 36 credit hours, a self-contained sequence that working adults can complete at a distance without relocating. Its intended audience is telling: Cooperative Extension educators, currently licensed public school teachers, and related professionals who already hold their footing in the field and want to deepen their expertise. Because it is not designed for initial teacher certification, the degree reads as a credential for people extending an existing career rather than launching a new one. The single-track structure keeps the focus on subject depth over branching specializations. This master's-level family and consumer sciences teacher education program prepares graduates for work as career in Oklahoma.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
  7. 7

    South Dakota State University

    Brookings, SDPublic

    37score
    • 3Master's/yr
    • Human Sciences (M.S.) - Family and Consumer Sciences Education Specialization
    • On-campus
    About the program

    South Dakota State University offers a Master of Science in Human Sciences with a specialization in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, housed in the School of Education, Counseling and Human Development. The Family and Consumer Sciences Education focus is one specialization within the broader Human Sciences degree, letting students concentrate their graduate study within a larger interdisciplinary framework. The on-campus program keeps the field's teaching and applied dimensions within an education-oriented school. As a master's degree in family and consumer sciences teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as career in South Dakota.

    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 3 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
  8. 8

    State University of New York at Oswego

    Oswego, NYPublicOnline available

    32score
    • 3Master's/yr
    • $78,560Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education (7-12)
    • Online
    About the program

    SUNY Oswego offers a Master of Science in Education in Family and Consumer Sciences Education for grades 7-12, a fully online program pitched squarely at working content-area specialists. The delivery model and its design for professionals already grounded in the subject matter suggest a program meant to convert real-world expertise into classroom credentials without requiring a move or a career pause. Completing it leads to both initial and professional New York State teacher certification in Family and Consumer Sciences, so a single degree can carry a candidate from entry into teaching through to professional standing. With no additional tracks, the curriculum keeps its focus on FACS pedagogy and certification. It fits industry practitioners and second-career educators who want an accessible online route into New York secondary classrooms. Graduates of this family and consumer sciences teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as career.

    Why it ranks here

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

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

    School site
  9. 9

    Western Michigan University

    Kalamazoo, MIPublic

    29score
    • 15Master's/yr
    • $63,450Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Workforce Education and Development
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Western Michigan University offers a Master of Arts in Workforce Education and Development that doubles as a 36-credit post-baccalaureate certification pathway into career and technical education. Backed by WMU's CAEP-accredited educator preparation and Michigan Board of Education approval, the program leads to Michigan CTE teacher certification across areas including business, marketing, management and technology, family and consumer sciences, and industrial technology for the middle and high school levels. Beyond the classroom certification route, it carries tracks in workforce development program administration and instructional design, broadening its appeal to those steering training and curriculum outside K-12. Students can complete it fully online or in a hybrid format, and the degree connects onward to WMU's Educational Leadership doctoral program. It fits career-changers and industry professionals who want to move into CTE teaching or workforce leadership. Graduates of this family and consumer sciences teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as career.

    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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, where elementary teachers earn a median $63,450, roughly $66,902 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
How we rank

Each master's program is scored 0 to 100 against the other master's programs in its specialty on the measures the federal data actually supports at the graduate level: the number of master's degrees it awards each year (30%), counted as a sign that the program is established rather than rewarding sheer size: a program reaches full credit at about fifty degrees a year and awarding thousands more adds nothing, so a high-volume online degree factory earns no advantage here; the median wage for elementary teachers in the program's local area (30%), from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The wage is the metropolitan-area figure where the school sits in a metro (about 85% of programs) and the state figure otherwise, and it is adjusted for the local cost of living using the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, so a high nominal salary in an expensive metro does not outrank a lower salary that goes further. It is a measure of local earning potential in the field, not the earnings of this program's graduates, which are not published. The third and largest measure is a program-strength score (40%), 0 to 100, led by the institution's Carnegie research classification, so a very-high-research university outranks a small teaching college on institutional standing. It adds a bonus where the program names a national programmatic accreditor like CAEP or AAQEP, but does not lean on it, because several states approve educator preparation through their own boards rather than CAEP, and a strong flagship should not be marked down for its state's accreditation choice. A clearly identified degree and licensure pathway adds a little more, and private for-profit programs, whose graduate outcomes are documented as weaker, take a deduction. Graduation rate, admission rate, and tuition are deliberately NOT scored: the first two are institution-wide undergraduate figures that describe the wrong population, and verified graduate tuition exists for too few programs to rank on fairly. Cost is shown on each card where we have it, but it does not affect the ranking. Every master's program is ranked and shown, with no per-state cap.

  • Established program size, degrees awarded per year, capped so volume alone does not win: 30%
  • Local-area teacher pay, cost-of-living adjusted (BLS + BEA): 30%
  • Program strength, institutional research standing plus accreditation, less a for-profit deduction: 40%

What careers can you get with a master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education?

Graduates most often go on to work as career and technical education teachers. Nationally, the median wage for that occupation is $66,270, with most earning between $50,040 and $101,340, and roughly 111,420 people employed across the United States, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Family and consumer sciences teachers are reported within career and technical education teachers.

Read the full guide on how to become a career and technical education teacher, or see career and technical education teachers pay by state →

$66,270Median annual wage
$50,040 to $101,34010th to 90th percentile
111,420Employed nationally

Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 25-2032), and BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wages are national and not school-specific.

Career and Technical Education Teachers Salary by State in 2026

Median annual wage for career and technical education teachers, by state. Highest is Washington at $101,180, lowest is Puerto Rico at $53,160.

StateMedian wage
Washington$101,180
Connecticut$100,810
Massachusetts$98,020
New Jersey$83,770
Rhode Island$81,820
California$80,620
New York$79,820
Delaware$79,230
Ohio$79,230
Vermont$79,220
Georgia$78,760
Oregon$78,380
Maryland$78,320
Alaska$78,130
Maine$78,050
Illinois$77,950
Michigan$77,400
New Hampshire$76,320
Pennsylvania$75,760
Virginia$75,580
Wisconsin$74,310
Colorado$72,750
Utah$72,380
South Carolina$72,120
Minnesota$71,650
New Mexico$66,750
Texas$64,610
Nevada$64,510
Nebraska$63,180
Arizona$62,980
Wyoming$62,570
Florida$62,140
Arkansas$61,780
Tennessee$61,700
North Dakota$61,500
Louisiana$61,300
Kentucky$61,130
Idaho$60,510
Alabama$59,470
Missouri$59,300
Oklahoma$58,800
North Carolina$58,600
Kansas$58,300
Mississippi$57,910
West Virginia$57,760
Iowa$57,660
Indiana$56,390
South Dakota$56,070
Montana$55,190
Puerto Rico$53,160

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

How much a master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education program costs in 2026

Graduate tuition is priced by the credit rather than the year, and most master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education programs run 30 to 36 credits, so the total turns on a school's per-credit rate and whether you pay the in-state or out-of-state figure. Public universities are usually the least expensive for residents, while private and out-of-state rates run higher. Because IPEDS reports only an institution-wide undergraduate tuition that does not describe a graduate program, each card shows a researched per-program cost wherever a school publishes one, rather than a misleading campus-wide number.

Sticker price is rarely the final cost. Graduate students can borrow through federal Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans, and teachers have targeted help: the TEACH Grant provides up to $4,000 a year for a commitment to teach a high-need subject in a low-income school, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness can clear the remaining balance after ten years of qualifying payments in a public school or district. Many districts also reimburse part of a master's for teachers who earn it on the job, since a graduate degree usually moves them up the salary schedule.

The payoff shows up in pay: career and technical education teachers earn a median of $66,270 nationally, with the top of the field near $101,340 and the bottom around $50,040.

Sources: program data from IPEDS; the TEACH Grant and Public Service Loan Forgiveness from Federal Student Aid; wages from BLS OEWS.

Ways to earn your master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education

Online delivery is central at this level: 5 of the 9 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option, which fits teachers and other professionals who study while working full time. Programs are often organized as cohorts on evening, weekend, or asynchronous schedules, with any required field hours arranged near you. A typical master's runs about two years part-time, or twelve to eighteen months full-time.

The right format depends on why you are enrolling. Licensed teachers pursuing a master's for advancement or an added specialization can usually study fully online while they keep teaching. Career-changers who need an initial teaching license should instead look for a Master of Arts in Teaching or another licensure-track program, which pairs coursework with a supervised student-teaching placement or a paid residency and so includes in-person clinical time.

Sources: program and delivery data from IPEDS.

How to become a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher

The path depends on whether you already hold a teaching license or are entering the classroom for the first time.

  1. 1

    Earn a bachelor's degree

    Complete an undergraduate degree, ideally in family and consumer sciences, nutrition, human development, or a closely related field so your content background lines up with what FCS teachers cover.

  2. 2

    Choose the right master's

    A Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is built for career-changers who need a first license and includes supervised student teaching. A Master of Education (M.Ed.) suits already-licensed teachers who want to strengthen FCS content or add an endorsement.

  3. 3

    Complete supervised classroom experience

    Initial-license programs place you in a mentored student-teaching placement, typically in a middle or high school FCS or career and technical education classroom, so you practice managing labs and hands-on instruction.

  4. 4

    Pass your state's licensure exams

    Most states require a basic-skills test plus a subject-area exam in family and consumer sciences or career and technical education before issuing a license. Requirements vary, so confirm the exact tests with your state education agency.

  5. 5

    Apply for licensure and career and technical education certification

    Submit your degree, exam scores, and background check to your state. FCS is frequently taught under a career and technical education credential, so ask whether an added career and technical education certification or industry experience is expected.

Requirements summarized from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and each state's department of education. Exact requirements vary by state.

Frequently asked questions about a Master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education

Who is a master's in family and consumer sciences education for?

A master's in family and consumer sciences teacher education is for two groups. People with a degree or work history in nutrition, human services, textiles, or family studies who want to become teachers, and current FCS teachers looking to sharpen their content and career options. If you enjoy hands-on, life-skills teaching, this field is a strong match.

What is the difference between an MAT and an M.Ed. in a master's in family and consumer sciences education?

The difference between an MAT and an M.Ed. here comes down to licensure. A Master of Arts in Teaching is an initial-licensure route, so it includes student teaching and leads to your first teaching license. A Master of Education generally serves teachers who are already licensed and want advancement, a raise on the salary schedule, or an added endorsement. Pick based on whether you already hold a license.

How long does a master's in family and consumer sciences education take, and can you study online?

The degree takes roughly two years part-time across about 30 to 36 credit hours, and you can study much of it online. Many are offered online or in hybrid formats, which works well for teachers balancing a classroom job, though initial-license tracks still require in-person student teaching.

What does an FCS teacher earn with a master's in family and consumer sciences education in 2026?

An FCS teacher earns a median wage of $66,270, according to the BLS for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School, the category most FCS teachers fall under. Actual pay depends on your state, district, degree level, and years of experience, and a master's often moves you up the local salary schedule.

Does accreditation matter for a master's in family and consumer sciences education?

Yes, accreditation matters, so look for programs whose educator preparation is accredited by CAEP, the national accreditor for teacher education. CAEP accreditation signals the program meets professional standards and helps ensure your credential transfers cleanly across states.

Is a master's in family and consumer sciences education worth it?

The degree is worth it for career-changers, for whom an MAT is often the most direct route into a licensed FCS teaching job. For current teachers, an M.Ed. can raise your pay and open doors to department or career and technical education leadership. Weigh the cost against your state's salary schedule and your long-term goals.

Answers draw on IPEDS, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, and each state's department of education.

Data sources for our Master's in Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education ranking