Hakia Education

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

Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology

Published ·Last updated

Ranked by the median wage for elementary teachers in each program metro area, from BLS. The top 25 out of 265 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database.

  1. 1

    California State University-Fullerton

    Fullerton, CAPublic

    • 43Master's/yr
    • $101,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Literacy and Reading Education
    • Online
    About the program

    California State University, Fullerton offers a Master of Science in Literacy and Reading Education as a fully online, cohort-based 30-unit program taught in a bichronous format that blends live and self-paced learning. The single pathway bundles the degree with California Commission on Teacher Credentialing coursework, so candidates earn the Reading and Literacy Added Authorization and the Literacy and Reading Specialist Credential alongside the M.S. A required READ 581 practicum in strategic interventions plants clinical fieldwork at the center of the design, and students close with either a capstone project or a thesis option. The combination of embedded credentialing and cohort delivery marks this as a program for working California teachers advancing into literacy specialist roles. Its coursework aligns to CTC standards under national and state accreditation. Graduates of this reading teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

    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 43 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,860, roughly $89,692 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

    School site
  2. 2

    Fairfield University

    Fairfield, CTPrivate nonprofit

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $98,600Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts (MA) in Reading and Language Development
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Fairfield University offers a Master of Arts in Reading and Language Development that grounds its literacy training in the science of reading and Structured Literacy. The 30-credit program, completable in roughly 10 to 24 months, builds an integrated practicum across four affiliated community literacy clinics that move candidates through screening, diagnostic reading, structured literacy intervention, and Wilson Reading Level I certification. That clinic-based sequence gives teachers hands-on work with struggling readers rather than coursework alone, and a stackable design lets students apply elective credits toward the Wilson credential or an individualized concentration shaped with a faculty advisor. Graduates are prepared for the Connecticut Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts cross-endorsement, positioning the degree as a route into specialized intervention roles. The combination of clinical placements and a flexible pathway reads as built for practicing educators becoming literacy specialists. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in Connecticut.

    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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,600, roughly $92,267 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 University

    Boston, MAPrivate nonprofit

    • 13Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education (EdM) in Reading & Literacies Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Boston University offers a Master of Education in Reading & Literacies Education through its Wheelock College, a program whose curriculum reaches beyond foundational reading into critical and disciplinary literacies, multilingualism, and multiliteracies. That breadth signals an intellectually ambitious take on literacy education, treating reading as a set of social and disciplinary practices rather than a single skill. Candidates ground this study in two practice-based experiences, shadowing a literacy specialist in a K-12 school and tutoring through the Donald D. Durrell Literacy Collaborative, which keep the theory tethered to real learners. The program prepares candidates for Massachusetts licensure as a Specialist Teacher of Reading and qualifies them for a Sheltered English Immersion endorsement, requiring an initial teaching license and a year of full-time teaching before the specialist credential. Offered on campus with full-time students often finishing in two terms, it suits committed educators pursuing an accelerated, research-informed path. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 13 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

    Endicott College

    Beverly, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 12Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Reading & Literacy Instruction
    • Online
    About the program

    Endicott College offers a fully online Master of Science in Reading & Literacy Instruction built explicitly for experienced teachers ready to specialize. The unified program prepares candidates for Massachusetts licensure as a Reading Specialist across all grades and folds in an embedded 15-hour dyslexia specialist certificate option, giving graduates an added, marketable credential alongside the degree. Its faculty bring more than fifteen years of experience as reading coaches and interventionists, a detail that positions the coursework as practitioner-driven and grounded in real intervention work. By waiving the GRE, the program lowers a common barrier for working educators returning to graduate study. The online delivery and focus on seasoned teachers together make it an accessible, career-advancing path into literacy specialization. Graduates of this reading teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

    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 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

    Gordon College

    Wenham, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Reading Specialist
    • Online
    About the program

    Gordon College offers a Master of Education in Reading Specialist distinguished by its School of Education's International Dyslexia Association accreditation at the Plus level, a recognition it shares with only one other Massachusetts college. That accreditation shapes the program's character, opening a pathway for licensed teachers to become certified Orton-Gillingham tutors alongside earning reading licensure. The coursework moves across human development, language acquisition, assessment and diagnosis, sheltering content and instruction, and disciplinary literacy, giving candidates a broad grounding in how readers develop and struggle. Delivered online through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous courses, it is structured for working professionals balancing full teaching schedules. The program is also available as an Ed.S. and as a licensure-only pathway, offering flexible entry points for educators deepening their expertise in reading and dyslexia intervention. Earning a master's degree in reading teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Massachusetts's instructional coordinators.

    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
  6. 6

    Bridgewater State University

    Bridgewater, MAPublic

    • 14Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Reading and Literacy (Reading Specialist K-12)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Bridgewater State University offers a Master of Education in Reading and Literacy that prepares candidates as Reading Specialists across all levels in Massachusetts. The hybrid program keeps its classes small, with cohorts of about a dozen graduate students, and leans into case-study work, assessment practice, and presentations at the state literacy conference, a design that reads as collegial and professionally connected. Candidates can pursue an initial licensure track or a non-licensure track, and an early-admission pathway invites Bridgewater undergraduate seniors in elementary or early childhood education to begin the specialist credential sooner. That range of entry points signals a program attentive to educators at different stages of their careers. Carrying International Literacy Association national recognition, it provides institutional endorsement for Massachusetts licensure and a close-knit route into literacy leadership. A master's-level path in reading teacher education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators 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 14 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

    Framingham State University

    Framingham, MAPublic

    • 8Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education, Concentration in Literacy and Language
    • Online
    About the program

    Framingham State University offers an online Master of Education with a concentration in Literacy and Language that prepares educators to meet Massachusetts requirements for Specialist Teacher of Reading licensure. The program spans ten courses and culminates in an oral comprehensive examination, a structure that frames the degree as a substantive, capstone-oriented course of study. It also gives candidates two practicum pathway options, a standard route or a Reading Enrichment track, letting them shape the clinical experience to their setting. Beyond initial licensure, the degree supports professional licensure for teachers already holding an Initial License in elementary, early childhood, English, or moderate disabilities, widening its appeal across the field. Aligned to International Literacy Association standards and nationally recognized by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the online program offers a flexible, credentialed path into reading specialization. Graduates of this reading teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

    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
  8. 8

    Lesley University

    Cambridge, MAPrivate nonprofit

    • 10Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • M.Ed. in Specialist Teacher of Reading (All Levels), Initial Licensure
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lesley University offers an M.Ed. in Specialist Teacher of Reading (All Levels), Initial Licensure, a second-license credential built for practicing teachers who already hold an initial Massachusetts license and want to add reading expertise. The single track leads to initial licensure as a Specialist Teacher of Reading across all levels, so the program assumes candidates arrive with classroom experience rather than preparing them for a first teaching role. Its defining feature is placement in a Scholar Partner School or Teacher Residency, which anchors the coursework in real school settings rather than abstract theory. That structure lets candidates finish in as little as a year or move at their own pace, a flexibility aimed at educators balancing full-time teaching with graduate study. The on-campus format and residency model together read as a program that treats literacy specialization as an extension of active practice. As a master's degree in reading teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as instructional coordinators 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 10 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, MAPublicOnline available

    • 7Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Reading
    • Online
    About the program

    Salem State University offers a fully online Master of Education in Reading delivered in an evening format that fits around a teaching schedule. The program branches into a Specialist Teacher of Reading license track with a 150-hour supervised practicum, a non-licensure Curriculum and Instruction track, and a licensure-only option for those who already hold an advanced degree, letting candidates match the credential to where they are in their careers. The licensure path meets Massachusetts DESE requirements and prepares candidates for the Specialist Teacher of Reading MTEL, covering learners from early childhood through post-secondary. An explicit emphasis on culturally and linguistically sustaining literacy practices gives the coursework a clear equity orientation rather than a purely technical one. Completed in roughly two years full-time or up to six part-time, with TEACH grant and assistantship eligibility, it reads as an accessible, flexible route into literacy specialization. Graduates of this reading teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

    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 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

    • 36Master's/yr
    • $97,920Metro teacher pay
    • MSEd Literacy Education (All-Grades)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    SUNY New Paltz offers an MSEd in Literacy Education (All-Grades) that leads to New York State Initial and Professional Literacy Education certification across every grade level. Admission assumes an existing license in elementary, secondary, special education, speech and hearing, music, or art education, so the program serves certified teachers broadening into literacy rather than newcomers. Two pathways shape the experience, a standard route for candidates with initial certification and an accelerated route for those already pursuing a second master's in literacy education. The 36-credit program can be finished in one year full-time and builds in at least 60 hours of practica across fall and spring plus a capstone Clinical Intervention course, keeping the training firmly clinical. A cohort-based remote learning option is available, which reads as a deliberate fit for working teachers who want to progress together while staying in their jobs. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 36 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

    Rutgers University-New Brunswick

    New Brunswick, NJPublic

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

    Rutgers University offers an on-campus Ed.M. in Literacy Education aimed at educators who want to study literacy deeply rather than pursue a state license. Candidates shape the degree around elective focus areas such as multimodal and digital literacies, children's writing development, and children's and adolescent literature, giving the program an intellectual, inquiry-driven character. In place of a thesis, students build a professional portfolio that demonstrates research theory and practice in literacy, a capstone that rewards reflective scholarship over a single research study. Typically completed in about two years with up to five years permitted, the pacing accommodates working professionals. This is explicitly a non-certification program and does not include coursework leading to a New Jersey school personnel license. A master's-level path in reading teacher education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators in New Jersey.

    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
  12. 12

    CUNY Hunter College

    New York, NYPublic

    • 31Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education (Literacy, Birth-Grade 6)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Hunter College offers a Master of Science in Education in Literacy for the birth through grade six range, scheduled with working teachers in mind. Courses meet in the afternoons and evenings, with some sections delivered online or in hybrid format, and the program adds required fieldwork hours in New York City public schools so coursework stays connected to real classrooms. It leads to New York State certification in Literacy, Birth to Grade 6, and admits candidates who already hold New York State certification in Early Childhood or Childhood Education. A separate grades five through twelve literacy track is also offered through the School of Education for those focused on older students. The flexible schedule and city-school fieldwork frame it as a practical advancement path for early-grade educators moving into literacy specialization. Graduates of this reading teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

    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
  13. 13

    Hofstra University

    Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Literacy Studies (Birth-Grade 6 or Grades 5-12), M.S.Ed.
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education in Literacy Studies with grade-band options for Birth-Grade 6 or Grades 5-12, plus a dual track that pairs literacy with Special Education. Open to teachers already holding initial certification in another subject, the certification-based MSEd prepares graduates for New York State Literacy Specialist certification. The program's signature is a 30-hour practicum at Hofstra's on-campus Reading/Writing Learning Clinic, where candidates work directly with readers and writers under supervision. A non-certification M.A. in Literacy Studies serves those who want the scholarship without the credential. Access to a Literacy Studies Doctoral Society and literacy research conferences gives the hybrid program an academic depth that points beyond the master's toward continued study. Graduates of this reading teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

    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
  14. 14

    CUNY City College

    New York, NYPublic

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Literacy Teacher Education (Birth to Grade 6)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The City College of New York offers a Master of Science in Education in Literacy Teacher Education for the birth through grade six range, part of a pair of tracks that also includes a separate grades five through twelve option. The 32-credit program emphasizes inquiry into literacy methodologies for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, a focus that reflects its urban, multilingual setting and gives the degree a strongly equity-minded character. Designed to meet International Reading Association and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards, it leads to a New York State literacy certificate. Admission requires an existing New York State initial certification in areas such as early childhood, childhood, secondary, ESL, bilingual, or special education. The program reads as advanced preparation for certified teachers deepening their literacy expertise with diverse student populations. As a master's degree in reading teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as instructional coordinators 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 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
  15. 15

    Adelphi University

    Garden City, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 3Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Literacy Education (All Grades)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Adelphi University offers a hybrid Master of Science in Literacy Education covering all grades, a design that pairs flexible scheduling with hands-on clinical work. The program's signature feature is the practicum at Adelphi's on-campus Literacy Center, where candidates assess and teach real students across grades one through twelve, so classroom skills are developed under supervision rather than in the abstract. It prepares graduates for the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations, including the Content Specialty Test in Literacy, and admits teachers who already hold New York State certification. That combination frames the degree as an advancement credential for practicing educators moving toward literacy specialist roles. The blend of remote coursework and center-based practice gives it a strongly applied, clinic-centered character. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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
  16. 16

    St. John's University-New York

    Queens, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 17Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Teaching Reading and Literacy PK-12 and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages PK-12, Master of Science in Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    St. John's University offers a Master of Science in Education combining Teaching Reading and Literacy PK-12 with Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages PK-12, a hybrid dual-certification program for teachers who want expertise in both fields at once. The 39-credit design splits across 15 literacy credits, 18 TESOL credits, and 6 general credits, and it requires both a TESOL practicum and seminar and a separate literacy practicum, alongside 12 credits of study in a language other than English. That structure prepares graduates for a wide slate of New York State roles, from Literacy Specialist, Diagnostician, and Clinician to Resource Room and ESL Teacher. The dual focus reads as built for educators in linguistically diverse schools who serve multilingual readers. The heavy clinical and language requirements make it one of the more demanding, broadly credentialing paths in the field. Earning a master's degree in reading teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's instructional coordinators.

    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. 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 Queens College

    Queens, NYPublic

    • 33Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Applied Literacy
    • Online
    About the program

    Queens College offers a fully online Master of Science in Applied Literacy designed for practicing content-area teachers rather than aspiring literacy specialists. Housed in the Secondary Education and Youth Services department, the 30-credit program builds a unified curriculum around instruction and assessment for literacy across content areas, with a grade 5 to 12 focus and sustained attention to English-language learners and students with disabilities. Because it is a non-certification track, it does not by itself lead to New York State literacy certification, but teachers who already hold Initial Certification can apply it toward Professional Certification through the state's TEACH progression pathway. A post-master's certificate in Applied Literacy extends the same coursework for those who need fewer credits. It reads as professional development for teachers strengthening literacy instruction in their own classrooms. Earning a master's degree in reading teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's instructional coordinators.

    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 33 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

    Pace University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 23Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Literacy Specialist
    • AAQEP-accredited
    • Online
    About the program

    Pace University offers a Master of Science in Education in Literacy Specialist, a 30-credit online program aimed at practicing teachers who already hold an initial teaching certificate and want to advance into literacy leadership. The all-grades specialization spans Birth-Grade 12, preparing candidates for an advanced or professional certificate in teaching literacy once they pass the CST in Literacy 065 exam. The program culminates in a one-semester, 100-clinical-hour practicum paired with a teacher-as-researcher project and a literacy portfolio capstone, a structure that pushes candidates to study their own classrooms with a scholarly eye. That combination of supervised clinical work and reflective inquiry positions graduates as evidence-minded specialists rather than generalists. The program carries AAQEP accreditation and is designed to fit around a working teacher's schedule. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 23 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 Lehman College

    Bronx, NYPublic

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Literacy Education (All Grades)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Lehman College offers a Master of Science in Education in Literacy Education (All Grades) built for certified teachers who want to become literacy specialists across the full birth-through-grade-12 span. The standalone 36-credit track leads to New York State professional certification in Literacy, while a longer dual pathway of 45 to 48 credits adds initial certification in Special Education (All Grades) for candidates who want to serve struggling and special-needs readers together. Delivered in a hybrid format, the program treats literacy and disability as connected concerns rather than separate specialties. An Advanced Certificate in the Science of Reading gives graduates a shorter, focused option, and the coursework can also open a pathway into doctoral study. The result is a flexible ladder that lets educators calibrate how far they want to extend their credentials. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

    School site
  20. 20

    Teachers College at Columbia University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Reading Specialist
    • International Dyslexia Association accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Teachers College, Columbia University developed its Master of Arts in Reading Specialist as an intensive, clinically anchored preparation for literacy leadership, carrying International Dyslexia Association accreditation. The program prepared candidates for two levels of New York State literacy certification, Birth through Grade 6 and Grades 5 through 12, and paired academic study with a Master's Integrative Project and hands-on practicum serving children, adolescents, and adults. Prospective students should note that the master's is closed to new applicants, with Fall 2019 the last admitted term. Teachers College now points candidates toward an Advanced Certificate in Literacy for All Grades as the current pathway into the same specialization. A master's-level path in reading teacher education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators 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
  21. 21

    Iona University

    New Rochelle, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 5Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education (MSEd) with Literacy Specialization
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Iona University offers a Master of Science in Education with a Literacy specialization for educators who already hold initial certification in early childhood, childhood, or adolescent education. The track leads toward New York State Literacy (All Grades) certification and is accredited through the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). Full-time students can finish in three to four semesters, with evening courses offered online in synchronous and asynchronous formats alongside some hybrid sections, an arrangement that fits teachers balancing coursework with full-time work. A separate, non-certification Master of Science in Integrated Language and Literacy Studies is available for those pursuing literacy scholarship without the credential. The pairing lets Iona serve both certification-seekers and educators who want broader language and literacy study. Earning a master's degree in reading teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's instructional coordinators.

    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
  22. 22

    Manhattanville University

    Purchase, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 5Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Professional Studies (MPS) - Literacy Specialist (PreK-12)
    • Online
    About the program

    Manhattanville University offers a Master of Professional Studies as a Literacy Specialist (PreK-12), a 30-credit online program that leads to professional literacy certification. A longer 45-credit dual track adds Special Education Childhood (PreK-12) for candidates who want to serve struggling and special-needs readers together, and advanced certificates in the Science of Reading and Dyslexia and in Multisensory Literacy Instruction extend the coursework further. The program emphasizes multisensory structured literacy for learners with dyslexia and for multilingual students, signaling a clinical, intervention-minded orientation. Its culminating practicum uses plan-teach-reflect cycles of practitioner research and peer coaching, so candidates refine their teaching through structured reflection rather than a single final exam. The design reads as one for teachers who want practical, evidence-based tools for reaching the readers who struggle most. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 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
  23. 23

    Mercy University

    Dobbs Ferry, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Literacy and Multilingual Studies, M.S.
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Mercy University offers a Master of Science in Literacy and Multilingual Studies, the successor to its discontinued M.S. in Teaching Literacy, Birth to Grade 12, which stopped accepting new students in fall 2024. Built for educators who already hold an initial New York State teaching certificate, the program leads to dual Literacy certification spanning Birth-Grade 6 and Grades 5-12. Its hybrid design offers on-campus and online options across Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester locations, giving working teachers across the region flexible access. Practicum placements come through partnerships with area elementary and secondary schools, keeping the coursework grounded in real classrooms. The renamed program's emphasis on multilingual studies signals a focus on serving the linguistically diverse student populations these teachers encounter. Earning a master's degree in reading teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's instructional coordinators.

    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 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

    School site
  24. 24

    William Paterson University of New Jersey

    Wayne, NJPublicOnline available

    • 15Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Literacy with a concentration in Reading Specialist
    • AAQEP (full accreditation through June 30, 2032)
    • Online
    About the program

    William Paterson University offers a fully online Master of Education in Literacy with a concentration in Reading Specialist engineered for speed and certification. The 30-credit program is built on International Literacy Association standards and can be completed in ten to twenty months, with six start terms a year running in seven-week blocks so working teachers can keep momentum. It prepares candidates for New Jersey Reading Specialist certification under Endorsement 3310 and admits those who already hold a provisional or standard certificate, positioning the degree squarely as an advancement step for licensed educators. Full AAQEP accreditation through June 2032 backs the program's standing. The compressed calendar, online format, and single specialist focus make it read as a direct, professional route into literacy leadership. Earning a master's degree in reading teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New Jersey's instructional coordinators.

    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 15 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

    Bank Street College of Education

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 9Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master's Degree in Reading and Literacy Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Bank Street College of Education offers a Master of Science in Education in Reading and Literacy Education that reflects the school's progressive, practice-immersed tradition. The 30-credit program runs eighteen to twenty months and places candidates in supervised fieldwork at partner schools across New York City, so learning is rooted in real classrooms from the start. Small-cohort peer reflection meetings give students a structured space to make sense of that fieldwork together, reinforcing the college's emphasis on reflective practice. Graduates earn an additional K-12 Literacy Specialist certification in New York State, and admission requires an existing New York State classroom teaching certificate. The design reads as a program for committed teachers ready to deepen their craft and step into literacy specialist roles through hands-on, mentored experience. This master's-level reading teacher education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 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

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