Best Master's in Social Studies Teacher Education Programs by Local Teacher Pay

1. 1

   University of Washington-Seattle Campus

   Seattle, WAPublic

   • 17Master's/yr
   • $102,920Metro teacher pay
   • Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP), Master in Teaching with Social Studies endorsement
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   The University of Washington offers the Secondary Teacher Education Program, a Master in Teaching whose Social Studies endorsement prepares candidates for Washington State secondary teaching certification. Run as a cohort-based, one-year program totaling 71 credits, it is framed through an educational-justice lens and moves candidates through a deliberate arc from coursework to co-teaching to full-time student teaching timed for the spring hiring season. That progression, capped by a placement aligned with when districts hire, positions graduates to step directly into classrooms. Endorsement areas also include English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and World Languages, with optional add-ons in Multilingual Learner instruction or Computer Science. The cohort structure and justice-centered framing mark this as a program built for candidates who see teaching as equity work in secondary schools. As a master's degree in social studies teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as 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 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, where elementary teachers earn a median $102,920, roughly $92,610 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

   School site
2. 2

   Boston University

   Boston, MAPrivate nonprofit

   • 11Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Social Studies Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Boston University's Wheelock College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Social Studies Education, a hybrid program with some coursework available online that condenses preparation into a single calendar year, summer included. The design layers an academic field of study with mentored field experience, a pre-practicum, and a culminating full-time practicum in a social studies classroom, moving candidates steadily from study into supervised teaching. That intensive, one-year arc marks it as a route for committed candidates ready to immerse themselves and enter the classroom quickly. The program fulfills the academic requirements for an initial Massachusetts teacher license, which carries reciprocity with most other states. For those not seeking licensure, BU offers a separate EdM in Social Studies Education, keeping this MAT focused on candidates pursuing a first credential. A master's-level path in social studies teacher education, it builds toward a career among 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 11 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
3. 3

   State University of New York at New Paltz

   New Paltz, NYPublic

   • 20Master's/yr
   • $97,920Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Education, Adolescence Education: Social Studies
   • On-campus
   About the program

   SUNY New Paltz offers a Master of Science in Education in Adolescence Education: Social Studies, a single track within its broader 7-12 secondary education program built for teachers who already hold initial certification. The 30-credit degree leads to New York professional certification, positioning it as the advanced credential that follows a first teaching license. Its academic spine is a two-semester classroom inquiry sequence capped by a portfolio, a design that keeps candidates studying their own practice rather than abstract theory. Flexibility runs throughout, with up to nine transfer credits accepted, full- or part-time pacing, and as long as five years to finish. Together these features make the program a patient, practice-anchored path for working social studies teachers deepening their careers. A master's-level path in social studies 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 20 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
4. 4

   Rutgers University-New Brunswick

   New Brunswick, NJPublic

   • 21Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Ed.M. in Social Studies Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Rutgers University offers an Ed.M. in Social Studies Education through its CAEP-accredited Graduate School of Education, a 30-credit program aimed at scholarly depth rather than a New Jersey school license. With 18 credits of required core and no formal tracks, the curriculum draws electives from the anthropology of education, gender and education, civic learning, the history and philosophy of education, and questions of race, ethnicity, and equity, giving the degree a distinctly intellectual and equity-minded character. A requirement that at least two electives be taken outside the school in fields such as history, political science, sociology, or anthropology reinforces the emphasis on content mastery alongside educational theory. Students close the program with a comprehensive exam in their final semester, typically finishing in two years of full-time study within a five-year window. It reads as a degree for educators and scholars seeking analytical grounding in the social studies without a certification component. Earning a master's degree in social studies teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New Jersey's secondary school teachers.

   Why it ranks here

   Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 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
5. 5

   Fordham University

   Bronx, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 5Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Teaching in Adolescence Education: Social Studies
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Fordham University's Graduate School of Education offers a Master of Science in Teaching in Adolescence Education: Social Studies, one of several content-area M.S.T. tracks built to move subject-matter graduates into secondary classrooms. The program leads to New York State initial certification as a Teacher of Social Studies for grades 7-12, and it expects candidates to arrive with a strong disciplinary foundation, including thirty social studies credits with a substantial concentration in history and geography. Its defining feature is a clinically rich fieldwork sequence, opening with a three-week observation period and building into ten weeks of student teaching three days a week across both fall and spring. A completion portfolio caps the degree. Taught on campus and registered with the state, the M.S.T. reads as a structured, practice-forward route into teaching for those entering from an academic background. Graduates of this social studies 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 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
6. 6

   CUNY Hunter College

   New York, NYPublic

   • 16Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Adolescent Education Social Studies (Grades 7-12), M.A.
   • Not confirmed on available pages-accredited
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Hunter College offers an Adolescent Education Social Studies, M.A. for grades 7 through 12 that prepares candidates for New York State certification to teach social studies. Offered jointly with Hunter's History Department, the 40-to-46-credit program requires 12 to 18 credits of coursework in history and geography, a partnership that keeps the degree grounded in disciplinary content alongside pedagogy. Courses run in the afternoon and evening, with some offered online or hybrid, an arrangement that accommodates students balancing other commitments. The program culminates in supervised student teaching of five full days per week for at least one semester, together with separate fieldwork-hour requirements in New York City public schools. That substantial clinical commitment signals a certification pathway centered on extensive, mentored classroom experience in an urban setting. As a master's degree in social studies 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 16 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
7. 7

   Teachers College at Columbia University

   New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 28Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in the Teaching of Social Studies
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Teachers College, Columbia University offers a Master of Arts in the Teaching of Social Studies that fulfills the requirements for New York professional certification. At 32 points, typically one year full-time or two years part-time, the degree is anchored by a master's thesis and a dedicated social studies teacher-education fieldwork course, a combination that asks candidates to both study the field rigorously and test ideas in classrooms. The thesis requirement gives the program a distinctly scholarly cast, appealing to teachers who want to research an aspect of social studies education in depth. For experienced educators oriented toward leadership or doctoral study, the college also offers a separate non-certification Ed.M. in the same subject. The M.A. remains the certification-bearing route for those advancing their teaching practice. Earning a master's degree in social studies 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 28 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

   Hofstra University

   Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 8Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Education in Social Studies Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Hofstra University offers a Master of Science in Education in Social Studies Education, a 37-credit on-campus program leading to New York State initial certification to teach social studies in grades 7-12. It is designed for candidates who already hold an undergraduate major or the equivalent in history or a social science such as economics, geography, political science, sociology, or anthropology, positioning the degree as professional preparation layered onto disciplinary depth. Coursework blends on-campus study with field experiences in varied school settings and culminates in full-time student teaching, weaving literacy, multicultural education, and information technology throughout. Candidates can broaden their reach with extension options in middle-level teaching for grades 5-6, gifted education, or bilingual education certification. The mix of embedded fieldwork and stackable extensions reads as a program shaping adaptable, classroom-ready social studies teachers. This master's-level social studies 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 8 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

   CUNY City College

   New York, NYPublic

   • 5Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Secondary Social Studies Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   The City College of New York offers a Master of Arts in Secondary Social Studies Education that leads to New York State teaching certification for middle and high school social studies. Three entry pathways make room for very different candidates: an Initial Certificate route for those with no prior teaching background, a Professional Certificate route for already-certified teachers, and an Advanced Certificate route for holders of a master's or higher. At the program's heart is a clinical-practice model in which students plan and teach lessons in New York City classrooms under the guidance of mentoring cooperating teachers. An explicit emphasis on urban education and civic engagement gives the degree a clear mission, preparing teachers to work in the city's schools and to foster informed citizenship. The layered pathways and hands-on placements mark it as a practice-centered program serving teachers at multiple career stages. Graduates of this social studies 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 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
10. 10

    CUNY Brooklyn College

    Brooklyn, NYPublic

    • 14Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Social Studies Teacher (7-12), M.A.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Brooklyn College offers a Social Studies Teacher (7-12), M.A. that leads to New York State Initial or Professional Certification to teach social studies in grades 7 through 12. The program serves two kinds of candidates through parallel admission options: a 30-credit Option A for those who already hold initial certification, and a 30-to-40-credit Option B for those entering without it, the latter adding a formal student-teaching sequence and fieldwork. A requirement of at least 30 credits in history and geography reflects the state's content-depth rules and keeps the degree firmly anchored in the disciplines. Throughout, the program foregrounds culturally responsive pedagogy and equity, situating teacher preparation within the diversity of New York City classrooms. The dual-option design makes it a practical fit for both new entrants to teaching and already-licensed educators advancing their credentials. Graduates of this social studies 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 14 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
11. 11

    CUNY Queens College

    Queens, NYPublic

    • 16Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education - Social Studies (Adolescent Education, 7-12)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Queens College offers a Master of Science in Education in Social Studies within its Department of Secondary Education and Youth Services, preparing candidates for New York State certification to teach middle and secondary social studies across American and world history and the wider social sciences. The MSED track is designed for candidates who already hold an initial certificate and are advancing toward professional certification, placing it squarely among the department's initial and professional pathways. Coursework centers on designing standards-aligned instructional units for inclusive, multicultural, urban classrooms, reflecting the realities of teaching in New York City. Three dedicated faculty advisors guide students through the different pathway options, a structure that suggests close individual mentoring. The overall design reads as a program for practicing teachers deepening their craft and credentials for the city's diverse classrooms. A master's-level path in social studies 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 16 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

    Adelphi University

    Garden City, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • MA in Social Studies Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Adelphi University offers an MA in Social Studies Education that carries candidates toward recommendation for initial New York State certification to teach social studies in grades 7 through 12. As one of five secondary subject specializations at Adelphi, it shares a structure with the university's English, mathematics, science, and educational theatre tracks while centering the social studies classroom. The flexibility of delivery stands out, with fully online, hybrid, and an accelerated 12-month intensive option that starts in June and packs 37 credits into a single year. A required minimum of 100 hours of fieldwork in New York-area schools grounds the coursework in real classroom practice before graduation. Taken together, the program reads as a certification-focused pathway that accommodates both traditional students and career-changers who want to move quickly into teaching. A master's-level path in social studies 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 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
13. 13

    CUNY Lehman College

    Bronx, NYPublic

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Social Studies Education, M.A. (Social Studies 7-12)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lehman College offers a Social Studies Education, M.A. for grades 7 through 12 that leads to a New York State Initial Certificate, with an option to add dual certification in Students with Disabilities. The program is unusually flexible, offering four sequences that range from a 42-credit History Intensive to 30-credit tracks for candidates with an education minor or a history or social science major, plus a 39-credit dual-certification path with special education. A separate Human Rights and Transformative Justice professional certificate serves teachers who are already certified, underscoring the program's social-justice orientation. Candidates must complete at least 100 field hours of classroom observation before their final internship semester, and an Internship Certificate option lets them enter the classroom after finishing half the program's credits. The range of sequences makes it adaptable to candidates arriving with very different academic backgrounds. A master's-level path in social studies 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
14. 14

    Manhattanville University

    Purchase, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 12Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Childhood/Adolescence Education (Grades 5-12): Social Studies
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Manhattanville University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Childhood/Adolescence Education (Grades 5-12): Social Studies, a program that meets New York State licensure requirements for social studies certification across grades 5-12. Its social studies content spans history, economics, political science, geography, sociology, and anthropology, giving candidates broad disciplinary grounding for the middle and secondary grades. The methods coursework leans distinctly practical, emphasizing Backwards Design lesson planning and a wide repertoire of engagement techniques from songs and stations to floor maps and debates, while the curriculum addresses Common Core and the EdTPA. Online and hybrid delivery options make the degree workable for candidates balancing other commitments. Manhattanville also offers MPS and certificate pathways in the same content area, signaling a flexible suite for educators entering or advancing in social studies teaching. A master's-level path in social studies 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
15. 15

    Mercy University

    Dobbs Ferry, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

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

    Mercy University offers a Master of Science in Secondary Education for grades 7-12 with an Adolescence Education, Social Studies concentration, leading to initial professional certification in New York. The standard track runs 30 credits, while a dual-certification option combining adolescence education with teaching students with disabilities extends the degree to 39 credits, letting candidates broaden their classroom reach. Social studies sits among content areas that also include English, mathematics, and the sciences, and the program requires an education capstone before the degree is conferred. Delivered in a hybrid format, it is offered on campus at the university's Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester locations alongside online options, making it accessible to educators across the New York City region. The concentration structure and dual-certification pathway read as a practice-focused route into secondary teaching. A master's-level path in social studies 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 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
16. 16

    College of Staten Island CUNY

    Staten Island, NYPublic

    • 16Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education (Adolescence Education - Social Studies)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The College of Staten Island offers a Master of Science in Education in Adolescence Education with a social studies concentration that leads to New York State professional certification, building on an existing initial certificate. The program is organized into sequences, with Sequence One serving candidates who have already completed initial-certification coursework in a subject area and a separate Sequence Two available to those who have not. Its subject-area cohorts are shared across the biology, English, mathematics, and social studies Adolescence Education tracks rather than isolated to social studies alone, giving students a cross-disciplinary cohort experience while they specialize. That structure, paired with the professional-certification focus, reads as a program built for early-career teachers ready to advance from an initial to a professional credential. Coursework is delivered on campus at Staten Island. As a master's degree in social studies teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 16 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

    SUNY College at Potsdam

    Potsdam, NYPublic

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $85,760State teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Teaching, Adolescence Education: Social Studies
    • On-campus
    About the program

    SUNY Potsdam offers a fully online Master of Science in Teaching in Adolescence Education: Social Studies that carries candidates to New York initial certification in grades 7-12. Delivering initial-licensure preparation entirely online, the program pairs that flexibility with a strong field component, requiring a 100-hour practicum before a semester of student teaching split across middle- and high-school placements. That progression, from observation-rich fieldwork into two levels of classroom teaching, gives new social studies teachers a graduated on-ramp into the profession. A small cohort model with close faculty advising keeps the online experience personal rather than anonymous. National recognition from the National Council for the Social Studies and CAEP accreditation signal that the curriculum is vetted against discipline and profession-wide standards, and an optional extension reaches into grades 5-6. As a master's degree in social studies teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $85,760, roughly $79,466 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

    Lewis & Clark College

    Portland, ORPrivate nonprofit

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $82,330Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Secondary Education - Social Science
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lewis & Clark College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education with a Social Science focus that leads to an Oregon Preliminary Teaching License for grades 6-12, a credential transferable to other states. The program runs as a 13-month, summer-to-summer cohort of roughly 25 students, and its yearlong practicum places candidates for about 1,000 hours in K-12 classrooms across some 20 Portland-area district partnerships. That scale of supervised classroom time, paired with a small cohort, reads as a program that prizes close mentorship and deep immersion. Content areas include Art, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science, with an Integrated English Language Arts and Social Science dual-endorsement option. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and approved by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, it offers an intensive, cohort-driven path into secondary teaching. Earning a master's degree in social studies teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Oregon'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 11 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, where elementary teachers earn a median $82,330, roughly $78,096 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

    St Catherine University

    Saint Paul, MNPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $79,730Metro teacher pay
    About the program

    St Catherine University is a private nonprofit four-year institution in Saint Paul, MN offering a Master's in social studies teacher education. Total enrollment across the university is 3,651. It awarded 1 master's degrees in social studies teacher education in the most recent reporting year, below the national median of 8.5. A master's-level path in social studies teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Minnesota.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,730, roughly $76,062 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

    University at Albany

    Albany, NYPublic

    • 10Master's/yr
    • $79,240Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Secondary Education (Social Studies track)
    • AAQEP, accredited through June 30, 2028
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University at Albany offers a Master of Science in Secondary Education with a Social Studies track, an on-campus program accredited by AAQEP through June 30, 2028. It leads to New York State initial certification for grades 7-12 once candidates complete the degree requirements along with the Educating All Students and Content Specialty Test exams. Social studies sits among a full slate of content tracks spanning English language arts, mathematics, the sciences, and world languages, and the program closes with full-time student teaching in the final semester that grounds coursework in sustained classroom practice. Current undergraduates can accelerate through the combined bachelor's-master's Great Dane Teacher Pathway, open to those maintaining a 3.0 GPA. The state-approved structure and capstone student teaching read as a deliberate, credential-focused route into secondary social studies teaching. Earning a master's degree in social studies teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of New York's secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 10 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,240, roughly $79,585 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

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, PAPrivate nonprofit

    • 13Master's/yr
    • $78,570Metro teacher pay
    • Urban Teaching Residency, M.S.Ed. (Social Studies certification track, grades 4-8 or 7-12)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education offers the Urban Teaching Residency, an M.S.Ed. whose social studies certification track prepares candidates to teach grades 4-8 or 7-12. Delivered in a two-year executive format, the program blends evening and weekend sessions with asynchronous online coursework and pairs candidates with personalized coaching at their own school, a structure clearly built for working professionals who are already teachers of record, long-term substitutes, or paraprofessionals. It leads to Pennsylvania Instructional Level I Certification through an alternative teacher-intern route, so candidates earn credentials while continuing to work. Certification content areas span General Education across PreK-4, 4-8, and 7-12 bands, along with Special Education and World Languages. The school-embedded coaching and executive schedule mark this as a program that develops classroom teachers in place rather than pulling them out for a traditional residency. As a master's degree in social studies teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers 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 13 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
22. 22

    Syracuse University

    Syracuse, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $78,560Metro teacher pay
    • Social Studies Education (Grades 7-12), Master of Science
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Syracuse University offers a Master of Science in Social Studies Education for grades 7-12 that meets the academic requirements for both New York initial and professional certification. Its 35 credits can be completed full-time in a single calendar year including summer, an efficient timeline that reads as built for candidates ready to move quickly into or through the profession. Two full-time student-teaching placements, one in grades 7-8 and one in grades 9-12 with at least one in a high-needs setting, give candidates breadth across the secondary years and exposure to schools that need strong teachers most. The program closes with a choice of a master's examination, thesis, or special project, letting candidates lean toward practice or scholarship. The result is a compact, field-intensive path into certified social studies teaching. As a master's degree in social studies teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 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
23. 23

    State University of New York at Oswego

    Oswego, NYPublic

    • 10Master's/yr
    • $78,560Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Science for Teachers, Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12) - Social Studies
    • AAQEP accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    SUNY Oswego offers a Master of Science for Teachers in Adolescence Education with a Social Studies concentration, an intensive 12-month cohort that runs summer through the following summer at its Syracuse campus. The full-year, single-cohort structure signals a program built for candidates ready to commit to teacher preparation as their primary focus, moving together through the sequence toward New York initial certification in grades 7-12. Social studies sits alongside content options in the sciences, English, mathematics, and world languages, so cohorts blend future teachers across disciplines. The heart of the experience is two full-time 15-week student-teaching placements with a mentor teacher in the Syracuse City School District, immersing candidates in urban classrooms. AAQEP accreditation and passage of the state teacher exams complete the route to licensure. A master's-level path in social studies teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 10 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
24. 24

    University of St Francis

    Joliet, ILPrivate nonprofit

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $78,390Metro teacher pay
    • Secondary Teacher Education with Licensure, History/Social Science (M.Ed.)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of St. Francis offers a Master of Education in Secondary Teacher Education with Licensure in History and Social Science, delivered online, designed for bachelor's degree holders from other fields who want to move into secondary teaching. The History and Social Science track sits alongside parallel options in science, English, and mathematics, but each points toward the same goal of a first Illinois teaching license. Spread across 24 months, the program builds in extensive edTPA preparation, reflecting how central that performance assessment is to earning certification. The online format paired with a career-changer focus makes it an accessible route for working adults ready to switch into the classroom. The program leads to an initial Illinois Professional Educator License with a secondary endorsement, backed by Higher Learning Commission accreditation and Illinois State Board of Education approval. A master's-level path in social studies teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Illinois.

    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 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $78,390, roughly $75,670 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

    University of Georgia

    Athens, GAPublic

    • 19Master's/yr
    • $76,600Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Social Studies Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Georgia offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Social Studies Education, taught on campus, that serves as an initial certification route for candidates preparing to teach grades 6 through 12. Concentrations in History, Economics, Geography, and Political Science let candidates build the subject depth behind their teaching field. At roughly 57 credit hours, the program is substantial, weaving embedded clinical practice through the coursework and building to a spring-semester student teaching placement with an accompanying seminar and a culminating comprehensive exam. Some part-time flexibility opens the degree to candidates balancing other commitments. For educators who already hold certification, UGA offers a separate M.Ed. in Social Studies Education, keeping this MAT focused on those seeking a first license. Graduates of this social studies teacher education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 19 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

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