Best Doctorate in Superintendency and Educational System Administration Programs in 2026
All 12 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database, ranked on degrees awarded and local teacher pay. CIP 13.0411.
A doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration prepares experienced school leaders to run entire districts as superintendents and to hold the most senior system-level administrative roles. Most candidates are current principals, assistant superintendents, or central-office directors who already hold a master's degree and a state administrator license. Programs are usually offered as an EdD built around a problem of practice, and they lead to superintendent, deputy superintendent, and district cabinet positions that require a state superintendent or administrator credential and years of prior leadership experience.
- Most education doctorates take three to five years beyond a master's, built around coursework, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation or applied research project, often part-time.
- 2 of 12 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option.
- Graduates most often work as education administrators, where the median wage is $105,870.
- Graduate programs are ranked on degrees awarded, cost-of-living-adjusted local pay, and institutional standing, not the undergraduate stats that do not describe a doctorate.
- 1
Maryville University of Saint Louis
63score- 47Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership
- On-campus
About the programMaryville University of Saint Louis offers the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, an on-campus Ed.D. aimed at practicing school leaders who already hold initial principal licensure and full-time classroom teaching experience. That admission profile frames the degree as a next step for administrators rather than an entry point into the field. The curriculum leans on personal mentoring from faculty-practitioners and folds in elements of business, political, and social leadership, giving the program a broad, cross-sector view of what educational leaders face. Maryville describes the experience as student-centered and market-relevant, signaling a focus on applied preparation over academic research. The program does not state that it confers a superintendent license of its own. This doctoral-level superintendency and educational system administration program prepares graduates for work as education administrators in Missouri.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor 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 47 doctorates a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.
- 2
University of St Francis
60score- 34Doctorates/yr
- $78,390Metro teacher pay
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, Superintendent Endorsement concentration
- On-campus
About the programThe University of St. Francis offers a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership designed for practicing educators pursuing administrative credentials in Illinois. Flexible delivery across face-to-face, blended, hybrid, and online formats lets working professionals complete the roughly 30-month program, which runs on a cohort model with individualized mentoring and dissertation support from the outset. Three 60-credit concentrations are available: Leadership, Learning and Stewardship; Principal Endorsement; and Superintendent Endorsement. The Principal and Superintendent tracks are approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and lead to administrative endorsements on the Professional Educator License. Regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission with practitioner-scholar faculty, the program also offers qualified graduates a 20% alumni discount toward further study. It fits aspiring principals and superintendents. A doctoral-level path in superintendency and educational system administration, it builds toward a career among education administrators in Illinois.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteA 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 34 doctorates 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.
- 3
Western Washington University
59score- 15Doctorates/yr
- $101,230Metro teacher pay
- Doctor of Education (EdD) in Education Leadership
- On-campus
About the programWestern Washington University offers the Doctor of Education in Education Leadership, a hybrid degree explicitly built for aspiring superintendents and district-level leaders such as assistant superintendents and executive directors across the United States and Canada. Cohorts meet mostly remotely with quarterly face-to-face sessions in Bellingham, Everett, and British Columbia, plus monthly Friday-afternoon-to-Saturday seminars. The 87-quarter-credit program is organized in two parts: the first is the Superintendent certificate program coursework of 32 credits, and the second adds 30 credits of coursework, a 10-credit research sequence, and a 15-credit dissertation. Separate program advisors serve the Washington State and British Columbia cohorts, reflecting its cross-border reach. By folding the superintendent certificate directly into the doctorate, the program ties the Ed.D. to a concrete leadership credential. Graduates of this superintendency and educational system administration program at the doctoral level often go on to work as education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 15 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Bellingham, WA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,230, roughly $97,964 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.
- 4
Southern Methodist University
46score- 19Doctorates/yr
- Ed.D. in PK-12 Education Leadership
- On-campus
About the programSouthern Methodist University offers the Ed.D. in PK-12 Education Leadership, an executive weekend cohort program that convenes ten weekends a year plus two summer intensives, with online community support between sessions. Small cohorts learn from a mix of academic faculty and practicing leaders, including sitting superintendents, and the capstone is an applied dissertation, a multifaceted inquiry project rooted in a real problem of practice. That structure marks the degree as a practitioner doctorate for experienced educators rather than a research track for aspiring academics. Candidates who already hold a valid Texas Principal Certificate can follow an optional pathway to Texas superintendent certification, completing the requirements within the three-year degree plan by substituting two courses for internship hours. The design keeps working leaders on the job while they earn the credential. Earning a doctoral degree in superintendency and educational system administration is a common route toward becoming one of Texas's education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteA 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 19 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 5
Houston Christian University
46score- 18Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Education in Executive Educational Leadership
- On-campus
About the programHouston Christian University offers the Doctor of Education in Executive Educational Leadership, an Ed.D. delivered online with periodic on-campus cohort meetings in an executive format built for busy administrators. Cohorts of about 18 candidates move together through 63 credit hours, split across 18 hours of core leadership, 15 of core research, and 21 of executive educational leadership, over ten to eleven semesters and culminating in a dissertation defense. The curriculum integrates Christian P-16 leadership perspectives throughout. Candidates who already hold a Texas Principal or Principal as Instructional Leader certificate may add an optional pathway toward Texas superintendent certification, which requires passing the TExES examination. Those who do not pursue that track are not required to sit the exam, keeping the degree flexible for leaders with varied goals. Earning a doctoral degree in superintendency and educational system administration is a common route toward becoming one of Texas's education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 18 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 6
University of Iowa
40score- 8Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, PK-12 Administration concentration
- On-campus
About the programThe University of Iowa's Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, on its PK-12 Administration concentration, is a terminal, practice-oriented degree for those leading schools and districts. Offered on campus within the Graduate College, it distinguishes itself from the department's research-focused Ph.D., which requires extensive research methods coursework and a dissertation defended before a five-member Graduate Faculty committee. The Ed.D.'s PK-12 Administration track lets candidates complete requirements for superintendent endorsement alongside the doctorate, a pathway the Ph.D. does not offer. A separate Higher Education concentration is also available under the Ed.D. The University of Iowa is regionally accredited. This practitioner track suits PK-12 leaders working toward the superintendency. Graduates of this superintendency and educational system administration program at the doctoral level often go on to work as education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor 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 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 7
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
40score- 8Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) - Leadership in Educational Administration, P-12 cognate
- On-campus
About the programThe University of Mary Hardin-Baylor offers the Doctor of Education in Leadership in Educational Administration with a P-12 cognate, a hybrid Ed.D. whose cohorts meet five Saturdays a semester alongside required summer institutes. The weekend delivery and lockstep cohort design point squarely at working educators who intend to finish together, moving through 54 semester hours and a three-part dissertation sequence over three years, with a seven-year maximum window. The P-12 cognate doubles as preparation for Texas Superintendent Certification, building in courses such as P-12 Financial Leadership and Education Law and Policy. Candidates who prefer a different focus can select the Higher Education or Nursing cognate instead. This is a practitioner doctorate that ties advanced study directly to district-level certification and leadership. This doctoral-level superintendency and educational system administration program prepares graduates for work as education administrators in Texas.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster'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 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 8
Bowie State University
38score- 5Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
- On-campus
About the programBowie State University offers the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, an online Ed.D. structured for sitting administrators rather than newcomers to the field. Admission itself signals the audience, requiring a master's in school administration or a closely related field along with at least three years of successful pre-collegiate administrative experience. The 60-semester-hour program pairs coursework with an externship and a student-designed dissertation research study that candidates may pursue through quantitative or qualitative methods. The university points to one of the highest dissertation completion rates as evidence that the structure carries working leaders all the way through. The program does not state that it confers a superintendent license on its own, positioning the degree as advanced leadership preparation for those already credentialed to administer schools. Graduates of this superintendency and educational system administration program at the doctoral level often go on to work as education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster'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 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 9
Ohio University-Main Campus
37score- 4Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership
- On-campus
About the programOhio University-Main Campus offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership, a research doctorate delivered in a weekend cohort format at the Athens campus so working professionals can keep their positions. Despite the Ph.D. label, the design accommodates practitioners, moving a cohort through a prescribed 24-month coursework sequence and comprehensive exams before dissertation work, with a total timeline of four to five years. Students can orient their study through concentrations in organizational leadership, comparative and international education leadership, and context-specific tracks for rural, urban, and school-community settings. The Ph.D. itself does not confer superintendent licensure; Ohio University houses that credential in a separate standalone Superintendent Leadership and Licensure Certificate. The result is a scholarly degree that still speaks directly to district and school leaders. A doctoral-level path in superintendency and educational system administration, it builds toward a career among education administrators in Ohio.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster'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 4 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 10
Andrews University
36score- 1Doctorates/yr
- Doctor of Education / Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership (K-12)
- On-campus
About the programAndrews University offers Educational Leadership (K-12) at the doctoral level as both a Doctor of Education and a Doctor of Philosophy, letting candidates choose between a practitioner path and a research path. Accredited through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and nationally recognized by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council, the on-campus program prepares candidates for superintendent and administrator roles, including Seventh-day Adventist NAD administration certification and endorsement pathways. The Ed.D. is the practitioner-oriented option, while the Ph.D. layers on additional advanced research methodology coursework for those aiming at scholarship. Both are 90-credit degrees, reduced to 60 credits for students who earned their master's in Educational Leadership at Andrews, and are typically completed over five years. The page does not detail specific state superintendent licensure outcomes. This doctoral-level superintendency and educational system administration program prepares graduates for work as education administrators in Michigan.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 11
Alverno College
32score- 4Doctorates/yr
- $61,480Metro teacher pay
- Doctor of Education (EdD) in Education Leadership, K-12 Leadership concentration
- On-campus
About the programAlverno College offers the Doctor of Education in Education Leadership with a K-12 Leadership concentration, delivered online with a single on-campus weekend residency. Dissertation support begins on day one and a small cohort model carries students through, with completion possible in as few as two years across 54 credits, or 57 with the superintendent track. K-12 Leadership students who want administrative credentials can add optional coursework, a tailored course, and a superintendency practicum to prepare for superintendent eligibility. The program also accommodates candidates further along through an ABD Completion Program and an EdS-to-EdD bridge, alongside its Higher Education Leadership and Teaching and Learning in Higher Education concentrations. This is a flexible practitioner doctorate aimed at working educators moving into and through school leadership. Earning a doctoral degree in superintendency and educational system administration is a common route toward becoming one of Wisconsin's education administrators.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor 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 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,480, roughly $63,423 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.
- 12
Northern Arizona University
28score- 14Doctorates/yr
- $53,900Metro teacher pay
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, K-12 Administration
- On-campus
About the programNorthern Arizona University's Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, on its K-12 Administration emphasis, is a practitioner doctorate built to move experienced school leaders into the superintendency. Delivered through an online-only cohort with limited hybrid components, it follows a two-year sequence in which students learn alongside current and former school leaders and scholars. The minimum 63-unit curriculum spans professional foundations, leadership theory, K-12 administration, and a substantial evaluation and research strand that culminates in a 12-unit applied dissertation. Admission requires a master's degree and a principal credential, and the coursework builds in Arizona state certification options in principalship or superintendency. Accredited by CAEP and approved by the Arizona State Board of Education, the program can lead to superintendent certification. It suits sitting administrators ready for district-level leadership. A doctoral-level path in superintendency and educational system administration, it builds toward a career among education administrators in Arizona.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster'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 doctorates a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Flagstaff, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $53,900, roughly $53,725 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.
How we rank
Doctoral programs specifically in elementary education are rare, most educators earn a doctorate in curriculum and instruction or educational leadership, so this is a short, complete list rather than a deep ranking. The few programs are ordered by graduate tuition affordability (50%), the university's acceptance rate (30%), and the university's graduation rate (20%). Graduate tuition is researched from each program's official page. Because the federal data does not publish graduation or admission rates for individual doctoral programs, those rates are the university's institution-wide figures, used only as rough context. Every program is shown, with no per-state cap.
- Established program size, degrees awarded per year, capped so volume alone does not win: 30%
- Local-area teacher pay, cost-of-living adjusted (BLS + BEA): 30%
- Program strength, institutional research standing plus accreditation, less a for-profit deduction: 40%
What careers can you get with a doctorate in Superintendency and Educational System Administration?
Graduates most often go on to work as education administrators. Nationally, the median wage for that occupation is $105,870, with most earning between $76,280 and $167,770, and roughly 328,330 people employed across the United States, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Doctorates in this field lead to senior school-system administration, including principal and superintendent roles that require an administrator license.
Read the full guide on how to become an education administrator, or see education administrators pay by state →
Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 11-9032), and BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wages are national and not school-specific.
Education Administrators Salary by State in 2026
Median annual wage for education administrators, by state. Highest is Washington at $166,590, lowest is Puerto Rico at $80,130.
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Washington | $166,590 |
| California | $159,950 |
| Connecticut | $156,240 |
| New York | $138,830 |
| District of Columbia | $137,470 |
| New Jersey | $137,440 |
| Delaware | $132,710 |
| Maryland | $131,510 |
| Oregon | $130,050 |
| Utah | $128,880 |
| Massachusetts | $128,430 |
| Minnesota | $127,000 |
| Hawaii | $126,760 |
| Alaska | $125,520 |
| Rhode Island | $119,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $118,710 |
| Wisconsin | $117,010 |
| Illinois | $113,360 |
| Nebraska | $110,580 |
| Colorado | $110,530 |
| Nevada | $109,420 |
| North Dakota | $107,940 |
| New Mexico | $107,720 |
| Virginia | $106,100 |
| Wyoming | $105,480 |
| Vermont | $105,350 |
| New Hampshire | $104,910 |
| Iowa | $104,260 |
| Michigan | $104,020 |
| Georgia | $103,360 |
| Maine | $102,890 |
| South Carolina | $102,440 |
| Idaho | $101,090 |
| Kansas | $100,530 |
| Missouri | $100,400 |
| Kentucky | $99,920 |
| Ohio | $99,590 |
| Indiana | $98,770 |
| Tennessee | $97,590 |
| Alabama | $97,480 |
| Arizona | $97,480 |
| Florida | $96,490 |
| Montana | $95,700 |
| Texas | $93,910 |
| South Dakota | $88,390 |
| Oklahoma | $86,630 |
| Arkansas | $86,330 |
| Louisiana | $83,360 |
| North Carolina | $83,180 |
| Mississippi | $82,800 |
| Virgin Islands | $80,910 |
| West Virginia | $80,650 |
| Puerto Rico | $80,130 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How much a doctorate in Superintendency and Educational System Administration program costs in 2026
A doctorate is a multi-year commitment, usually three to five years beyond a master's, so the total cost depends far more on how long it takes and a school's per-credit rate than on any single year's tuition. Public universities are typically the least expensive for residents, and EdD programs built for working professionals often price a fixed cohort program rather than charging by the credit. Because IPEDS reports only an institution-wide undergraduate tuition that does not describe a doctoral program, each card shows a researched per-program cost wherever a school publishes one.
Funding changes the math, and it differs sharply by track. Research-focused PhD students are frequently funded through assistantships or fellowships that waive tuition and pay a stipend in exchange for teaching or research. Practice-oriented EdD students more often pay their own way, but can use federal Grad PLUS loans, Public Service Loan Forgiveness while working in public education, and, in many districts, tuition reimbursement or a raise on the administrator salary schedule once the degree is complete.
The destination pays accordingly: education administrators earn a median of $105,870 nationally, with the top of the field near $167,770.
Sources: program data from IPEDS; graduate aid from Federal Student Aid; wages from BLS OEWS.
Ways to earn your doctorate in Superintendency and Educational System Administration
Education doctorates come in two forms, and choosing the right one matters more than the format. A Doctor of Education (EdD) is practice-oriented, built for working leaders and centered on an applied problem-of-practice dissertation, and it is commonly offered part-time, in the evening, or online so candidates can keep their jobs. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is research-oriented and prepares candidates for university faculty and research careers, usually as a longer, more full-time program with a traditional research dissertation.
Delivery is flexible at this level: 2 of the 12 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option, most often on the EdD side, typically as a cohort with periodic on-campus residencies. Whichever the path, the through-line is the same: doctoral coursework, comprehensive or qualifying exams, and an original dissertation or applied research project.
Sources: online and program counts from IPEDS.
How to become a school superintendent with a doctorate
The path runs from teaching and building leadership through advanced graduate study and a supervised system-level residency.
- 1
Hold a master's degree and administrator experience
Enter with a master's in educational leadership and several years leading schools as a principal or central-office administrator. A current state administrator license is typically expected before you begin.
- 2
Complete doctoral coursework
Take advanced classes in district finance, school law, governance, human resources, and system-wide instructional leadership. Most students continue working while enrolled part-time.
- 3
Complete a superintendent residency or internship
Serve a supervised field placement at the district level, often shadowing a sitting superintendent. This experience is commonly required for the state superintendent endorsement.
- 4
Pass comprehensive exams
Demonstrate mastery of the coursework through written or oral comprehensive examinations. Passing them advances you to doctoral candidacy.
- 5
Complete the dissertation or applied project
Finish an applied dissertation or problem-of-practice study addressing a real district challenge such as budgeting, equity, or student outcomes. Successful defense earns the doctorate.
Requirements summarized from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and each state's department of education. Exact requirements vary by state.
Frequently asked questions about a Doctorate in Superintendency and Educational System Administration
Should you pursue an EdD or a PhD in superintendency and educational system administration?
You should pursue an EdD in superintendency if you are like most aspiring superintendents, because it is a practice-oriented degree designed for working leaders and its dissertation is usually an applied problem-of-practice project. A PhD is research-oriented and suits those who want a university faculty or research career studying educational systems. If your goal is to lead a district, the EdD is the more common and more direct fit.
How long does a doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration take?
The doctorate takes three to five years beyond your master's degree, and often longer if you attend part-time while working. Coursework, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation or applied project are all standard stages. Many programs are structured in cohorts to help working administrators finish on schedule.
Can you earn a doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration online or part-time?
Yes, you can earn a doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration online or part-time, since superintendency programs are commonly delivered online or in hybrid formats specifically so that sitting administrators can keep working. The residency or internship, however, is completed in a real district setting rather than online.
Do you need a license to become a superintendent with a doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration?
Yes, you almost always need a license to become a superintendent. Most states require a specific superintendent certificate or administrator license that includes prior experience and a supervised field placement. Requirements vary by state, so confirm the exact endorsement rules where you plan to work.
What do superintendents and senior administrators earn with a doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration in 2026?
Superintendents and senior administrators earn a median wage of $105,870, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figure for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary. Superintendents typically sit at the top of the district pay scale, so compensation for that specific role often runs higher and varies with district size and region.
Is a doctorate in superintendency and educational system administration worth it?
A superintendency doctorate is worth it for educators aiming for the top district leadership seat, since it is often expected and can be the credential that unlocks superintendent and cabinet-level roles. It represents a significant investment of time and money, so it makes the most sense once you are committed to system-level leadership. If you prefer to remain a building principal, a master's may already meet your needs.
Answers draw on IPEDS, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, and each state's department of education.
Data sources for our Doctorate in Superintendency and Educational System Administration ranking
- Program counts and degrees awarded: IPEDS, US Department of Education. Cost figures are researched from each program's own published tuition, since IPEDS reports only undergraduate tuition.
- Wages and employment outlook: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- Program descriptions: each school's official catalog and program pages.