Best Master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels Programs in 2026

The top 25 out of 120 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database, ranked on degrees awarded and local teacher pay. CIP 13.1206.

A master's in teacher education program for multiple levels prepares educators to teach across more than one grade band, such as programs that span elementary through secondary or combine several licensure areas. It serves career-changers seeking a first teaching license through a Master of Arts in Teaching as well as licensed teachers who want to broaden their credentials with a Master of Education. Which degree fits you depends on whether you already hold a teaching license.

120Programs analyzed
$72,040Median wage, secondary school teachers
17Median degrees awarded / year
37Online or hybrid options
  • Most master's programs run 30 to 36 credits and take about two years, with many built to be completed part-time by working teachers.
  • 37 of 120 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option.
  • Graduates most often work as secondary school teachers, where the median wage is $72,040.
  • Graduate programs are ranked on degrees awarded, cost-of-living-adjusted local pay, and institutional standing, not the undergraduate stats that do not describe a master's.
  1. 1

    University of the People

    Pasadena, CAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    78score
    • 131Master's/yr
    • $101,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Advanced Teaching
    • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)-accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    University of the People offers a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching designed for educators who want to strengthen their practice without pursuing a state license. Students choose an elementary and middle school (K-8) or secondary (6-12) specialization and move through thirty-nine credits across thirteen asynchronous courses, a structure most complete in roughly twelve to fourteen months. The tuition-free, pay-as-you-go model, with modest per-course assessment fees of about four hundred thirty dollars, reflects the institution's accessibility mission and points the program toward working teachers, independent-school staff, and educators in international settings where state credentialing is not the goal. Because it does not lead to state teacher licensure or certification, the degree functions as professional development and advancement rather than an entry route into public-school teaching. It is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. As a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in California.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 131 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. 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

    Santa Clara University

    Santa Clara, CAPrivate nonprofit

    73score
    • 38Master's/yr
    • $102,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential (MATTC)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Santa Clara University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential, known as MATTC, through which candidates earn both the degree and academic preparation for a California teaching credential. The program spans elementary and secondary education, with secondary candidates specializing in fields such as English, mathematics, the sciences, social science, or Spanish, and it adds distinctive Bilingual Authorization in Spanish and Catholic education pathways for teachers in those settings. Offered on campus, hybrid, or online since 2023, with multiple start dates across the year, it accommodates a range of schedules, and an internship option opens the door to teachers already employed in classrooms. Small classes averaging sixteen students and a 12-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio point to a close-knit, mentorship-oriented experience. A slate of scholarships and grants further signals a program invested in bringing new teachers into the field. As a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in California.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 38 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $102,860, roughly $93,151 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

    University of West Georgia

    Carrollton, GAPublicOnline available

    70score
    • 150Master's/yr
    • $76,570Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of West Georgia offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education, a 30 semester-hour program delivered primarily online for those preparing to teach grades 6-12. Its audience is clearly defined, spanning career changers moving into education, provisionally certified teachers seeking to complete their credential, and recent graduates entering the profession. Candidates concentrate in secondary content-area certification fields, aligning the coursework to the subject they intend to teach. Required field experiences in public schools ground the online study in classroom practice, bridging theory and the day-to-day work of teaching. The program leads to Georgia teaching certification in grades 6-12, giving subject specialists a flexible route to the classroom. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Georgia'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 150 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,570, roughly $76,526 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

    Georgia Southern University

    Statesboro, GAPublicOnline available

    68score
    • 135Master's/yr
    • $72,290State teacher pay
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Georgia Southern University offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education built specifically for teachers already working in P-5 classrooms. Rather than a route to initial licensure, the fully online, 36 credit-hour degree functions as a Georgia certificate-upgrade program, serving candidates who already hold a renewable Induction or Professional Level Four Certificate in elementary education. The pacing is efficient, with the coursework completable in about one year across summer, fall, spring, and summer terms, a design that fits practicing educators looking to advance their credential without stepping away from the profession. Intensive field experiences with diverse student populations keep the advanced study anchored in real teaching. Approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, the program is a clear next step for teachers ready to deepen their practice and move up the certification ladder. As a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Georgia.

    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 135 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into Georgia statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $72,290, roughly $75,073 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

    William Paterson University of New Jersey

    Wayne, NJPublic

    68score
    • 40Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching with a Concentration in Elementary Education (K-6)
    • Online
    About the program

    William Paterson University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with a Concentration in Elementary Education for candidates working toward New Jersey K-6 certification. The 36 credit-hour program is delivered in accelerated 7-week online courses and can be finished in as few as 18 to 24 months, a pace that signals a design for motivated adults who want to move into the classroom quickly. Three required in-person clinical placements during the school day, each mentored by an experienced teacher and a field supervisor, keep the fast timeline grounded in real practice. That mix of compressed online terms and hands-on mentored fieldwork reads as a program that respects both the schedules and the practical readiness of future teachers. The elementary concentration sits within a broader MAT that also offers secondary and secondary K-12 alternate route tracks. Certification requires passing the Praxis Elementary Multiple Subjects (5001) assessment, and the program holds AAQEP accreditation through 2032. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers 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 40 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. 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

    Kennesaw State University

    Kennesaw, GAPublicOnline available

    66score
    • 43Master's/yr
    • $76,570Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Kennesaw State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching built to bring subject-matter graduates into Georgia classrooms with an initial teaching certificate. Nine concentrations, from Elementary Education and the secondary content fields of English, mathematics, and science through TESOL, Special Education, and a Pedagogy-Only track, let candidates target the exact grade band and subject they intend to teach. The thirty to thirty-nine credit hours culminate in a yearlong clinical and student-teaching experience anchored by field-based projects, which reads as a program that treats sustained classroom immersion, not just coursework, as the core of preparation. Delivery shifts between face-to-face and online options depending on the concentration, giving candidates some flexibility around the required fieldwork. Approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, the degree leads to initial certification across the listed grade bands. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Georgia.

    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 43 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,570, roughly $76,526 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

    Relay Graduate School of Education

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    65score
    • 816Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • CAEP-accredited
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Relay Graduate School of Education offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) grounded in real classroom apprenticeship rather than conventional seat time. The two-year structure pairs a residency year of clinical practice in Year 1 with a capstone inquiry project and a Master's Defense in Year 2, and much of the assessment comes through video submissions of the candidate's own live teaching, a design that keeps learning anchored in daily practice. Grade-level and content-area specializations vary by location, spanning options like elementary, mathematics, and special education, with an optional special education certification add-on. The Relay Teaching Residency and NY Relay Teacher Pathway tracks include routes to state teaching certification, while a Degree Only track serves teachers who are already certified and practicing. That split makes clear it is built for people learning to teach on the job as well as working teachers seeking the credential, with CAEP accreditation referenced by the school. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of New York'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 816 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  8. 8

    University of California-Irvine

    Irvine, CAPublic

    65score
    • 136Master's/yr
    • Elementary and Secondary Education, M.A.T. (MAT Multiple Subject Program)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of California, Irvine offers a Master of Arts in Teaching through its MAT Multiple Subject Program, preparing candidates to teach across all grade levels and content areas of the elementary curriculum. The single multiple subject focus, with an optional Bilingual Authorization pathway, signals a program built specifically for aspiring elementary generalists. Its 14-month calendar runs from late June through the following July and is organized around a Five Core Commitments framework, a three-quarter inquiry course sequence with field-site projects, and student teaching integrated throughout. That structure weaves practice, reflection, and coursework into a single continuous year rather than treating them as separate stages. Completion leads to a California teaching credential authorizing elementary instruction, making this an on-campus, cohort-style route into the classroom for those set on teaching young learners. Graduates of this teacher education, multiple levels 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 136 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  9. 9

    George Fox University

    Newberg, ORPrivate nonprofit

    65score
    • 116Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    George Fox University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that leads to an Oregon PreK-12 preliminary teaching license, with candidates choosing a Single Subject specialization for middle and high school or a Multiple Subjects specialization for elementary grades. The program is engineered for speed and flexibility: students can become licensure-eligible after three semesters, and a condensed four-month full-time student-teaching placement runs shorter than the roughly eight-month requirement common elsewhere. A flexible online track with new cohort starts every eight weeks reinforces the sense of a program designed to meet career-changers and working adults where they are. Optional MAT Plus endorsements in Reading and ESOL can be earned concurrently, letting candidates leave with specialist credentials alongside the license. Accreditation by AAQEP grounds the accelerated structure in recognized educator-preparation standards. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Oregon.

    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 116 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  10. 10

    The University of Tennessee-Martin

    Martin, TNPublicOnline available

    65score
    • 93Master's/yr
    • MSED: Teaching - Initial Licensure (Elementary concentration; Secondary and K-8 Special Education Interventionist concentrations also offered)
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of Tennessee at Martin offers an online M.S.Ed. in Teaching with initial licensure, aimed squarely at holders of a non-teaching bachelor's degree who want to move into the classroom without relocating. Candidates choose among elementary, secondary, K-8 special education interventionist, and K-12 tracks, so the program covers a broad range of grade bands under one online umbrella. Approval by the Tennessee State Board of Education and CAEP accreditation give the degree standing for licensure and hiring. Small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios lend the online experience a more personal feel than large-scale programs often provide. As one of UT Martin's online MSE offerings, it functions as a flexible, licensure-focused path for career-changers stepping into teaching. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Tennessee.

    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 93 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  11. 11

    University of Oregon

    Eugene, ORPublic

    65score
    • 84Master's/yr
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.) via UOTeach Curriculum and Teaching Program
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Oregon offers a Master of Education through its UOTeach Curriculum and Teaching program, a licensure-focused degree that prepares candidates for Oregon's initial teaching license through the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. Students choose a pathway ranging from Elementary Multiple Subjects for grades K-8 to middle and high school endorsements in mathematics, science, English language arts, social studies, world languages, or physical education, and every candidate earns an embedded K-12 ESOL endorsement. Nine months of supported student teaching in partnership with Oregon school districts anchors the program in real classrooms across a full school year. A year-long curricular focus on anti-oppressive pedagogies and a partnership with the Sapsik'ʷałá Education Program for Indigenous teacher preparation give the degree an explicit equity and community orientation. It reads as a program built for candidates who want justice-centered preparation alongside a clear route into licensed teaching. Graduates of this teacher education, multiple levels 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 84 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  12. 12

    University of Redlands

    Redlands, CAPrivate nonprofit

    65score
    • 83Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education: Learning and Teaching, Multiple Subject Track
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Redlands offers a Master of Arts in Education: Learning and Teaching through its MALT program, and the Multiple Subject Track blends the master's degree with a California Preliminary Multiple Subject teaching credential for aspiring Pre-K-12 educators. The hybrid format pairs a weekly in-person campus meeting with synchronous virtual instruction, keeping candidates connected to a cohort while accommodating other commitments. An equity-centered approach to pedagogy runs throughout the curriculum, reflecting a program that frames teaching as work rooted in fairness and access. Candidates fulfill the practicum through one of three pathways, choosing student teaching, a teaching internship, or a teacher residency depending on their circumstances. That flexibility, layered on a credential-bearing design, makes the track workable for both traditional students and those already employed in schools. As a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in California.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 83 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  13. 13

    Jackson State University

    Jackson, MSPublicHBCU

    65score
    • 81Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Education in Elementary Education
    • CAEP, accredited through May 1, 2030
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Jackson State University offers a Master of Science in Education in Elementary Education designed for in-service educators, with admission requiring a current Class A Educator's License or evidence of pursuing renewal. That admission gate signals an advanced program for teachers already in classrooms rather than an initial licensure route, and the department frames its tracks around early childhood education, literacy, and elementary education so candidates can specialize where they already work. The curriculum runs a minimum of 36 semester hours on campus. What distinguishes the department is its vertical pathway: the same faculty offer a linked Specialist in Education and a Doctor of Education in the field, giving graduates a clear ladder toward instructional leadership or doctoral study. The program is accredited by CAEP through May 1, 2030. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Mississippi.

    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 81 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  14. 14

    University of Notre Dame

    Notre Dame, INPrivate nonprofit

    65score
    • 78Master's/yr
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.), ACE Teaching Fellows
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    The University of Notre Dame offers the Master of Education through its ACE Teaching Fellows program, a two-year service-through-teaching model that fuses graduate study with full-time work in Catholic schools. Fellows spend two summers in on-campus M.Ed. coursework at Notre Dame, alternating with two school years teaching in partner schools across 36 archdioceses and dioceses nationwide, while living in small faith communities of four to seven members. The design speaks to mission-minded graduates who want to teach immediately and grow as professionals within a supportive religious community rather than pursue academic concentrations. The fellowship is tuition-free and valued at more than $140,000, removing the cost barrier that often accompanies teacher preparation. Graduates are eligible for teacher licensure in Indiana, which holds reciprocity with 46 states, and they join a network of more than 2,000 alumni from a program founded in 1993. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Indiana'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 78 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  15. 15

    Purdue University Global

    West Lafayette, INPublicOnline available

    65score
    • 77Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Purdue Global offers an online Master of Science in Education aimed squarely at educators already working in the field rather than career changers seeking a first teaching job. Its three concentrations, Essentials of Exceptionalities, Leadership Essentials, and Literacy and Language Essentials, let practicing teachers deepen expertise in a specialty they encounter daily, whether supporting students with disabilities, stepping toward school leadership, or strengthening literacy instruction. The forty-five to forty-six quarter credit hours are organized around four knowledge goals and five program competencies, a competency-driven framing that reads as applied professional growth over theory for its own sake. The program is explicit that it does not lead to state certification, endorsement, or licensure for teachers, principals, or superintendents in any state, so it suits educators pursuing advanced knowledge and career mobility rather than a new credential. Coursework is delivered fully online for flexibility around a teaching schedule. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Indiana'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 77 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  16. 16

    The College of Saint Scholastica

    Duluth, MNPrivate nonprofit

    65score
    • 73Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Teaching with Graduate Teaching Licensure
    • Online
    About the program

    The College of St. Scholastica offers a Master of Science in Teaching with Graduate Teaching Licensure, an AAQEP-accredited, PELSB-approved program that leads to a Minnesota K-12 teaching license in about twenty-one months. Candidates choose from Elementary Education (K-6), Spanish (K-12), or a Secondary Education (5-12) field in Chemistry, Communication Arts and Literature, Life Science, Math, or Social Studies. The cohort model brings in a new group each fall and pairs weekly virtual classes with a three-day summer residency in Duluth, a low-residency structure that keeps the program largely accessible from a distance. The licensure track runs 34 to 39 credits, with six additional credits available to complete the optional master's degree, letting candidates prioritize the classroom credential and add the degree if they choose. That layered design reads as a licensure-first path with the master's as a natural extension. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Minnesota.

    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 73 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  17. 17

    Pacific Oaks College

    Pasadena, CAPrivate nonprofit

    65score
    • 58Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Elementary Education with Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Pacific Oaks College offers a Master of Arts in Elementary Education paired with the Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a hybrid program that combines online coursework with required fieldwork in California classrooms. Candidates earn the master's degree and the teaching credential together, graduating ready to teach multiple K-12 subjects in self-contained elementary classrooms. Three units of practicum place students in more than 25 local public schools, grounding the degree in supervised classroom experience. Because all fieldwork and student teaching must be completed in California, enrollment is restricted to state residents. The 43-unit program can be finished in about a year and a half full-time or two and a half years part-time, and it meets California Commission on Teacher Credentialing requirements. This dual structure suits aspiring teachers who want licensure and a graduate degree along a single path. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in California.

    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 58 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  18. 18

    Fresno Pacific University

    Fresno, CAPrivate nonprofit

    65score
    • 50Master's/yr
    • Teaching Multiple Subject Credential, M.A.
    • California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC)-accredited
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Fresno Pacific University offers a Teaching Multiple Subject Credential with a Master of Arts, preparing candidates to teach at the elementary and middle school levels. The program offers two entry points, a Student Teaching Track for those completing supervised placements and an Independent Teaching Intern Track for candidates already working in classrooms, so it accommodates both new preparers and employed interns. Cohort-based student teaching with partnering school districts anchors the experience in real school settings, and a post-credential MAT pathway lets already-credentialed teachers extend into the master's. Delivered in a hybrid format across Fresno, Visalia, and Merced locations with multiple start dates, it emphasizes accessibility for working candidates around the Central Valley. Aligned with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, it leads to a Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in California.

    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 50 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  19. 19

    Western New Mexico University

    Silver City, NMPublic

    65score
    • 38Master's/yr
    • $74,550State teacher pay
    • Teaching - Elementary Education, M.A.T. (Initial Licensure)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Western New Mexico University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education built for candidates seeking initial New Mexico teacher licensure. The program opens with 19 credit hours of shared core and foundation coursework in research methods, the history and philosophy of education, multicultural education, and student growth and development, giving every candidate a common grounding before they branch into concentration studies. That foundation-first structure, common across the elementary, secondary, and special education concentrations, reads as a program that treats reflective, research-informed practice as the bedrock of teaching. The degree culminates in a practice-teaching capstone and a final examination, tying the classroom preparation back to demonstrated competence. Delivered on campus and CAEP-accredited, it leads to initial New Mexico licensure in the chosen concentration. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of New Mexico'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 38 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into New Mexico statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $74,550, roughly $80,846 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 of California-Berkeley

    Berkeley, CAPublic

    64score
    • 49Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education (Berkeley Teacher Education Program)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of California, Berkeley offers a Master of Arts in Education through its Berkeley Teacher Education Program, an intensive route that couples a graduate degree with a California teaching credential. Candidates pursue a multiple subject credential for elementary teaching or single subject pathways in English, history and social science, mathematics, or science. The program runs as a tightly sequenced 15-month cohort across two summers, a fall, and a spring, totaling roughly 54 to 62 units and immersing students in extended fieldwork. A distinctive feature is the classroom-based inquiry research candidates conduct while they student teach, blending scholarly reflection with day-to-day practice. Aligned with California Commission on Teacher Credentialing requirements and delivered on campus, it is designed for aspiring teachers who want both credential and research grounding in a single accelerated year-plus. Graduates of this teacher education, multiple levels 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 49 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  21. 21

    Hamline University

    Saint Paul, MNPrivate nonprofit

    64score
    • 49Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Hamline University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching, a hybrid program that leads to an initial Minnesota teaching license across a wide span of specialties. Twelve licensure areas are available, from Elementary Education K-6 and ESL K-12 to Adult Basic Education, two Special Education tracks in Academic Behavioral Strategist and Autism Spectrum Disorder, and secondary content fields including Chemistry, General Science, Life Sciences, Physics, Communication Arts and Literature, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Fully online delivery is available for the ESL and Special Education licenses beginning in fall, while other licenses use a hybrid format with synchronous evening classes suited to working schedules. The curriculum unfolds in three parts, foundational coursework, license-specific courses, and a culminating student-teaching and capstone sequence, and can be completed in eighteen to twenty-four months. The breadth of licensure areas and evening format point to a program built to bring adults into a range of Minnesota classrooms. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Minnesota'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 49 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  22. 22

    Marian University

    Indianapolis, INPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    64score
    • 48Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Online
    About the program

    Marian University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that combines fully online coursework with an intensive, in-person capstone in the classroom. Candidates can specialize in elementary education, secondary science education, or exceptional needs across P-12, matching the degree to the setting they intend to teach. The program culminates in a required full-time student-teaching internship, held Monday through Friday during standard school hours in the final semester, so the flexible online study gives way to a demanding immersion before graduation. Most candidates complete the degree in 18 to 24 months, and a separate licensure-only track of 18 to 24 credit hours serves those who need certification without the full 36-credit master's. The result is a route to initial teacher licensure that keeps academics accessible while insisting on real classroom preparation. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Indiana'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 48 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  23. 23

    Stockton University

    Galloway, NJPublicOnline available

    63score
    • 47Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Stockton University offers a Master of Arts in Education whose stackable endorsements make it a versatile home for educators charting different career moves, from ESL and bilingual instruction and Teacher of Students with Disabilities to Reading Specialist, Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant, Supervisor, and Principal roles. Built primarily for candidates who already hold a New Jersey teaching certificate, the 36-credit degree lets teachers add specialized credentials as they advance, while an Alternate Route pathway opens the door to those pursuing initial certification. Its fully online format, offered in accelerated 7-week or full 15-week terms, gives working teachers control over their pace. The Alternate Route option is especially distinctive, allowing candidates to earn initial certification, the degree, and additional endorsements concurrently with up to six years to finish. Holding both AAQEP and CAEP accreditation and eligible for interstate reciprocity, the program balances flexibility with recognized standing. Graduates of this teacher education, multiple levels 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 47 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
  24. 24

    Eastern Kentucky University

    Richmond, KYPublic

    61score
    • 49Master's/yr
    • $60,610State teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Eastern Kentucky University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that leads to Kentucky teacher certification across an unusually broad set of 25 options, spanning Elementary Education, Secondary subjects, several Special Education tracks including Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Early Childhood, and School Librarian. The program embeds a student-teaching practicum alongside a capstone research project with an oral presentation, pairing supervised classroom work with a culminating scholarly component. Ranging from 34 to 49 credit hours depending on concentration, it scales to the demands of each certification area rather than forcing a single template. Candidates must pass PRAXIS content exams, and an Option 6 Alternative Route lets those already employed as teachers earn the degree on a temporary provisional certificate. The result is a comprehensive certification program flexible enough for both new entrants and working educators. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Kentucky'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 49 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into Kentucky statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,610, roughly $67,226 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

    Middle Georgia State University

    Macon, GAPublicOnline available

    61score
    • 44Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching (Teacher Education) with Initial Teacher Certification
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Middle Georgia State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Education that carries candidates into their first Georgia teaching certificate. The three-semester, cohort-based structure moves a group through prescribed sequential coursework together, and while five of seven courses run fully online, two build in intensive classroom field placements of twenty-four to forty hours a week in partner districts. That heavy clinical load, paired with certification areas spanning P-12, Middle Grades, and Secondary and aligned to GACE content assessments, signals a program built to move career changers and recent graduates quickly into the classroom rather than to layer credentials onto experienced teachers. Because it is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and requires passing the GACE content exam, completion leads directly to initial certification in the candidate's chosen grade band and subject. As a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Georgia.

    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 44 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty.

    School site
How we rank

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

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

What careers can you get with a master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels?

Graduates most often go on to work as secondary school teachers. Nationally, the median wage for that occupation is $72,040, with most earning between $48,780 and $107,600, and roughly 1,065,210 people employed across the United States, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prepares teachers across multiple grade levels; the secondary occupation is shown as a representative match.

Read the full guide on how to become a secondary school teacher, or see secondary school teachers pay by state →

$72,040Median annual wage
$48,780 to $107,60010th to 90th percentile
1,065,210Employed nationally

Sources: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 25-2031), and BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wages are national and not school-specific.

Secondary School Teachers Salary by State in 2026

Median annual wage for secondary school teachers, by state. Highest is Washington at $102,670, lowest is Oklahoma at $48,710.

StateMedian wage
Washington$102,670
California$101,370
New York$97,070
Massachusetts$95,260
Rhode Island$92,610
District of Columbia$82,750
New Jersey$82,200
Connecticut$80,970
Illinois$79,990
Alaska$79,650
Oregon$79,570
Ohio$78,800
Pennsylvania$78,800
Maryland$78,670
Delaware$77,960
New Hampshire$77,060
Minnesota$76,460
Utah$76,330
Vermont$76,220
New Mexico$75,900
Georgia$75,480
Hawaii$74,310
Colorado$72,900
Virginia$72,170
Michigan$66,030
Nevada$65,520
Maine$64,880
Texas$63,590
Nebraska$63,450
Wisconsin$62,870
Guam$62,860
Wyoming$62,690
South Carolina$62,580
Alabama$61,990
Indiana$61,880
Tennessee$61,860
Idaho$61,690
Kentucky$61,560
North Dakota$61,210
Iowa$61,200
Montana$60,990
Florida$60,410
Kansas$59,920
Louisiana$59,850
Arkansas$59,660
Virgin Islands$59,520
Missouri$59,240
Puerto Rico$59,100
Arizona$58,360
North Carolina$57,650
West Virginia$56,610
South Dakota$51,050
Mississippi$50,980
Oklahoma$48,710

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

How much a master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels program costs in 2026

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

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

The payoff shows up in pay: secondary school teachers earn a median of $72,040 nationally, with the top of the field near $107,600 and the bottom around $48,780.

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

Ways to earn your master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

Online delivery is central at this level: 37 of the 120 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option, which fits teachers and other professionals who study while working full time. Programs are often organized as cohorts on evening, weekend, or asynchronous schedules, with any required field hours arranged near you. A typical master's runs about two years part-time, or twelve to eighteen months full-time.

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

Sources: program and delivery data from IPEDS.

How to become a teacher with a multiple-levels master's degree

The path depends on whether you need a first license through an MAT or advancement and added range through an M.Ed.

  1. 1

    Earn a bachelor's degree

    A bachelor's in any field is the starting point, and coursework in the subjects you plan to teach strengthens your preparation. Career-changers without a teaching license are the typical MAT candidates.

  2. 2

    Choose the MAT or M.Ed. path

    Choose a Master of Arts in Teaching if you need your first teaching license. Choose a Master of Education if you are already licensed and want advancement, a pay raise, or to broaden the levels you can teach.

  3. 3

    Complete graduate coursework

    Study covers pedagogy, child and adolescent development, assessment, and methods across the grade bands the program spans. Most programs sit in the common 30 to 36 credit range.

  4. 4

    Finish supervised student teaching if seeking a first license

    MAT candidates complete a supervised student-teaching placement under a mentor teacher, sometimes across more than one grade level. Already-licensed M.Ed. students generally do not repeat this step.

  5. 5

    Earn your license or endorsement

    MAT graduates apply for their state's initial teaching license after passing required exams. M.Ed. graduates advance in their roles and may add endorsements covering additional levels.

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

Frequently asked questions about a Master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

Who is a master's in teacher education for multiple levels for?

A master's in teacher education, multiple levels is for people who want the flexibility to teach across more than one grade band, whether they are entering teaching for the first time or already licensed and looking to expand their range. The right program depends on which of those describes you.

What is the difference between an MAT and an M.Ed. for a master's in teacher education for multiple levels?

The difference between an MAT and an M.Ed. here is about licensure stage. A Master of Arts in Teaching is an initial-licensure route that includes supervised student teaching and leads to your first teaching license, which suits career-changers. A Master of Education is usually for already-licensed teachers seeking advancement or added endorsements, and it does not by itself grant a first license.

What does teaching multiple levels mean with a master's in teacher education for multiple levels?

Teaching multiple levels means preparation that spans more than one grade band, for example programs bridging elementary and secondary teaching or covering several licensure areas at once. This can make you more versatile and employable across different school settings.

How long does a master's in teacher education for multiple levels take, and can I study online?

Full-time students often finish the degree in about two years, and part-time study is common for working teachers. Many M.Ed. programs are online or hybrid, though MAT student teaching must be completed in person in a school.

What do teachers earn with a master's in teacher education for multiple levels in 2026?

Teachers with a master's in teacher education, multiple levels are paid on their district's salary schedule, which places holders of a master's degree at a higher step. The BLS median wage for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education is $72,040.

What accreditation should I look for in a master's in teacher education for multiple levels?

The accreditation to look for is a program approved by your state for teacher licensure and aligned with CAEP standards. Confirming state approval before you enroll ensures your degree will count toward the license or endorsements you want across the levels you plan to teach.

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

Data sources for our Master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels ranking