Best Master's in Teacher Education, Multiple Levels Programs by Local Teacher Pay

1. 1

   Santa Clara University

   Santa Clara, CAPrivate nonprofit

   • 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

   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 38 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. 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
2. 2

   University of the People

   Pasadena, CAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

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

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

   School site
3. 3

   Merrimack College

   North Andover, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 11Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education in Middle School (5-8) and High School (8-12) Education
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Merrimack College offers a Master of Education in Middle School and High School Education, a 36-credit hybrid program approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an Educator Preparation Program. Candidates specialize in a content area such as Biology, Chemistry, English, General Science, History and Social Science, Math, Math/Science, or Physics, aligning their preparation to the subject they intend to teach. The degree meets DESE Initial licensure requirements, folds in a mandatory Sheltered English Instruction endorsement, and provides built-in MTEL preparation for the required Communication and Literacy and subject-area exams. A 450-hour full-time practicum of roughly fifteen weeks, preceded by three pre-practicum observations, anchors the clinical training, and the program can be finished full-time in thirteen months. A tuition-free fellowship cohort option signals a program aimed squarely at launching new secondary teachers. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

   Why it ranks here

   For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 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
4. 4

   Bridgewater State University

   Bridgewater, MAPublic

   • 1Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education in Elementary Education
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Bridgewater State University offers a Master of Education in Elementary Education, a hybrid program that satisfies Massachusetts requirements for initial or professional licensure in grades 1-6. Its multiple entry points, Initial Licensure, Professional Licensure, and Non-Licensure tracks, let both aspiring teachers and practicing educators find a fit, while optional concentrations in Applications of Technology in the Elementary Classroom or STEM Education let students sharpen a specialty. The postbaccalaureate initial-licensure option adds a Sheltered English Immersion endorsement, broadening graduates' readiness for diverse classrooms. Class sizes are capped at 25, and a grades 1-6 student-teaching practicum pairs candidates with experienced classroom mentors. The small cohorts and hands-on practicum give the program a practice-focused, mentorship-driven character aimed at strong elementary preparation. 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 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

   School site
5. 5

   New York University

   New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 2Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • MA, Childhood Education and Childhood Special Education, Grades 1-6, Initial Certification
   • On-campus
   About the program

   New York University's Steinhardt school offers an M.A. in Childhood Education and Childhood Special Education that deliberately integrates general and special education into one course of study rather than splitting them into separate tracks. That integrated design prepares candidates to teach grades 1-6 in inclusive settings, and it shows in the fieldwork: the 46-credit, fall-start program requires two semesters of student teaching, one in general and one in special education, plus a semester of classroom observation. The structure characterizes a program that expects immersive, sustained time in real classrooms across both roles. Graduates earn New York State initial certification in both childhood education and special education for grades 1-6. Study-abroad options in China, the Dominican Republic, and the United Kingdom add a comparative, global dimension to the preparation. 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 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
6. 6

   Hofstra University

   Hempstead, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 23Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Dual Certificate Program in Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2) and Childhood Education (Grades 1-6)
   • Registered with the New York State Education Department-accredited
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Hofstra University offers an M.S.Ed. dual certificate program in Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2) and Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), a design that lets candidates walk away qualified to teach across the full early-to-elementary span. Full-time student teaching anchors the experience, and an admissions interview with the program director suggests a selective, closely advised cohort rather than an open-enrollment track. The program leads to New York State initial certification in early childhood and elementary education, and it is complemented by related offerings such as a standalone Early Childhood M.S.Ed., a STEM specialty for already-certified elementary teachers, and Middle Childhood extensions. Registered with the New York State Education Department, it keeps its coursework aligned to state certification requirements. Graduates can join the Hofstra Network of Elementary Teachers, extending the program into a professional community after graduation. 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 23 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

   School site
7. 7

   Molloy University

   Rockville Centre, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 10Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Childhood/Early Childhood Education
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Molloy University offers a Master of Science in Childhood/Early Childhood Education with a flexible set of certification combinations, from a single Grades 1-6 credential to dual tracks pairing childhood education with early childhood, with teaching students with disabilities, or with TESOL. The variety of dual-certification options reads as a deliberate effort to help candidates broaden their marketability across New York classrooms. Field placements near New York City and small class sizes keep the preparation practice-focused and closely supervised, and the program is available in hybrid, evening face-to-face, and online formats to fit different schedules. Accredited by AAQEP, it leads to New York State initial certification valid for five years, and its 2023-24 cohort posted a ninety percent pass rate on the state certification examinations. Mother Cabrini Grant scholarship support further signals a program mindful of access for aspiring teachers. 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 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 10 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

   William Paterson University of New Jersey

   Wayne, NJPublic

   • 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

   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 40 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

   Eastern Connecticut State University

   Willimantic, CTPublic

   • 4Master's/yr
   • $83,840Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Education (seeking certification)
   • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)-accredited
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Eastern Connecticut State University offers a Master of Science in Education for candidates seeking their initial Connecticut teaching certificate, combining graduate study with sustained time in K-12 classrooms. Candidates choose among early childhood (grades N-3), elementary (PreK-6), and secondary (grades 4-12) tracks, with secondary specializations in biology, earth science, English, math, and history and social studies. Classroom experience each semester builds toward a full student teaching placement, reflecting a program that treats fieldwork as central rather than supplementary. The 30-credit degree can be supported by graduate assistantships and teacher residencies, easing the path for those entering the profession. Offered by an institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, it is aimed squarely at aspiring teachers pursuing state certification. 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 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT, where elementary teachers earn a median $83,840, roughly $83,469 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

    University of St Thomas

    Saint Paul, MNPrivate nonprofit

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $79,730Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching with Initial Teaching License
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    The University of St. Thomas offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with Initial Teaching License, a hybrid program that combines an initial Minnesota teaching license with a master's degree in a single track. Candidates select from eight licensure areas, including Elementary Education (K-6), Communication Arts and Literature (5-12), Mathematics Education (5-12), Social Studies Education (5-12), the sciences of Chemistry, Life Science, and Physics at 9-12, and World Languages and Cultures in Spanish (K-12), with a fully online pathway available for Elementary Education. A practical classroom field-experience component grounds the coursework in real teaching, and study-abroad opportunities such as a Taiwan STEM collaboration extend the experience beyond Minnesota. Fall or summer start terms give candidates flexibility in when they begin. By pairing licensure with the graduate degree and hands-on field work, the program serves those entering teaching who want both credentials at once. 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 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 2 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
11. 11

    Eastern Oregon University

    La Grande, ORPublicOnline available

    • 17Master's/yr
    • $77,130State teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Eastern Oregon University offers a fully online Master of Science in Education built for practicing educators who want to add depth and endorsements rather than an initial license. Its 36-credit format can be finished in as little as twelve months and accepts up to twelve transfer credits, a structure that fits teachers fitting graduate work around a full-time job. Concentrations span Career and Technical Education, Dyslexia, ESOL, Environmental Education, Literacy, Special Education, and Trauma in Educational Communities, several of which require applicants to already hold an Oregon teaching license. That prerequisite makes clear the program is a post-licensure step, with EOU recommending candidates for Oregon endorsements rather than granting first-time certification. The Literacy concentration folds in a ninety-hour classroom practicum, keeping the specialized study anchored in real teaching. 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

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Oregon statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $77,130, roughly $74,622 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

    Kennesaw State University

    Kennesaw, GAPublicOnline available

    • 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

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 43 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into 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
13. 13

    University of West Georgia

    Carrollton, GAPublicOnline available

    • 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

    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 150 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. 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
14. 14

    Canisius University

    Buffalo, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $76,490Metro teacher pay
    • Childhood Education/Special Education (All Grades), part of the TEACH-Masters dual-certification programs
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Canisius University offers a Childhood Education/Special Education (All Grades) M.S.Ed. as one of its TEACH-Masters programs, a family of one-year accelerated degrees that fold New York State teaching certification into the graduate credential itself. The dual-certification design signals a program built for people who want to enter the classroom prepared for both general and special education students, rather than adding a second endorsement later. It sits alongside sibling pathways in Adolescence Education, Adolescence Education/Students with Disabilities, Childhood/TESOL, and Physical Education, so candidates can match the track to the grade level and content area they intend to teach. Certification is pursued through the NYS TEACH portal, and an alternative-route Teacher Residency option opens the door for those already working in schools. The accelerated, dual-certificate structure makes it a direct route from bachelor's degree to a credentialed teaching career. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work as 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 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,490, roughly $79,807 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

    Western New Mexico University

    Silver City, NMPublic

    • 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

    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 38 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. 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
16. 16

    Georgia Southern University

    Statesboro, GAPublicOnline available

    • 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, a steady if smaller cohort. 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
17. 17

    Western Michigan University

    Kalamazoo, MIPublic

    • 1Master's/yr
    • $63,450Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Western Michigan University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education, a CAEP-accredited, cohort-based program that prepares graduates to earn elementary certification in Michigan at the graduate level. The heart of the experience is a year-long clinical placement in which candidates co-teach alongside a trained mentor, a design that treats the full school year, not a single term, as the setting for learning to teach. Coursework is delivered online and can be completed in about eighteen months, giving the hybrid program flexibility around the sustained classroom commitment. After graduation, candidates receive up to three years of comprehensive induction support, extending mentorship well into their first teaching years. The combination of a full-year co-teaching residency and long induction support marks a program committed to developing well-supported new elementary teachers. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Michigan.

    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 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, where elementary teachers earn a median $63,450, roughly $66,902 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

    School site
18. 18

    University of Alabama in Huntsville

    Huntsville, ALPublic

    • 11Master's/yr
    • $62,250Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Alabama in Huntsville offers a Master of Arts in Teaching through an alternative fifth-year program designed for candidates who hold a bachelor's degree but not a Class B teaching certificate, giving them a graduate route into the profession. The degree leads to Alabama Class A professional educator certification and spans a wide band of teaching fields, with secondary options in biology, chemistry, English language arts, history, mathematics, and physics alongside elementary, ESOL, music, and physical education tracks reaching from K to 12. Its clinical demands are substantial, requiring at least 43 graduate credit hours, more than 210 hours of field experience, the Praxis II content exam, and an edTPA portfolio completed during the internship. That combination frames the program as a rigorous, practice-heavy path built for career changers and new candidates seeking full certification. Coursework is delivered on campus, keeping the clinical preparation close to faculty and partner schools. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Alabama'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 Huntsville, AL, where elementary teachers earn a median $62,250, roughly $66,884 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

    Trinity University

    San Antonio, TXPrivate nonprofit

    • 4Master's/yr
    • $61,720Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Trinity University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that concentrates an entire teacher-preparation experience into one intensive year. The 32-hour, three-semester program starts in July and organizes candidates into separate elementary and secondary cohorts, with placements and subject areas assigned through Trinity's Professional Development Schools. At its center is an eight-month internship in one of those partner schools, immersing candidates in real classrooms while they complete edTPA portfolio and certification-exam preparation. Graduates leave with a recommendation for Texas teaching certification, backed by the program's Texas Education Agency and NCATE accreditation. Eligible students can earn up to $10,000 through the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers, easing the cost of a demanding full-time year built for people ready to commit wholly to becoming teachers. Earning a master's degree in teacher education, multiple levels is a common route toward becoming one of Texas'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 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,720, roughly $65,163 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 Louisville

    Louisville, KYPublic

    • 19Master's/yr
    • $61,610Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Louisville offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education that prepares content specialists for Kentucky certification in grades 8-12, covering Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, English, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Studies, plus P-12 World Language certification in Spanish and French. The program is field-intensive, requiring nine credit hours of student teaching, 200 hours of field experience, and a series of checkpoint assessments that gate progress toward certification. Candidates must clear PRAXIS content and PLT exams, anchoring the degree firmly to state licensure standards. An Early Start option lets high-performing undergraduates dual-earn a bachelor's and the MAT in five years, with nine credit hours double-counted to accelerate the path. This structure reads as a program for subject-strong students committed to secondary classrooms who value substantial supervised practice before they lead their own. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Kentucky.

    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 19 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,610, roughly $66,195 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

    Mercer University

    Macon, GAPrivate nonprofit

    • 17Master's/yr
    • $61,510Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-accredited
    • Online
    About the program

    Mercer University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching through its Tift College of Education, an online pathway for candidates who hold a bachelor's degree in a field other than education and now want to enter the classroom. The program organizes into Elementary Education plus pedagogy-only tracks in Middle Grades, P-12, and Secondary Education, so professionals with existing content expertise can add the teaching craft their new career requires. Online coursework is paired with in-person field experiences, keeping the preparation practical even as the academic work stays flexible. Candidates work toward initial Georgia teacher certification and must pass the state's GACE assessments along the way. Backed by a college described as the largest private preparer of educators in Georgia, the degree offers career-changers a well-established route into licensed teaching. This master's-level teacher education, multiple levels program prepares graduates for work 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 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Macon-Bibb County, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,510, roughly $69,481 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

    Asbury University

    Wilmore, KYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 2Master's/yr
    • $61,460Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Online
    About the program

    Asbury University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that leads to Kentucky initial teaching certification across a wide span of settings, from Elementary and Middle School to Secondary subjects like Biological Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies, plus English as a Second Language and Learning and Behavior Disorders. Delivered 100% online in eight-week blocks, the program can be finished in as few as 18 months, a pace suited to career-changers eager to reach the classroom quickly. Its Option 6 alternative certification is a defining feature, letting candidates teach on a Temporary Provisional certificate while completing the degree, so employment and study advance together. Undergraduates can accelerate further through a +Grad pathway that banks up to nine graduate credits, trimming roughly a year off the timeline. Together these routes read as a program built for both traditional students and working adults moving into teaching. 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 Kentucky.

    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 Lexington-Fayette, KY, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,460, roughly $66,165 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

    Troy University

    Troy, ALPublic

    • 18Master's/yr
    • $61,380State teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Education, Secondary Education (Grades 6-12)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Troy University offers a Master of Science in Education in Secondary Education for grades 6 to 12, structured around two tracks distinguished by whether a candidate already holds teaching certification. The 36-hour Traditional track advances educators who are already certified, while the 45-hour Alternative-A track carries candidates toward initial Alabama certification and adds clinical field experience to prepare them for the classroom. Concentrations include biology, history, English language arts, general science, mathematics, and social science, keeping the degree focused on core secondary subjects. Completion carries defined expectations, with Praxis II and edTPA requirements, a minimum 3.25 grade point average, and at least nine semester hours at the 6000 level. Delivered on campus across Troy's Alabama locations and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the program serves both new and practicing secondary teachers depending on the track they enter. A master's-level path in teacher education, multiple levels, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Alabama.

    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 18 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Alabama statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,380, roughly $69,104 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

    Western Kentucky University

    Bowling Green, KYPublic

    • 45Master's/yr
    • $61,260Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Education (MAE) in Advanced Teacher Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Western Kentucky University offers a Master of Arts in Education in Advanced Teacher Education for teachers who already hold a valid certificate and want to deepen their practice, pursue rank change, and earn additional credentials. The 30-hour program splits evenly between a 15-hour Professional Education core and a 15-hour concentration drawn from more than 25 specializations, among them Literacy P-12, Gifted and Talented Education, TESOL, Trauma Informed Care, and Teacher Leader. That core is co-designed with partner school districts and built to be job-embedded, so coursework connects directly to the classrooms candidates already teach in. The degree can also lead toward National Board Certification, reinforcing its focus on advanced professional growth. It is clearly a credential for experienced educators sharpening their expertise, not an entry point to first licensure. 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 Kentucky.

    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 45 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Bowling Green, KY, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,260, roughly $67,932 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 Arkansas

    Fayetteville, ARPublic

    • 33Master's/yr
    • $61,010Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Arkansas offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Education aimed at candidates preparing to teach at the secondary and multi-level grade spans. Students pursue licensure in secondary content areas such as English, mathematics, science, and social studies, or in multiple-level fields including world languages and speech and drama. The program runs on a selective cohort model, capping enrollment at twelve students per content area and sixty program-wide, and it expects Praxis II content-area scores at admission, signaling a focus on applicants who already command their subject. A faculty review after the first twelve hours determines whether candidates continue, reinforcing the deliberately small, closely mentored structure. Delivered on campus, the degree leads to Arkansas teaching licensure in the chosen area, functioning as a tight, subject-anchored route into the profession. 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 33 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,010, roughly $66,785 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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