# Education, General

> A program that focuses on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching, the basic principles of educational psychology, the art of teaching, the planning and administration of educational activities, school safety and health issues, and the social foundations of education.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/education-general
- CIP code: 13.01 (Education)
- Colleges offering it: 432 at its most common degree level
- Value ranking: https://www.collegesref.com/best-colleges/education

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 69 | $59,828 | $67,460 | $19,408 |
| Associate's | 194 | $27,669 | $42,008 | $11,000 |
| Bachelor's | 398 | $43,232 | $49,239 | $20,587 |
| Master's | 432 | $58,519 | $63,754 | $27,397 |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 23 | not reported | $60,428 | not reported |
| Doctoral | 108 | $88,217 | $95,602 | $53,378 |
| First professional | 12 | $80,110 | $83,428 | $56,375 |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 156 | $63,927 | $68,299 | $20,178 |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Seattle Pacific University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/seattle-pacific-university-2392) | Seattle, WA | $70,584 | not reported |
| [Denison University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/denison-university-792) | Granville, OH | $65,429 | not reported |
| [University of Washington-Bothell Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-bothell-campus-3074) | Bothell, WA | $65,217 | $10,372 |
| [University of Washington-Seattle](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-seattle-main-campus-3075) | Seattle, WA | $65,217 | $10,372 |
| [Chapman University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/chapman-university-510) | Orange, CA | $64,917 | $18,750 |
| [Monmouth University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/monmouth-university-1751) | West Long Branch, NJ | $63,068 | $26,531 |
| [Syracuse University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/syracuse-university-2667) | Syracuse, NY | $62,372 | not reported |
| [Colgate University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/colgate-university-601) | Hamilton, NY | $57,530 | not reported |
| [Boston University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-university-286) | Boston, MA | $56,556 | not reported |
| [Beloit College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/beloit-college-212) | Beloit, WI | $56,414 | $25,207 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Education Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/education-teachers-postsecondary): $75,350 median pay
- [Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/teaching-assistants-preschool-elementary-middle-and-secondary-school-except-special): $36,780 median pay
- [Teaching Assistants, Special Education](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/teaching-assistants-special-education): $36,780 median pay

## More in Education

- [Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/teacher-education-and-professional-development-specific-levels-and-methods): 1,160 colleges
- [Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/teacher-education-and-professional-development-specific-subject-areas): 919 colleges
- [Educational Administration and Supervision](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/educational-administration-and-supervision): 768 colleges
- [Special Education and Teaching](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/special-education-and-teaching): 630 colleges
- [Student Counseling and Personnel Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/student-counseling-and-personnel-services): 459 colleges
- [Curriculum and Instruction](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/curriculum-and-instruction): 425 colleges
- [Educational/Instructional Media Design](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/educational-instructional-media-design): 273 colleges
- [Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/teaching-english-or-french-as-a-second-or-foreign-language): 256 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/