Emporia State University (ESU) now offers a Master of Science in Educational Administration Online. For experienced educators, this degree can increase earning potential and career mobility. Specifically, it will prepare you for advancement into building-level administrative positions where you can have significant impact on teacher effectiveness and student success.
What are the benefits of earning a master’s degree in terms of actual jobs and income for educators? And how can this degree help prepare educational leaders to be successful and effective?
What Will I Learn Through Earning a Master’s in Educational Administration?
The goal of this program is to advance degree candidate competencies in all aspects of effective educational administration. This involves developing the skills, knowledge base and experience across the spectrum of possible educational positions, from the classroom teacher to the building-level administrator.
ESU’s online MS in Educational Administration program prepares students through a wide-range of study, including topics like school leadership theory, school systems management, educational law, curriculum leadership, and technology integration. Students also have opportunities to apply what they learn into practice through required field experiences under the direction of mentor administrators and university supervisors.
What Jobs Can I Pursue with an MS in Educational Administration?
The most obvious application of this sort of degree is in building-level administration as a principal or vice principal. ESU’s program is specifically designed to prepare students for Kansas licensure as building-level school administrators.
Many school districts encourage all teachers to pursue a master’s degree, and the breadth of study in the ESU program prepares experienced educators for many other roles within a school. When teachers have the advanced understanding of leadership theory and curriculum and instruction gained through ESU, they are positioned to become teacher leaders and instructional coaches or serve in department-level administrative positions such as athletic director.
Moreover, educators with a master’s in educational administration and building-level administrative experience can go on to pursue district-level positions as curriculum and instructional design coordinators or directors.
Other positions outside of the building or district setting, such as those in departments of education at the state or federal level, may also be available to educators with a master’s degree in educational administration.
What Sort of Income Potential Increase Can I Expect?
Salaries for educators and administrators vary widely from state to state and city to city. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 2018 median pay for kindergarten and elementary school teachers was $57,980 per year. 2018 median pay for high school teachers was $60,320 per year. In comparison, the following are median or average annual salaries of some higher level positions for educators with a master’s degree in educational administration:
- Elementary, Middle, and High School Principal: $95,310 (median, 2018, BLS)
- Curriculum Director: $74,203 (average, December 2019 data, PayScale)
- Education Administrators, All Other (i.e. Athletic Director): $82,850 (median, May 2018 data, BLS)
Earning an advanced degree like ESU’s MS in Educational Administration Online can provide educators with significant upward career mobility and increased income potential. And, perhaps of most importance, through the knowledge and expertise developed through this program, educators in leadership roles will improve the quality of teaching and learning in their classrooms, schools and districts.
Learn more about Emporia State University’s online Master of Science in Educational Administration program.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
Bureau of Labor Statistics: High School Teachers
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018
PayScale: Average Curriculum Director Salary
Learn.org: What Can I Do with a Master’s in Education Administration Degree?
