Best universities in the US for education degrees 2024

By Joy.Hunter@tim…, 7 December, 2023

Top 10 universities in the US for education degrees 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in the US for education degrees

US education rank 2024Education rank 2024 UniversityState
11 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
22 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
35 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
48 University of Michigan-Ann ArborMichigan
510 University of California, Los AngelesCalifornia
613 Michigan State UniversityMichigan
717 University of Wisconsin-MadisonWisconsin
818 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
922 New York UniversityNew York
1024 University of Texas at AustinTexas

To become a teacher in the US, you must be licensed by the state in which you want to teach, and most teacher-training courses begin at the postgraduate level. Aspiring teachers will often complete an undergraduate degree in any subject, then enrol in an accredited teacher programme. 

However, education can also be studied at many levels beyond teacher training. Education as an academic discipline brings together fields such as sociology, politics, history and psychology to investigate a broad range of education-related problems, from social mobility to international policy. Some universities offer undergraduate education courses as majors or minors. 

Below are the best universities for education degrees in the US. 

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5. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

The education and social transformation major at UCLA analyses issues in education through social justice. An education studies minor can also be taken at an undergraduate level, aiming to give students an understanding of the research issues in education and the politics behind American education policies.

There are also five academic master’s and doctoral degrees in education on offer at UCLA covering topics such as higher education and organisational change, human development and psychology, social research and methodology, social sciences and comparative education and urban schooling. All courses are offered at both the MA and PhD level, except urban schooling, which is limited to a PhD.

Postgraduate students can take professional education degrees, either a master’s of education (MEd) or a doctor of education (EdD), which range in duration from one to two years.

4. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor offers two bachelor’s degrees in education, covering elementary or secondary education. The elementary programme awards students with a bachelor’s degree in education. The secondary programme is three terms long, beginning in a student’s junior year, allowing them to graduate with both an undergraduate degree and a secondary teacher certification.

Postgraduate courses include a master’s in higher education, which looks at institutional research, public policy, and student access and success. The educational studies programme offers courses in design and technologies for learning among a range of other topics.

The doctor of philosophy programme focuses on education and psychology, educational studies, English and education, or higher education. Past graduates have gone on to work as education consultants, policymakers and research specialists.

3. Harvard University

 Harvard University mainly offers education courses at a postgraduate level, but students can also choose classes relating to education as an undergraduate.

Students enrolled in a master’s programme choose one programme to develop a specific expertise. Programmes include education policy and analysis; education leadership, organisations and entrepreneurship; human development and education; and learning design, innovation and technology.

Harvard offers two main education doctoral degrees: the three-year practice-based doctor of education leadership programme, and the five-year doctor of philosophy in education programme, which focuses on research and its impacts.

Since 2018, Harvard undergraduate students have been able to take secondary classes in educational studies. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences offers foundational courses for students wishing to pursue this option, including education in the economy, the social responsibilities of universities, and education and culture.

What can you do with an education degree?

2. Stanford University

Stanford University offers several pathways to study education. The undergraduate minor in education provides students with an introduction to the subject through research, theory and practice. It is usually taken by those who wish to pursue a postgraduate degree in the field.

Undergraduates can also choose to take an honour’s programme to apply their chosen major to education. This option will include taking additional courses and producing a thesis relating to an educational issue.

Full-time master’s courses in education include the Stanford Teacher Education Program, as well as curriculum and teacher education, policy, organisation and leadership studies, learning, design and technology, international comparative education and education data science. Master’s courses range in length from nine to 18 months.

There are several doctoral education programmes on offer, in which all students undertake a research apprenticeship. Several programmes can be chosen, including elementary education, teacher education and sociology of education.

1. University of California, Berkeley

Similar to other US universities, the University of California, Berkeley does not offer an undergraduate education major, but students can opt for a minor in education. Full education courses are then offered from a postgraduate level through the Graduate School of Education.

The master’s degrees offered can be completed via two routes, either through 20 semester units and a master’s thesis, or through 24 semester units and a written exam.

There are two doctoral-level education degrees. The doctorate of philosophy programme is geared towards those interested in research, whereas the doctorate of education degree is better suited to those seeking an advanced professional career in education. The latter focuses on educational leadership, human development and programme evaluation and assessment, and usually includes two years of field-based coursework.

Best universities in the US for education degrees 2024

Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results

US education rank 2024Education rank 2024 UniversityState
11 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
22 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
35 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
48 University of Michigan-Ann ArborMichigan
510 University of California, Los AngelesCalifornia
613 Michigan State UniversityMichigan
717 University of Wisconsin-MadisonWisconsin
818 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
922 New York UniversityNew York
1024 University of Texas at AustinTexas
1126 University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIllinois
1227 Vanderbilt UniversityTennessee
1329 University of WashingtonWashington
1430 Johns Hopkins UniversityMaryland
1531 Ohio State University (Main campus)Ohio
1634 Boston CollegeMassachusetts
1739 Penn State (Main campus)Pennsylvania
1842 University of California, IrvineCalifornia
1946 University of California, San DiegoCalifornia
2047 University of Maryland, College ParkMaryland
21=51 Florida State UniversityFlorida
22=51 Purdue University West LafayetteIndiana
2354 Texas A&M UniversityTexas
24=55 University of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
25=57 Arizona State University (Tempe)Arizona
2660 Indiana UniversityIndiana
2763 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
28=64 University of MassachusettsMassachusetts
29=68 University of FloridaFlorida
=30=72 Brown UniversityRhode Island
=30=72 University of Colorado BoulderColorado
32=77 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campusPennsylvania
3381 University of Virginia (Main campus)Virginia
3489 University of GeorgiaGeorgia
=35101–125 University of ArizonaArizona
=35101–125 University of California, Santa BarbaraCalifornia
=35101–125 University of Illinois ChicagoIllinois
=35101–125 University of IowaIowa
=35101–125 University of MinnesotaMinnesota
=35101–125 University of RochesterRochester
=41126–150 Georgia State UniversityGeorgia
=41126–150 University of Hawai’i at MānoaHawai'i
=41126–150 University of KansasKansas
=41126–150 North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina
=41126–150 Tufts UniversityMassachusetts
=41126–150 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia
=47151–175 Boston UniversityMassachusetts
=47151–175 University of California, DavisCalifornia
=47151–175 University of Central FloridaFlorida
=47151–175 University of ConnecticutConnecticut
=51176–200 University at BuffaloNew York
=51176–200 University of California, Santa CruzCalifornia
=51176–200 University of DelawareDelaware
=51176–200 Iowa State UniversityIowa
=51176–200 Mizzou - University of MissouriMissouri
=51176–200 Syracuse UniversityNew York
=57201–250 University of California, RiversideCalifornia
=57201–250 University of DenverColorado
=57201–250 Florida International UniversityFlorida
=57201–250 George Washington UniversityWashington DC
=57201–250 University of HoustonTexas
=57201–250 University of KentuckyKentucky
=57201–250 University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraska
=57201–250 University of South FloridaFlorida
=57201–250 Temple UniversityPennsylvania
=66251–300 University of MiamiFlorida
=66251–300 University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth Carolina
=66251–300 University of Notre DameIndiana
=66251–300 University of OregonOregon
=66251–300 University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth Carolina
=66251–300 University of UtahUtah
=66251–300 Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia
=66251–300 Washington State UniversityWashington
=74301–400 University of AlabamaAlabama
=74301–400 University of ArkansasArkansas
=74301–400 Auburn UniversityAlabama
=74301–400 Baylor UniversityTexas
=74301–400 Chapman UniversityCalifornia
=74301–400 University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusColorado
=74301–400 Drexel UniversityPennsylvania
=74301–400 Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida
=74301–400 George Mason UniversityVirginia
=74301–400 Howard UniversityWashington DC
=74301–400 Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana
=74301–400 University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyMaryland
=74301–400 University of MemphisTennessee
=74301–400 University of Nevada, Las VegasNevada
=74301–400 Northern Illinois UniversityIllinois
=74301–400 Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma
=74301–400 Old Dominion UniversityVirginia
=74301–400 Portland State UniversityOregon
=74301–400 San Diego State UniversityCalifornia
=74301–400 The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennessee
=74301–400 The University of Texas at San AntonioTexas
=74301–400 Texas Tech UniversityTexas
=74301–400 William & MaryVirginia
=74301–400 University of WyomingWyoming
=98401–500 Adelphi UniversityNew York
=98401–500 Colorado State University, Fort CollinsColorado
=98401–500 Kansas State UniversityKansas
=98401–500 Lehigh UniversityPennsylvania
=98401–500 Mississippi State UniversityMississippi
=98401–500 New Mexico State University (Main campus)New Mexico
=98401–500 Oakland UniversityMichigan
=98401–500 Ohio University (Main campus)Ohio
=98401–500 Saint Louis UniversityMissouri
=98401–500 SUNY Binghamton UniversityNew York
=98401–500 University of Texas at ArlingtonTexas
=98401–500 University of ToledoOhio
=98401–500 Wayne State UniversityMichigan
=98401–500 Western Michigan UniversityMichigan
=112501–600 Bowling Green State UniversityOhio
=112501–600 Central Michigan UniversityMichigan
=112501–600 Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia
=112501–600 Marquette UniversityWisconsin
=112501–600 Montana State UniversityMontana
=112501–600 University of Rhode IslandRhode Island
=112501–600 Rowan UniversityNew Jersey
=112501–600 University of Texas at El PasoTexas
=112501–600 Texas State UniversityTexas
=112501–600 Wake Forest UniversityNorth Carolina
=122601+ College of CharlestonSouth Carolina
=122601+ Nova Southeastern UniversityFlorida
=122601+ University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyTexas

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Best universities in the US for education degrees
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Explore the best universities in the US for education degrees, using data from the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

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