Educational Administration graduates earn $47,433 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,940 and $59,678. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
Educational Administration is a focused area of study within Education. Graduates typically earn around $47,433 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. The program is available at 929 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 43,921 students complete this program each year, most earning a master's. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$37,480
Median Earnings · 4yr
$47,433
Colleges Offering
929
Graduates / Year
43,921
Avg Net Price / yr
$17,761
How Much Do Educational Administration Graduates Earn?
Educational Administration graduates earn $47,433 four years out, below average for bachelor's degree holders. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,940 and $59,678.
$37,480
1 Year After Graduation
Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.
$47,433
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$46,541
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
There is a moderate earnings spread across Educational Administration graduates. Degree level and sector drive the gap. Graduate-level government and research roles anchor the top; entry-level social services and nonprofit roles anchor the bottom.
$35,94025th pct.
$47,433Median
$59,67875th pct.
Understanding the Cost vs. Return
At median 4-year earnings of $47,433 and an estimated $71,044 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 4.1 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.
Based on outcomes from 58 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 43,921 students who complete Educational Administration programs each year, the majority (58%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
58%
Master's58%
Doctorate18%
Post-Master's Cert.15%
What Can You Do With an Educational Administration Degree?
Educational Administration connects to 4 occupations in the job market. Training and Development Managers leads at $133,000/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.
Analyze training needs to develop new training programs or modify and improve existing programs.
Evaluate instructor performance and the effectiveness of training programs, providing recommendations for improvement.
Plan, develop, and provide training and staff development programs, using knowledge of the effectiveness of methods such as classroom training, demonstrations, on-the-job training, meetings, conferences, and workshops.
SpeakingActive ListeningLearning StrategiesJudgment and Decision MakingReading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.
Counsel and provide guidance to students regarding personal, academic, vocational, or behavioral issues.
Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities, policies, and student behavior or learning problems.
Determine the scope of educational program offerings, and prepare drafts of course schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
Plan, direct, or coordinate student instruction, administration, and services, as well as other research and educational activities, at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.
Design or use assessments to monitor student learning outcomes.
Recruit, hire, train, and terminate departmental personnel.
Direct, coordinate, and evaluate the activities of personnel, including support staff engaged in administering academic institutions, departments, or alumni organizations.
Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.
Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities and policies and students' behavioral or learning problems.
Monitor students' progress and provide students and teachers with assistance in resolving any problems.
Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff and recommend personnel actions for programs and services.
Top Colleges for Educational Administration
The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Educational Administration students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Educational Administration graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Education Programs
Educational Administration is one of 15 specializations within Education. The comparison below shows where this program ranks by 4-year median earnings.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Educational Administration program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Educational Administration carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 3 strengths and 3 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.
PROS
Positive job outlookRelated careers project up to +5.8% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 45,200 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availabilityOffered at 929 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $47,433 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Declining roles in some areas2 related careers show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
How much do Educational Administration graduates earn?
Educational Administration graduates earn a national median of $47,433 four years after completing their program. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,940 and $59,678. Where you land typically depends on employer, role, and location.
What is the starting salary for a Educational Administration degree?
One year after graduation, Educational Administration degree holders earn a median of $37,480. That climbs to $47,433 four years out. The biggest salary jumps typically come once you move past entry-level roles.
What jobs can you get with a Educational Administration degree?
Educational Administration degree holders pursue careers including Training and Development Managers, which pays a median of $133,000/yr. Scroll down to the Career Paths section to see wages and job growth projections for every related occupation.
How long does a Educational Administration program take?
While a bachelor's in this area takes four years, many Educational Administration students continue to a master's degree, adding one to two years. Some schools offer accelerated 5-year combined programs.
How many colleges offer Educational Administration?
929 colleges and universities in the United States offer Educational Administration programs. Options range from community colleges with certificates and associate degrees to research universities with doctoral tracks.
Is a Educational Administration degree worth it?
With a median 4-year salary of $47,433 and an average net price of roughly $17,761/yr, a Educational Administration degree can pay off well, especially at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific programs before deciding.
What is the difference between Educational Administration and Education?
Educational Administration is a focused concentration within the broader Education field. The Education major covers the full discipline; this program narrows the curriculum to Educational Administration-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. If you already know this is the direction you want, the specialized program gives you a more targeted credential.
What skills do employers look for in Educational Administration graduates?
Employers hiring Educational Administration graduates consistently prioritize research methodology, interpersonal communication, and policy understanding. Experience with surveys, qualitative interviews, or statistical tools is often a differentiator in government, nonprofit, and research roles.
What is the job outlook for Educational Administration graduates?
The job outlook for Educational Administration graduates is slow overall. Related occupations project an average of +0.9% job growth over the next 10 years. Training and Development Managers is among the strongest-growth roles at +5.8%. Growth varies by role and location, so check the Career Paths section for projections on each specific occupation.
Related Education Programs
Other programs in Education. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Choose a Major Pillar
A decision framework for picking a college major using your interests, aptitudes, and federal earnings data to reach a defensible choice before applying.
The real cost of a second major, when it pays back and when it doesn't, and why a focused single major with a relevant minor often beats a double major.
Why the 10-year job-growth outlook often matters more than today's salary, what the BLS projections measure, and how to use them to weigh the future of a field, not just its present.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
All 38 Majors, Ranked by What Graduates Earn
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
Major earnings
Highest paying majors
Job growth
STEM
Field of study
Does Engineering Tech Out-Earn Engineering? The Data Says No
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Engineering tech
Engineering
Program earnings
Applied degree
Technician careers
STEM Is Not One Thing: The Pay Gap Within STEM
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
STEM earnings
Engineering pay
Computer science
Program earnings
Major choice
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
