25 Best Education Schools and Universities in the U.S.

Educators fill a vital role in teaching the next generation. You may know you want to work with children, teens, or those with special needs. No matter where you plan to apply your talents, you’re going to have to attend a fully approved teacher preparation program first. The best of these programs are detailed below. You might be looking for a great program that’s also inexpensive, or maybe you want to know more about the size of the school itself and the student/teacher ratio to make sure you can get the most out of your classes. Either way, we’ve provided all the information you need to decide where you’ll begin your journey as a teacher.


1 Stanford University

This private, California university has a long, rich history of producing some of the nation's top leaders in education, the sciences, and business, among many other fields. The undergraduate program offers a minor in education and an honors program for those who wish to pursue a specific topic area in teaching. After you complete your bachelor's degree, Stanford also has master's and PhD programs in education.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$53,529

    • Out-of-State:$53,529

  • Rank: #1

  • Total Enrollment:17,381

  • Graduation Rate:94%

  • Diplomas Awarded:184


2 Columbia University in the City of New York

This urban campus is offering some of the most interesting educational programs in the nation. As a student of education, the wider New York City community will support you with challenges and solutions that will inform your entire life as an educator. Columbia's Teachers College offers a broad spectrum of master's degrees to suit your career focus. You can focus on Special Education, Leadership & Administration, Policy, or work towards your Teaching Certification, among other possibilities.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$61,788

    • Out-of-State:$61,788

  • Rank: #2

  • Total Enrollment:31,077

  • Graduation Rate:96%

  • Diplomas Awarded:29


3 Harvard University

Harvard's School of Education offers master's and doctoral programs for educators who wish to pursue excellence. If you are not a student on the Cambridge, MA campus, you can take their courses online without having to apply. Though the university doesn't list an undergraduate minor, students at this esteemed institution frequently form their own degree path, so as long as you work with the education department, you can set your own goals at this institution.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$51,925

    • Out-of-State:$51,925

  • Rank: #3

  • Total Enrollment:31,566

  • Graduation Rate:98%

  • Diplomas Awarded:721


4 Johns Hopkins

This top university offers master's and doctoral degrees in education. They also offer master certificates that you can use to build on your MS degree. Johns Hopkins is well known as a research institution and their education program reflects cutting edge social science in the field. Since the campus is located in Baltimore, MD, you'll have access to a broad spectrum of opportunities and students.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$55,350

    • Out-of-State:$55,350

  • Rank: #4

  • Total Enrollment:26,152

  • Graduation Rate:93%

  • Diplomas Awarded:662


5 University of Pennsylvania

When you are ready to take your education career to the next level, U Penn has a master's program for you. Their Graduate School of Education offers a full range of master's and doctoral degrees, including both EdD and PhD programs. U Penn is consistently ranked as one of the very best universities for education in the nation.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$57,770

    • Out-of-State:$57,770

  • Rank: #5

  • Total Enrollment:25,860

  • Graduation Rate:95%

  • Diplomas Awarded:528


6 Middlebury College

This Vermont college offers undergraduate students one of the best education degrees in the nation. While the top five in the list focus on bestowing degrees at the master's or doctoral level, Middlebury prepares undergraduate students to teach as licensed educators in Vermont schools, or throughout the United States. Note that the program supports licensure training for both elementary and secondary education. In fact, the program will ensure that you are fully supported at every step of the licensure process.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$56,216

    • Out-of-State:$56,216

  • Rank: #6

  • Total Enrollment:2,611

  • Graduation Rate:91%

  • Diplomas Awarded:17


7 University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)

As an undergraduate student of Education at UCLA, you can focus on education studies as a minor, or a major in education and social transformation. From there, UCLA offers a full range of master's programs that span the range between policy, practice, and theory. For your MA, you can decide whether to pursue your teaching credentials or another specialty area, such as Principal Leadership. UCLA also offers PhD and EdD programs to send your career to the stratosphere.

  • Tuition:

    • In-State:$13,240

    • Out-of-State:$42,994

  • Rank: #7

  • Total Enrollment:44,537

  • Graduation Rate:91%

  • Diplomas Awarded:210


Check out the full education school rankings on UniversityHQ


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