For those who are interested in teaching young children, it is vitally important to earn your bachelor’s degree. For those who want to continue to move up in their early childhood education career, or make their way into administration, it may be equally important to earn a master’s degree or higher. Either way, the most important thing is making sure that the education you are earning will get you where you want to go and give you the credentials and knowledge to achieve all your goals.

To that end, this list will provide you with the top institutions offering early childhood education credentials in the US. Some offer bachelor’s degrees, some offer master’s degrees, and some offer both. No matter what you’re looking to gain out of the next step in your education, one of these schools will have everything you need. Now it’s up to you to decide which school is right for you. Is one of these institutions right around the corner from you or are you more interested in earning your master’s degree online while you continue to work in your current position? Does one school offer your next degree at a lower cost than the others or offer endorsements you can’t get anywhere else? Check out the list and find your next alma mater.

Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

SIU at Carbondale joins the rarefied air of the top early childhood education degrees. Not only does SIU-Carbondale offer its students the very best in terms of instruction, but it does so at a great value. In-state students will find that their costs are well-contained as they pursue one of two ECE tracks: Preschool/Primary or Child and Family Services.

San Diego State University

It's always beautiful in San Diego and SD State delivers a stellar early childhood education degree to those who have a passion for molding future generations. Students who have a particular drive to teach younger SPED students will find a home at San Diego State. The program here is equipped to prepare graduates to become certified California educators. Furthermore, the university offers advanced degrees at both the master's and doctoral levels.

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

This is the second Illinois University to make the top ten. U of I's Urbana-Champaign campus prepares students for brilliant careers as certified early childhood education professionals. ECE students can also receive approval for SPED licenses and their education department offers degrees in elementary, middle grades, and secondary education, for which there is a minor. For education students who complete their undergraduate ECE degree, there is also the possibility of a Master of Education degree if they want to continue learning.

Colorado State University – Fort Collins

Early childhood education students in the rugged state of Colorado are in luck. CSU's highly ranked program is part of their Department of Human Development and Family Studies and will lead to state licensure. Students need to apply to this program in the spring of their second year of college and admitted students may start the program the following fall. After graduation, students enter public school classrooms, Head Start programs, and some open their own childcare centers.

University of California

UCLA's Education department is one of the finest in the state of California, and one of two premier programs in its public university system. Many students opt for their two-year state credentialing program in elementary education that simultaneously results in a master's degree. UCLA's extension program offers a basic core program that results in a certificate in ECE. The ECE program prepares students to work with children ages birth through 5 years.

University of Georgia

UGA's school of Education is one of the best in the state and thus it has registered in our top ten ECE programs. The Double Dawgs program is a joint BSEd/MEd path which allows early childhood education students a way to complete a full professional training in the least amount of time. The program integrates practical, professional experience alongside a top-tier academic training that prepares students to provide the very best for young children.

George Mason University

GMU is one of the nation's oldest and best universities. Naturally, they also excel in the field of Early Childhood Education. Their BSEd focuses on diverse learners and students can work towards licensure in early childhood special education, early/primary education pre K-3, or both. Students can also opt to take a non-licensure route and still become experts in teaching diverse early childhood learners.

Capella University

Minneapolis' Capella University offers two top-notch master's degrees in early childhood education. Capella's Early Childhood Education MS degree consists of six core courses, four courses in a student's specialty area, and a practicum which can lead to licensure. All the coursework is conducted online, so students needn't worry about Minnesota winters. Capella also offers an online MS in Early Childhood Education Studies which requires a total of 46 quarter hours.

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Students who earn Umass-Boston's degree in early education and care in inclusive settings quickly rise to the top of their field. Not only is the educational quality of the degree first-rate, but students can earn their credentials at a far lower cost than at other Boston-area colleges. Graduates work in a wide range of settings including after-school programs, Head Start, pre-K public programs, and private preschools.

Johns Hopkins University

Students who work through one of Johns Hopkins' education programs are able to impact the lives of many students, as well as their fellow professionals. They offer degrees at the master's level, and they also offer graduate certificates which can be applied to a full MS at a later date. Students can choose from gifted education, special education, urban education, or education of students with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders.

Boston University

BU offers four programs in early childhood education including a BS in ECE, master’s in ECE, and an education doctorate in curriculum and teaching. Undergraduate students may choose to pursue licensure or not, and faculty will help guide this decision based on work presented in EC 453. Whether or not students choose to pursue state licensure, every graduate from BU's ECE programs is prepared to serve students for a lifetime.

University of Vermont

Vermonters who are interested in working on a large, research-oriented university campus are in luck. The University of Vermont offers top ECE preparation at state school prices, provided that students qualify for in-state tuition. Students who love the idea of teaching very young children can choose between a BSEd in either early childhood education or early childhood special education. Both programs prepare students for state licensure and students can opt for a dual certificate in both, or supplement their learning with a minor in their non-licensed area. Students might also minor in cultural and linguistic diversity, human development and family studies, or coaching.

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Minnesotans who have a passion for teaching children, ages birth through five, are fortunate to have this program in the Twin Cities. The Bachelor of Science degree will prepare students to thrive in the field of ECE. The Education Department also offers students the opportunity to pursue licensure in elementary education, in case students wish to pursue a career as a credentialed state educator.

University of Texas – Austin

UT students who have completed a bachelor's degree can pursue one of the state's top degrees in early childhood education. The university offers MEd, MA, and PhD credentials in ECE. With these degree options, students are prepared to support developing children with the very best knowledge and practices available. Parents and whole communities will be fortunate to have an educator from UT-Austin on their side.

University of Virginia – Main Campus (Charlottesville)

University of Virginia has a rich history of educating undergraduate students that extends back to the founding of this nation. Now students can attend UVA's main campus in Charlottesville to pursue one of the very best ECE programs. Students can choose between a BS in Education with a focus on early childhood education or practicing, licensed educators can return for online courses leading to an endorsement in early childhood.

University of Delaware

Students at the University of Delaware who have a passion for teaching our youngest children can choose between a degree in early childhood education or early childhood special education. Either major can lead to state licensure that will qualify holders to teach public school students through second grade. In fact, students can opt to pursue dual certification which will lead to more employment opportunities and may open the door for leadership opportunities down the road.

Indiana University-Bloomington

For those passionate for early childhood education, IU-Bloomington's School of Education has degree programs at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. The BSEd Degree is focused on development so that children can be reached at their specific level. The program's practicum offers students the opportunity to teach students ranging from infants and toddlers through third graders. The program works with state licensing guidelines for pre-K, kindergarten/primary grades, as well as a credential to teach reading in public schools.

Vanderbilt University

Tennessee is fortunate to have such a fine private university in its borders. Vanderbilt's School of Education has been producing some of the nation's very best educators since 1785. In fact, every graduate from Peabody College must qualify for licensure in order to graduate. Students can choose between a track for pre-k through third grade or an elementary education track that covers students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Students should be prepared to put in field work hours, which will pay off for a lifetime.

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

The University of Washington is one of the very best research institutions in the Pacific Northwest and the world. The College of Education offers students degrees in early childhood and family studies, early care and education (online), education communities & organizations, and education learning & society. Their graduate programs include special education, leadership & policy, school psychology, and measurement & statistics, among other programs.

Georgia State University

GSU is conveniently located in the very heart of Atlanta, enabling students to attain one of the very best ECE degrees. GSU's College of Education and Human Development has a program that leads to certification in early childhood special education. Students can also choose between degrees in elementary education, birth through five, human learning and development, and a minor in urban education. GSU also offers master's degrees in elementary education, and two doctoral programs for the most ambitious.

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Students who attend Ohio State's main campus in Columbus have access to one of the best ECE educations in the state, if not the nation. The BSEd degree in Early Childhood Education prepares students for state licensure for classrooms ranging from pre-k through fifth grade. Graduates also forge careers designing curriculum for museums and agencies that cater to youngsters. As students pursue their ECE degree at Ohio State, they will put in many field work hours including one semester in a preschool, a full year in an elementary school, and two more in community or school environments.

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Penn State University offers a BS degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education that will lead students to licensure from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Along the way to licensure, the program ensures that students are prepared to pass the PRAXIS examination, have completed a fieldwork experience (aka student teaching), and are otherwise well-rounded individuals who have a true passion for education that is informed by a love for those they teach.

New York University

Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU's early childhood education degree prepares students by providing the best faculty and a tremendous range of fieldwork opportunities in the wilds of New York City. Graduates are prepared for New York State licensure in ECE and ECE-special education. Licensure enables holders to work with children from ages birth through second grade. Graduates are known to enter the classroom but also pursue work as children's book editors, television producers, and caseworkers.

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Students who have a passion for teaching will need to apply for Rutgers' five-year certification program. Upon graduation, degree holders will qualify for state licensure in elementary classrooms or preschool through grade three. The five-year program results in a dual bachelor's/master's degree that paves the way to a career in New Jersey or any other state. In fact, when a student achieves their master's degree, the program enters a recommendation with the New Jersey State Department of Education that they should receive a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing.

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Just because this is UMass' second offering on our list of top early childhood education programs doesn’t mean that it's second class. To the contrary, Umass-Amherst's ECE offerings include degrees at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. In pursuit of an undergraduate degree, students will invest nearly 20% of their credit hours in field work experiences. Upon graduation, students should qualify for a teaching credential from the Massachusetts Department of Education.

While not every institution of higher learning requires a degree in early child education to work alongside children, many do indeed require some sort of educational training, and more, you must possess a bachelor's degree if you hope to start a career as an early childhood educator. Although most states require that an accredited high school diploma be attained before working in this field, there are still a number of colleges and universities in the United States that offer early childhood programs for those who wish to pursue the career.

The first step in getting a degree is to decide on which type of early childhood education degree programs you wish to pursue. There are a number of programs that you can enroll into if you wish to earn a Bachelor's degree, and there are also programs that allow you to earn a Master's or PhD in Early Childhood Education. Although there are a number of associate degrees offered, the Bachelor is the most common one that will be obtained after completing an undergraduate program. The Bachelor's degree program has three parts: psychology, mathematics, and English composition.

There are a number of associate degree programs that can be completed in a single year, including social work, occupational therapy, and psychology, to name a few. In addition, there are Bachelor's programs that can take a couple of years to complete, such as business administration and English composition. The graduate level is typically referred to as a Master's level, which requires completion of a Doctoral degree.

Associate degree programs usually award students two years of coursework. There are a number of schools that offer these programs, including community colleges, vocational schools, four-year universities, and even technical and trade schools.

Once you have earned your Bachelor's and earned a Master's degree, you can look into earning a PhD. A doctorate degree typically takes about twelve years to complete, but in some cases, it may not take as long. Some of the areas you can consider pursuing a PhD in include early childhood development and psychology, social work, and developmental biology.

In order to complete your Doctorate degree, you can complete one to two years of study in any number of subject areas, including psychology, math, literature, human development, and biology. You can also complete some courses in any of the fields of study that you chose. A master's program in Early Childhood Education normally takes around five years to complete, though some require less.

There are also doctoral programs that require a Master's degree to earn, such as educational administration. In most instances, the Master's level requires around five years to complete. These programs typically have two to three years to complete, but there are exceptions. To apply for a Master's degree program, you can complete a master's degree at a community college or even a traditional four-year university, as well as one at a technical or trade school.

A Master's degree in Early Childhood Education typically takes about ten years to complete, though some programs take only two years. You must be prepared to earn a Bachelor's degree before you can begin a Master's program.

The majority of Master's in Early Childhood Education programs allow you to earn a degree in two years. However, some may take a little longer, as some of the programs are designed to give you additional credits and other courses that you need to complete in order to finish the program.

After completing your Master's degree, you will receive a credential of completion and can apply for jobs in many areas where you previously worked. such as teacher training, child care services, child development, or any other areas in which you were trained.

Getting an early childhood years education (ECE) level will prepare you for a gratifying career training young kids varying in age from birth to 8 or 9 years of ages, which is typically about 3rd top quality. Early young people teachers play a crucial role in their students' lives; they aim to lay the structure for a lifetime love of knowing.

This level is an exceptional suitable for pupils that prefer to show at these high quality degrees in addition to achieve state-level accreditation. A number of extremely early childhood years programs supply coursework leading to additional skilled suggestions in such locations as reading, English as a second language, as well as likewise special education as well as knowing. Completing a very early young people education degree program will absolutely accredit you to try to find positionings in both public and additionally special institutions.

So to get National Board Certification, prospects need an accredited bachelor's level or higher, at least three years of coach experience, in addition to a state training certification where asked for. As a result of the laborious evaluation they obtain, National Board-certified educators may be more affordable for early childhood years education as well as discovering placements and command better salaries than their peers.

However, some extremely early childhood years education levels may give even more degrees of expertise (also called focus, specialized, or emphasis), containing:: Prepares grads to advise English as a 2nd language to young learners.: Prepares graduates to reveal young students that have really been identified as gifted.: Prepares grads to instruct actually kids with many problems.

Child care employees may furthermore try to find an associate level in really early childhood education and also find out to make higher pay or be a great deal much more competitive in the task market, additionally though formal education could not be asked for. According to the National Facility for Education As Well As Learning Information (NCES), over 48050 charitable universities throughout the United States use an associate level in early childhood education and understanding.

Trainees finishing with a master's level in early youth education and also knowing are prepared to work as educators or administrators in early young people as well as likewise grade school setups. Lots of universities simply supply early childhood education as well as learning master's degree programs to students who are currently licensed to show in primary configurations, so making a bachelor's level as well as additional state certification is generally the very first action.

On-line really early childhood years programs in the specialist investigates part of the program consist of Household Relationships & Sex Responsibilities, Exceptional Growth in Early Childhood, as well as additionally Emergent Efficiency. While the majority of training courses are utilized online, pupils ought to end up a monitored field experience in a public or special organization. To be taken into account for admission, students have to contend with at least 50 university debt score hrs with a Grade Point Average of a minimum of 2.75 along with being formally admitted to the instructor education as well as learning program.

Needed programs include Youngster Growth, Adolescent Years; Developmental Point Of Views of Young Child with Disabilities; as well as Moms and dad along with Family Advancement. Trainees have to also finish an in-person location experience, which may be set up in the student's local area, to fulfill the six-credit Human Innovation along with Member of the family Looks into Internship need. Financial assistance, including grants as well as scholarships particular to the extremely early childhood education and finding out program, is provided to distance education and also discovering students.

How much time does it take to complete a really early childhood education degree program? Most ECE degree programs are four-year undergraduate levels that trigger mentor accreditation. Most of the time, these programs can be finished in 4 to 6 years. Students who currently hold an associate's level in an added location could have the ability to end up the degree in much less time under a transfer program.

Can I make a very early childhood years education as well as finding out level online? Early young people education and learning degrees normally involve substantial area work to qualify trainees for state-level teacher education, however in many cases some needed training programs are used in online or crossbreed layouts to provide convenience to working professionals. What are the common admission needs for a level in very early childhood education as well as understanding? At the bachelor's degree, trainees are typically confessed to early childhood years education programs after completing one to 2 years of basic coursework in the liberal arts as well as also preserving a minimal Grade Point Average.

What is extremely early childhood years of education and also learning? Early childhood years education (ECE) is the training of children, often consisting of infants to young people around the age of 8. Preschool educators, preschool educators, elementary school instructors, baby-sitters, and also child care firms are included under the ECE umbrella. School counselors along with institution psychologists at the primary school degree might also join the education as well as learning of young youngsters.

Along with obtaining a bachelor's or master's degree from a state-approved program, educator credentials is based upon passing state-level qualification exams as well as possibly fulfilling various other needs such as a history check. Nonetheless, there are likewise different paths to credentials. The board of education and also finding out for your state can offer actions on one of the most efficient ways to end up being accredited in your problems.

Purdue University - Main Campus

Purdue University offers students a unique opportunity to attain a degree in early childhood education and special needs. The program prepares graduates to lead classrooms full of students ranging in age from birth through third grade. Many graduates choose to become developmental therapists for youngsters aged birth through three years. Others might work for Head Start, private preschools, private primary schools, or as special needs coordinator, among many other fulfilling options.

Boston College

This famous university's strong standing in academia is due to many factors, but its Lynch School of Education and Human Development is a major component. After students complete their undergraduate degrees in education, they can continue on to a graduate degree in ECE. In fact, to qualify for admission to the ECE program students needn't have an education degree, but an Arts/Sciences or interdisciplinary degree is preferred. The master's degree includes 450 hours of experience.