Education degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in education earn a median $49,448 four years after finishing, across 70 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in general education earn $48,881, $13,168 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is elementary and middle school teachers (39%).
Median across 70 colleges; middle half $45,568–$55,180.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $34,365–$61,101. 6,248 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "General Education"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$13,243/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs education graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in general education actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 39% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 7% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Preschool And Kindergarten Teachers | 4% | $43,780 | +3.7% | — | — |
| Special Education Teachers | 3% | $67,170 | -0.1% | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants | 2% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Other Teachers And Instructors | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Childcare Workers | 2% | $34,980 | -2.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | SA |
| Other Managers | 1% | — | — | — | — |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Education earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | — | $50,762 (143) |
| California | $54,356 (3) | $50,762 (532) |
| Florida | $50,946 (3) | $50,103 (338) |
| Georgia | — | $46,922 (168) |
| Illinois | — | $47,730 (287) |
| Indiana | — | $47,226 (127) |
| Massachusetts | $51,236 (6) | $54,991 (103) |
| Michigan | — | $47,226 (159) |
| Missouri | $39,760 (6) | $42,771 (152) |
| New Jersey | — | $57,435 (242) |
| New York | $55,774 (4) | $50,762 (302) |
| North Carolina | $47,488 (3) | $48,881 (200) |
| Ohio | $46,402 (5) | $45,343 (340) |
| Oregon | $49,688 (4) | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | $50,116 (214) |
| Tennessee | — | $44,688 (166) |
| Texas | — | $55,860 (892) |
| Virginia | — | $48,881 (129) |
| Washington | $65,217 (5) | $47,226 (115) |
| Wisconsin | $51,062 (4) | $52,473 (126) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where education graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 9 in Florida, 8 in Virginia, 12 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapman UniversityCA | $64,917 | $21,746 |
| 2 | Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFL | $55,116 | $20,755 |
| 3 | University of California-IrvineCA | $54,356 | $15,575 |
| 4 | Florida Atlantic UniversityFL | $50,946 | $18,474 |
| 5 | Flagler CollegeFL | $49,104 | $30,750 |
| 6 | Hope International UniversityCA | $45,971 | $24,823 |
| 7 | University of Virginia's College at WiseVA | $41,804 | — |
| 8 | Liberty UniversityVA | $41,664 | $42,160 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Education degree questions
How much do Education graduates make?
Education graduates earn a median $49,448 four years after finishing, across 70 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $45,568 to $55,180; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in general education, the median is $48,881 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Education degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in general education earn a median $48,881: $13,168 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $13,243 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Education graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in general education, the most common jobs are elementary and middle school teachers (39%), secondary school teachers (7%), preschool and kindergarten teachers (4%). Elementary And Middle School Teachers earn a U.S. median $64,170.
How much do Education graduates earn in Florida?
Across 3 Florida colleges reporting, Education graduates earn a median $50,946 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $50,103.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Education degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/education.