Educational Assessment
Featured schools near , edit
Types of Degrees Educational Assessment Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many educational assessment graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 517 |
Graduate Certificate | 233 |
Doctor’s Degree | 218 |
What Educational Assessment Majors Need to Know
People with careers related to assessment were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.
Knowledge Areas for Assessment Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in assessment should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Skills for Assessment Majors
A major in assessment prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Abilities for Assessment Majors
A major in assessment will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
What Can You Do With a Educational Assessment Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with assessment:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Education Professors | 10.3% | $64,780 |
Education, Training, and Library Workers | 10.8% | $42,080 |
Social Sciences Professors | 9.8% | $71,600 |
Transportation Planners | 6.7% | $81,340 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Educational Assessment?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of assessment majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 26 |
Black or African American | 32 |
Hispanic or Latino | 57 |
White | 270 |
International Students | 102 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 30 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Assessment. About 19.7% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- China
- South Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- Taiwan
- India
How Much Do Educational Assessment Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a master’s degree in educational assessment made a median starting salary of $57,250 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $55,225 (25th percentile) and $59,275 (75th percentile).

It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to assessment.
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $46,680 to $85,750 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to assessment. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Educational Assessment
Some careers associated with assessment require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for assessment careers below.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 38.6% |
Master’s Degree | 17.4% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 0.0% |
Doctoral Degree | 43.9% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 0.0% |
Online Educational Assessment Programs
In 2018-2019, 136 schools offered a assessment program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 1 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 65 | 14 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 1 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 73 | 25 |
Post-Master’s | 20 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 57 | 6 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Educational Assessment Worth It?
The median salary for a assessment grad is $73,680 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 85% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $675,600 after 20 years!

Explore Major by State
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Florida
Idaho
Iowa
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
West Virginia
Majors Related to Educational Assessment
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to assessment.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Educational Administration | 43,584 |
Teacher Education Grade Specific | 29,615 |
General Education | 23,737 |
Special Education | 20,510 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific | 20,147 |
Curriculum & Instruction | 18,738 |
Student Counseling | 13,672 |
Instructional Media Design | 6,790 |
Teaching English or French | 4,389 |
Other Education | 3,071 |
Multilingual Education | 1,452 |
Education Philosophy | 479 |
International Education | 354 |
Teaching Assistants | 6 |
References
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By US Navy Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Paul J. Phelps under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |