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Teacher Education Subject Specific Major

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Teacher Education Subject Specific

17,998 Master's Degrees Annually
495 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#11 in Popularity (Master's)
$85,450 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Teacher Education Subject Specific Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many teacher education subject specific graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 17,998
Graduate Certificate 2,123
Doctor’s Degree 495

What Teacher Education Subject Specific Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, subject specific ed majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Subject Specific Ed Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in subject specific ed should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • 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.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • 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.

Skills for Subject Specific Ed Majors

When studying subject specific ed, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

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  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • 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.
  • Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Abilities for Subject Specific Ed Majors

As you progress with your subject specific ed degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Teacher Education Subject Specific Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with subject specific ed:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Agricultural Sciences Professors 7.9% $84,640
Anthropology and Archeology Professors 9.9% $83,940
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Professors 10.4% $74,440
Art, Drama, and Music Professors 12.0% $69,960
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Professors 9.9% $90,860
Biological Science Professors 15.1% $82,550
Business Professors 18.0% $83,960
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School 7.1% $59,230
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School 6.4% $60,250
Chemistry Professors 9.9% $79,550
Coaches and Scouts 12.9% $33,780
Computer Science Professors 8.1% $82,220
Economics Professors 10.9% $101,480
Education Professors 10.3% $64,780
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 7.4% $58,230
English Language and Literature Professors 9.8% $66,590
Environmental Science Professors 10.1% $79,910
Foreign Language and Literature Professors 11.7% $67,640
Forestry & Conservation Science Professors 4.5% $86,900
Geography Professors 8.0% $80,350
Health Specialties Professors 25.9% $97,370
History Professors 10.4% $74,590
Home Economics Professors 8.6% $71,380
Librarians 9.0% $59,050
Mathematical Science Professors 9.4% $73,230
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 7.5% $58,600
Physics Postsecondary Professors 10.2% $90,800
Political Science Professors 10.4% $83,370
Psychology Professors 15.1% $76,710
Recreation and Fitness Studies Professors 9.7% $62,620
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 7.5% $60,320
Social Sciences Professors 9.8% $71,600
Sociology Professors 9.5% $74,140
Tutors 9.9% NA
Vocational Education Professors 1.4% $53,120

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Teacher Education Subject Specific?

17,998 Master's Degrees Annually
75% Percent Women
21% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is one of the most frequently chosen graduate majors. It is the 11th most popular in the country with 17,998 students graduating with a master’s in subject specific ed in 2021. The major attracts more women than men. About 75% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of subject specific ed majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 527
Black or African American 1,233
Hispanic or Latino 1,632
White 12,835
International Students 379
Other Races/Ethnicities 1,392

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Subject Specific Ed. About 2.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Korea
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom

How Much Do Teacher Education Subject Specific Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a master’s degree in subject specific ed have a median salary of $48,852 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $43,814 (25th percentile) and $52,864 (75th percentile).

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Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a subject specific ed degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Subject Specific Ed majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $64,340 to $94,080 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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.

Median Salary for a Teacher Education Subject Specific Major  ( 64340 to 94080 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with subject specific ed may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to subject specific ed have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 0.4%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 0.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 1.9%
Some College Courses 1.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 2.8%
Bachelor’s Degree 16.6%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 2.7%
Master’s Degree 23.4%
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. 1.4%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 0.2%
Doctoral Degree 41.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 7.9%

Online Teacher Education Subject Specific Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,300 schools offered some type of teacher education subject specific program. 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) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 65 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 6 0
Associate’s Degree 255 19
Bachelor’s Degree 621 97
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 2,095 297
Post-Master’s 224 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 199 6
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 6 1
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 1 0

Is a Degree in Teacher Education Subject Specific Worth It?

The median salary for a subject specific ed grad is $85,450 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 114% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $911,000 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to subject specific ed.

Major Number of Grads
Educational Administration 45,458
Teacher Education Grade Specific 34,451
Special Education 25,158
General Education 21,189
Curriculum & Instruction 19,784
Student Counseling 13,840
Instructional Media Design 8,387
Teaching English or French 4,743
Other Education 2,513
Multilingual Education 1,672
Educational Assessment 1,215
Education Philosophy 421
International Education 257
Teaching Assistants 20

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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