Online Colleges for Education

Educators are among a country's most important professionals, since excellent schools are crucial to the creation of an informed society and skilled workforce. As Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said, education is "the currency by which nations maintain economic competitiveness and global prosperity." Education is not only an important industry, but a big one: the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 13.5 million jobs in the education sector in 2008. Most of these jobs, such as teacher, teacher assistant and school administrator, require at least a bachelor's degree.

Education Degree Programs and Careers

Bachelor's degree programs in education feature classes in subjects like pedagogy, child psychology and curriculum development. Even if you are enrolled in one of the many online colleges offering education degree programs, a student teaching component is usually required, to get you working in an actual classroom under the guidance of an experienced teacher. It's also possible to get a degree geared specifically to the subject, grade level or type of student (e.g., adult learner) you want to teach. More specialized education careers, such as counseling or school administration, often require advanced degrees such as a master's or PhD.

In 2009, elementary school teachers earned a mean salary of $53,150, middle school teachers earned $53,550, and high school teachers earned $55,150.