What is Early Childhood Education?
A degree in early childhood education can lead to a career as a preschool teacher, a childcare provider, or a nanny. The most important thing that an early childhood education teacher can do is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow.
Early childhood education teachers help students by providing them with the tools they need to succeed in school and in life. They teach young children how to read, write, and do math. They also teach them about science, history, and other subjects. In addition, early childhood education teachers help students develop social skills such as cooperation and sharing.
The benefits of an early childhood education are numerous. Studies have shown that children who attend preschool are more likely to do well in school and in life. They are less likely to drop out of school, get into trouble with the law, or become teenage parents.
The advantages of children going to preschool to prepare them to enter kindergarten has been largely embraced by most states throughout the country. The state of Indiana is often called the Hoosier State with a great love of basketball, but it currently gets a grade of C+ by some organizations that score public education offered in States across the Nation. Indiana is one of only 11 states in the country that doesn't provide funding for preschools. Even so, preschool teachers are still in demand and, with a new program starting up that promises to increase funding for early education, there may be a sharp increase in the need for early childhood educators in the coming years.
Top Ranked Campus & Online Early Childhood Education Programs in Indiana
Purdue University
Score: 92.18
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,992
- Out-of-State:$28,794
- Net Price: $12,576
- Acceptance Rate: 53%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 83%
- Total Enrollment: 51,528
- Undergrad Students: 38,593
- Graduate Students: 12,935
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Indiana University-Bloomington
Score: 80.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,790
- Out-of-State:$40,482
- Net Price: $16,234
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
- Total Enrollment: 47,005
- Undergrad Students: 35,660
- Graduate Students: 11,345
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Ball State University
Score: 74.87
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,758
- Out-of-State:$28,766
- Net Price: $12,615
- Acceptance Rate: 69%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 19,777
- Undergrad Students: 14,416
- Graduate Students: 5,361
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,449
- Out-of-State:$33,717
- Net Price: $11,462
- Acceptance Rate: 83%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 25,979
- Undergrad Students: 17,727
- Graduate Students: 8,252
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Purdue University Northwest
Score: 72.32
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,419
- Out-of-State:$15,620
- Net Price: $9,162
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 8,911
- Undergrad Students: 8,176
- Graduate Students: 735
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Oakland City University
Score: 70.19
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $27,150
- Out-of-State:$27,150
- Net Price: $17,103
- Acceptance Rate: 56%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 53%
- Total Enrollment: 880
- Undergrad Students: 699
- Graduate Students: 181
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Indiana Wesleyan University
Score: 69.62
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $31,168
- Out-of-State:$31,168
- Net Price: $21,755
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 2,603
- Undergrad Students: 2,236
- Graduate Students: 367
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Score: 66.65
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,254
- Out-of-State:$22,220
- Net Price: $11,951
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 63%
- Graduation Rate: 36%
- Total Enrollment: 9,069
- Undergrad Students: 8,390
- Graduate Students: 679
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Southern Indiana
Score: 66.36
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,136
- Out-of-State:$22,573
- Net Price: $14,443
- Acceptance Rate: 94%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 9,178
- Undergrad Students: 7,355
- Graduate Students: 1,823
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Bethel University-Mishawaka
Score: 65.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $33,320
- Out-of-State:$33,320
- Net Price: $18,746
- Acceptance Rate: 99%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 57%
- Total Enrollment: 1,292
- Undergrad Students: 1,181
- Graduate Students: 111
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
Martin University
Score: 65.25
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,830
- Out-of-State:$12,830
- Net Price: $15,271
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 29%
- Total Enrollment: 187
- Undergrad Students: 161
- Graduate Students: 26
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 6:1
Purdue Global
Score: 62.88
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,110
- Out-of-State:$14,421
- Net Price: $6,785
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 17%
- Graduation Rate: 20%
- Total Enrollment: 45,125
- Undergrad Students: 33,510
- Graduate Students: 11,615
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 26:1
Vincennes University
Score: 60.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,886
- Out-of-State:$16,289
- Net Price: $9,637
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 33%
- Total Enrollment: 16,773
- Undergrad Students: 16,773
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $62,000
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1
Ivy Tech Community College
Score: 48.56
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,912
- Out-of-State:$9,465
- Net Price: $6,756
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 31%
- Total Enrollment: 89,705
- Undergrad Students: 89,705
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $35,100
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1
American College of Education
Score: 34.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,160
- Out-of-State:$5,160
- Net Price: N/A
- Acceptance Rate: N/A
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: N/A
- Total Enrollment: 10,003
- Undergrad Students: 142
- Graduate Students: 9,861
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
