Best Online Bachelors in Early Childhood Education Degrees for 2025

While you’ll need to check with each school individually to make sure of what they promise, there is generally no assurance that any degree you earn will 100% provide you with teacher licensure, though most programs are meant to prepare you to obtain licensure. The reason they can’t ensure it is because most if not all states require a test be taken and passed before a graduate of one of these programs can receive initial or full teacher licensure. Most states use the PRAXIS exams to test whether or not you have learned what you need to be able to teach kids at your chosen level. PRAXIS exams offer an Early Childhood Education exam meant for those who aim to teach at this level. They are given by computer, though there are some accommodation options. Study topics include the following.

Early childhood educators aren’t exactly top-of-the-list when it comes to pay. In fact, those who teach very young children and don’t have master’s degrees can often expect to make the least of any teacher in a public school system, despite the fact that the job they are doing is one of the most important to the children themselves and society as a whole. (Private school systems have different pay scales than public systems and, therefore, depending on where you live and what types of schools are nearby, this may or may not be different if you choose to work in a private school.) However, there are always exceptions to the rule and the exception in early childhood education is often the special education teacher. This position requires more focus, more time, and more compassion than some other positions, as well as requiring an endorsement to ensure that you have the qualifications to teach children who have special needs. In response to these requirements, special education teachers can make significantly more than teachers in other roles.

Look for a college offering employment placement opportunities after graduation to help you land your first job as a teacher. A school may offer job fairs to accomplish this, but the best option is a school that has connections to nearby school districts, either as a way to allow their students to get their in-classroom experience or with alumni connections to local teachers. Make sure you ask about these possibilities before you commit to a program.

A well-known, highly rated school can boost your job prospects. You should attend a school with a solid reputation for turning out well-prepared early childhood educators. It is crucial that any college considered for your education is accredited. Federal and state financial aid is not available for schools lacking accreditation, and the receipt of most scholarships and grants is contingent on attending an accredited college. To put is simply, attending an unaccredited college is a waste of money. For early childhood education, look for a college accredited by the NAYEC’s Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs.

The six regional accreditation bodies in the US are:

Make sure your college is accredited by the appropriate regional body.

A bachelor’s degree is a four-year degree program, more or less. Some ECE degree programs require you to earn more credits, while others may require fewer credits to be able to graduate. This is often based on state requirements for teacher licensure. Some online programs may be completed at an accelerated pace, and some traditional programs may be sped up by taking extra online courses during the year or over the summer.

Before you are formally admitted to an ECE bachelor’s degree program, you may be required to complete your general education courses—you should take most or all of these in the first two years. The final two years of your degree program will be spent learning about the needs and characteristics of young children and factors that exert an influence on how they develop and learn. You’ll observe, document, and assess the development and learning of each child in your classroom.

The cost of early childhood education programs depends on various factors. There is of course the school’s tuition, but also whether you must pay for room and board, books, lab fees, meals, and more affects the cost of a degree. Expect to pay roughly $5,000 per year for a quality education online, and perhaps $14,000 annually for tuition at a state college or university. The cost of a private college education is even higher, $30,000-$50,000 per year. However, many students receive scholarships and grants which can offset some of the costs of a bachelor’s degree.

That would be those who specialized in and gained an endorsement for special education in early childhood classrooms. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, early childhood special educators can earn as much as six figures a year. For a teaching position, that’s quite a good salary. Of course, it’s important to understand that those at the higher income levels will be those who have been teaching for some time and gaining experience. Some of them may have spent a few years completing a master’s degree or they may work outside the public school system, where they can earn more money by working within a specialty. It is vital for those students who need special help in their education to get that help as early as possible. That is part of why those who work in this field are paid the most in early childhood education.

There are generally accepted to be four areas of development that are particularly important in early childhood. These include socio-emotional development, which will help children interact with each other and the adults in their lives, as well as helping them to learn to manage their emotions. Then there are fine and gross motor skills, which will allow them to learn to walk and run, as well as helping them learn to write letters and sentences. This is important for many reasons. Along with these skills, students at this age will also spend time learning speech and language and making great strides in cognitive development. All of these are important so that students can continue to develop and learn everything they need to, both in school and for the rest of their lives.