If you want to train as a teacher, move into school leadership or research how people learn, the USA is one of the largest markets for education study. The educads database currently lists 2,396 education courses at 791 universities across the country. This guide explains what those numbers contain, which institutions appear most often, and — just as importantly — what the data does not tell you.
What the 2,396 courses actually cover
"Education" is a broad label. The courses in this set range from pre-teacher preparation at community colleges to doctoral research. The sample below shows the spread:
- Pre-Education [Option] at Western Oklahoma State College — an early pathway course before formal teacher training.
- Agriculture (Agricultural Education) at Western Kentucky University — subject-specific teaching for agricultural science.
- Elementary Education at Western Nebraska Community College.
- Workforce, Career & Technical Education at Western Nevada College.
- Elementary Education at Western New England University.
- Applied Bachelor of Science in Career and Technical Education at Western New Mexico University.
- Associate of Arts in Teaching at Western Texas College.
- Education at Westfield State University.
That mix matters when you compare options. An associate-level teaching award, a bachelor's in elementary education and a PhD in education research are not interchangeable, and they lead to different roles in US schools and universities.
Courses by degree level
The database breaks the 2,396 courses down by award level:
- Bachelor: 1,234 courses
- Masters: 446 courses
- Diploma: 129 courses
- PhD: 80 courses
Undergraduate study dominates, which reflects how teacher certification works in the USA: most states expect a bachelor's degree plus a state-approved preparation programme. Masters courses are the second-largest group and are often used by practising teachers to specialise or move into administration. The 80 PhD courses are the smallest group and are aimed at research and academic careers.
Universities with the most education courses
Some institutions list far more education courses than others. The eight with the largest counts in this dataset are:
- Arkansas at Pine Bluff, University of — 25 courses
- Ohio University — 20 courses
- Mercy College — 20 courses
- University of Holy Cross — 19 courses
- Saint Leo University — 19 courses
- State University of New York at Cortland — 18 courses
- Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania — 16 courses
- Antioch University — 15 courses
A high course count is not a quality ranking. It usually means the institution offers several specialisations — early childhood, special education, secondary subject teaching, leadership — rather than one general education degree. Use the counts to find universities worth browsing, then read the individual course pages.
What it costs — and what educads can tell you
This is where you need to be careful. educads does not record a tuition figure for most of these courses. The fact sheet for this subject and country gives course counts, university counts, degree-level splits and the number of awards available in the country (80), but it does not give fees, living costs, salaries, acceptance rates or rankings.
That means any tuition number you see elsewhere should be checked against the university's own published fee schedule for international students. US education programmes also vary in how they handle state certification, fieldwork hours and background checks, and those requirements can affect your total cost. Ask the admissions office directly about:
- tuition and mandatory fees for international students, per year and for the whole programme;
- whether the course leads to state teacher certification, and in which state;
- fieldwork or practicum requirements and who arranges placements;
- any additional costs for background checks, exams or certification applications.
None of these figures appear in the educads dataset, so treat them as questions to ask, not assumptions to make.
How to use the listings
Start with the full education courses in the USA page, which holds all 2,396 listings across the 791 universities. Filter by degree level first: if you already hold a bachelor's degree, the 446 masters courses are the relevant set; if you are starting out, the 1,234 bachelor's courses are where to look.
Then narrow by specialism. The sample above shows how specific the titles can get — agricultural education, career and technical education, elementary education. The more specific the course, the more likely it is tied to a particular state's certification rules, which matters if you plan to teach after graduating.
Finally, check the institution page for each university you shortlist. Each one links to its courses and gives you a starting point for contacting admissions. The education in USA hub is the quickest way back to the full list while you compare.
Bottom line
The USA offers 2,396 education courses at 791 universities, with undergraduate study making up the largest share and a smaller, research-focused set of 80 PhD options. The data is strong on what exists and where; it is silent on price. Confirm fees, certification routes and practical requirements with each university before you apply, and use the educads listings to build a shortlist rather than to estimate costs.
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