General Education
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Types of Degrees General Education Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many general education graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 19,995 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 4,523 |
Doctor’s Degree | 2,518 |
Associate’s Degree | 2,187 |
Graduate Certificate | 1,224 |
Basic Certificate | 507 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 112 |
What General Education Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to education and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Education Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in education should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

- 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.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Skills for Education Majors
A major in education prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- 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.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
Abilities for Education Majors
As you progress with your education degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- 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.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
What Can You Do With a General Education Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with education:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Education Professors | 10.3% | $64,780 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in General Education?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of education majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 259 |
Black or African American | 386 |
Hispanic or Latino | 655 |
White | 2,591 |
International Students | 271 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 361 |
Geographic Diversity
Education appeals to people across the globe. About 6.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- China
- South Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- Canada
- Taiwan
How Much Do General Education Majors Make?
Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary
The median early-career salary of general education students with a bachelor’s degree is $32,000 a year according to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $27,600 (25th percentile) and $35,600 (75th percentile).

We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to education so take that into consideration.
Salaries According to BLS
The median salary for someone in a career related to education is $73,680. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
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.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to General Education
Some degrees associated with education 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 education have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 0.6% |
Master’s Degree | 9.4% |
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. | 0.1% |
Doctoral Degree | 89.8% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 0.1% |
Online General Education Programs
In 2018-2019, 823 schools offered a education program of some type. 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) | 27 | 4 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 21 | 1 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 1 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 169 | 19 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 85 | 22 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 27 | 4 |
Master’s Degree | 411 | 137 |
Post-Master’s | 60 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 93 | 16 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 7 | 1 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 3 | 1 |
Is a Degree in General Education Worth It?
The median salary for a education grad is $73,680 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 85% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $675,600 after 20 years!

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Majors Related to General Education
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to education.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Teacher Education Grade Specific | 100,925 |
Educational Administration | 44,381 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific | 43,516 |
Special Education | 30,639 |
Curriculum & Instruction | 18,767 |
Student Counseling | 13,679 |
Instructional Media Design | 7,063 |
Other Education | 5,503 |
Teaching English or French | 5,407 |
Multilingual Education | 1,636 |
Teaching Assistants | 1,591 |
Educational Assessment | 1,532 |
Education Philosophy | 634 |
International Education | 400 |
References
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By KOKUYO under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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