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Early Childhood Special Education Major

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Early Childhood Special Education

867 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
685 Master's Degrees Annually
#17 in Popularity
$61,610 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Early Childhood Special Education Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Associate Degree 1,195
Bachelor’s Degree 867
Master’s Degree 685
Basic Certificate 207
Graduate Certificate 111
Undergraduate Certificate 46

What Early Childhood Special Education Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • 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.
  • Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Skills for Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs Majors

When studying education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

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  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • 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.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Abilities for Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs Majors

A major in education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

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  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a Early Childhood Special Education Major?

People with a education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Special Education Teachers, Preschool 11.3% $55,840

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education?

867 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
96% Percent Women
15% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major is dominated by women with about 96% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 8
Black or African American 49
Hispanic or Latino 54
White 720
International Students 2
Other Races/Ethnicities 34

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs, too. About 0.2% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Early Childhood Special Education Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

The median salary for someone in a career related to education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs is $61,610. This median refers to all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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.

Median Salary for an Early Childhood Special Education Major  61,610
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs 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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Some College Courses 1.5%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 3.0%
Bachelor’s Degree 32.1%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 32.0%
Master’s Degree 24.6%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 7.9%

Online Early Childhood Special Education Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 185 schools offered some type of education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs program. 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) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 26 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 45 2
Bachelor’s Degree 26 5
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 55 7
Post-Master’s 11 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Early Childhood Special Education Worth It?

The median salary for a education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs grad is $61,610 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 54% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $434,200 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to education/teaching of individuals in early childhood special education programs.

Major Number of Grads
General Special Education 24,497
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 1,789
Elementary Special Education 1,625
Other Special Education & Teaching 1,227
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism 1,133
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 655
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 540
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 504
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments 415
Education of the Deaf 363
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances 226
Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed 222
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs 181
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness 134
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities 122
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic & Other Physical Health Impairments 47
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries 1

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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