Careers in Educational Leadership and Administration

The education sector is one of the most essential parts of any society, and plays a significant role in shaping the next generation. The need for strong leadership in the education sector has never been greater. Students and parents are demanding well trained leaders and education experts who can generate trust and find innovative ways to answer the issues faced in education across the US. Some of the areas in our education system that can be improved are methods of instruction, curriculum, training of teachers, grades and the educational gap between the different classes in our society. The field of educational leadership & administration has emerged out of the need to operate schools in a manner that is satisfactory for all the parties involved.

Why is educational leadership & administration important?

During the 1940s, in an effort to streamline the educational systems around the country and provide the same standard of education to all students, teaching methods and curricula were dramatically changed. However, not enough teachers were properly educated or trained to adapt to these changes, resulting in consistently poor performance across our schools. As a result, even today, schoolchildren in the United States stand far behind peers from countries such as Canada, Japan and Korea. In a study carried out by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), students from schools in the United States scored consistently lower than their counterparts in subjects such as mathematics, science, geography, and surprisingly even English. Often the highest scoring school in the United States fell below the lowest scoring Asian schools. This acted as the long awaited wake-up call for the government and Department of Education.


Degrees Offered

Educational leadership & administration caught on in the twentieth century, with a special focus on implementing the basic principles of administration and management throughout the schools in the country. The field also focuses on teacher supervision, evaluation and professional development in addition to meeting parents’ increasing demands for stronger teacher responsibility and improved student performance. Professionals working in educational leadership & administration must also ensure compliance with the social and cultural demands of a diverse society while at the same time designing an up-to-date curriculum and implementing modern methods of instruction. The basic degree offered in educational leadership is the four year long Bachelor’s degree in Educational Leadership & Administration. This must be followed up by a two year Master’s degree which allows specialization in the areas of instructional leadership, cultural leadership, educational development and curriculum design.


Career prospects

As the education system around the country gears up for a more scientific approach to education, careers in educational leadership & administration are set to grow. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities in educational leadership & administration will increase by more than 16% through 2020, which is one of the highest rates among education sector careers. The Office of Occupational Employment Statistics reports median wages of $50,000 for people starting their careers in educational leadership & administration. More experienced educational leaders and administrators earn more than $160,000 per year. While the largest number of people working in educational leadership & administration are mostly school principals, others find work as academic deans, development officers, educational planners, financial aid administrators and academic officers at universities and schools across the country.

How Long Does It Take to Complete a Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration?

If you want to pursue a career in Educational Leadership and Administration, you must begin with a 4-year bachelor’s degree. Several universities in the U.S. such as the University of Pittsburgh, Concordia University-Portland and the University of West Florida  offer a degree in this field. These universities offer on-campus as well as online full/part-time 4-year bachelor’s, 2-year master’s and 4 to 5-year doctoral degrees.

What Are the Requirements to Complete a Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration?

The curriculum and graduation requirements for a degree in Educational Leadership and Administration may vary for each institution. For example, students of a part-time master’s degree offered at the University of Pittsburgh must complete 36 credit hours to graduate. On the other hand, students of a full-time doctoral degree offered at the same university must complete 90 credit hours of lectures, assignments, exams and a thesis to graduate.

How Much Can I Make after Completing a Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration?

Graduates of a bachelor’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration may get an entry-level job at a school, college or a university. However, some graduates pursue higher education (i.e., a master’s or a doctoral degree) for a better career outlook. According to the data reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in 2018, postsecondary Education Administrators earned an annual median salary of $94,340 whereas Elementary, Middle and High School Principals made $95,310.