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A doctorate is the highest academic degree you can get. With this achievement, you can work in all levels of education in the United States, from primary to higher education institutions. It allows you to enter various sectors, including teaching, education, research, and policy.
If what you’re looking for is flexible study schedules (and possibly more affordable tuition), consider earning a Doctor of Education (EdD) online. Online EdD programs frequently use synchronous and asynchronous courses with a cohort structure. You can anticipate taking fundamental coursework and classes relevant to your chosen concentration as a doctorate student.
However, online EdDs are still competitive. In addition, a dissertation, residence, or internship are often requirements for doctoral degrees. Some universities expect you to finish all three.
Additional Resources:
- Best Grad Schools with Online Doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction
- Best Grad Schools with Online Doctorate in Early Childhood Education
- Best Grad Schools with Online Doctorate in Training and Development
Overview
An EdD focuses on building practical leadership skills rather than research skills. It is designed for those who want to become leaders of educational institutions. The program usually lasts about 3 to 4 years and includes coursework, practical experience, and a final project or dissertation.
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Methodology
Intending to help working adults pursue valuable advanced degrees for career advancements, each of the 10 Best Online Doctor of Education programs has met the following criteria:
- The university and program have received accreditation from regional and programmatic accrediting agencies,
- Offers a curriculum that teaches students how to create educational policies and strategies at an organizational or community level,
- Help students develop mastered skills in leadership, policymaking, organizational and institutional change, curriculum organization, and technology integration,
- Allow online students to learn from the same distinguished on-campus faculty and experts,
- Offers various student services to help with students’ success,
- It has several financial aid opportunities to reduce educational costs.
Please check out our Methodology for more details on our ranking process.
Top 10 Online Doctoral Programs in Education
New York University
Doctorate in Leadership and Innovation
The online EdD in Leadership and Innovation at New York University focuses on tackling systemic challenges and driving sustainable solutions in leadership roles. It is a comprehensive program that brings professionals from various sectors together to address key cross-sectoral challenges.
Program Features:
- The program requires 42 credit hours.
- Students gain core competencies through research, analysis, and strategic project implementation.
- Instead of a traditional dissertation, this program involves a Problem of Practice (POP) project.
- The POP project tasks students with developing academically informed solutions to ongoing organizational issues.
Arizona State University
Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation
Arizona State University’s online EdD is designed for those who focus on comprehending and assisting learning processes in organizational contexts. The program’s curriculum blends ideas from education, psychology, leadership, and organizational development.
- This is a 90-credit hour program.
- Students can customize their degree and focus on one of the following specializations:
- Prekindergarten–Grade 12
- Leadership for Change in Higher Education
- Systems-based
- Courses include Innovation in Teaching and Learning, Systems Change and Leadership, Collaborative Approaches to Data-Informed Decision-Making, and Leadership for Organizational Change.
- Average completion time is three years.
- Graduates will have the ability to spot areas that require improvement to enhance student achievement.
- Students will receive guidance from their faculty advisor in choosing which track to take.
- Additional support will be given through an online library, technical support, and career counseling.
Liberty University
Liberty University offers a top-notch online Doctor of Education that features accelerated, 8-week courses with no set log-in times. This is one of the best degrees for professionals with full-time jobs seeking flexible and affordable online EdD programs.
Program Features:
- Has sixteen concentrations available:
- Administration and Supervision – Educational Leadership
- Curriculum and Instruction:
- Educational Psychology
- Elementary Education
- Instructional Design and Technology
- Middle Grades Education
- Online Teaching and Learning
- Secondary Education
- Special Education
- Educational Leadership
- Higher Education Administration:
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Educational Leadership
- Organizational Leadership
- Student Affairs
- Instructional Design and Technology
- Special Education
- Regardless of concentration, students will be required to conduct original research for a capstone project that will offer workable solutions to problems in the field of education.
- Each concentration equips students with the skills necessary to work as a university professor, senior-level educational leader, or educational policymaker.
Baylor University
Doctor of Education in Learning and Organizational Change
Baylor University’s EdD in Learning and Organizational Change focuses on understanding and facilitating learning processes within organizational settings. Recognized by the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, it equips seasoned professionals with advanced knowledge and skills to drive and oversee positive change in various organizations. Graduates can work in nonprofits and businesses in private and governmental organizations.
Program Features:
- It requires 54 credit hours, which can be completed in 36 months.
- Course schedules can be completed in a flexible timetable based on the student’s needs.
- A course of study includes core, organizational change, research methodology, and problem of practice dissertation and capstone courses.
- Graduates take on cross-functional issues, influence chances for systemic growth, and create productive learning environments based on data-driven procedures.
John Hopkins University
John Hopkins University’s online Doctor of Education provides students with the most cutting-edge, demanding, and student-centered curriculum. It encourages students to approach problems with an open mind and to spend time comprehending them rather than jumping to conclusions.
Program Features:
- There are five concentrations available:
- Mind, Brain, and Teaching
- Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education
- Urban Leadership
- Creativity, Advanced Learning, and Twice Exceptionality
- Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology
- Coursework includes recent findings in technology, data and measurement, entrepreneurship, mind, brain, and teaching.
- Students will complete a “dossier-style project” instead of the traditional dissertation.
- Dossiers can be delivered in various ways, including a formal written document, a graphic novel, an audio tale, and more.
Drexel University
Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management
Drexel’s online EdD in Leadership and Management’s curriculum focuses on fostering leadership abilities, strategic planning, policy creation, organizational management, and sound decision-making in educational contexts. It aims to produce leaders who can successfully lead educational institutions, effectuate change, and advance academic achievement.
Program Features:
- Students can tailor their doctorates by choosing one of the concentrations:
- Creativity & Innovation
- Educational Administration
- Education Policy
- Global & International Education
- Higher Education Leadership
- Human Resource Development
- Learning Technologies
- Nursing Education
- Special Education Leadership
- Students receive individualized academic and career counseling to identify and work toward their goals.
- Students can pursue an accelerated three-year format or a five-year, extended part-time delivery.
- The three-year track will require students to take two courses per semester, while the extended track allows students to pursue one course at a time.
Walden University
Walden University’s online EdD program is designed to help students prepare for careers as leaders and innovators in education. Students can use the online platform from any location with an internet connection to access course materials, participate in discussions, and engage with classmates and professors.
Features:
- Popular for a wide array of speciations, including:
- Community College Leadership
- Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure)
- Educational Administration and Leadership (for Administrators)
- Educational Administration and Leadership (Non-Licensure)
- Educational Technology
- Higher Education (Self-Designed)
- Higher Education and Adult Learning
- Higher Education Leadership and Management
- Organizational Leadership and Development
- P–20 Education (Self-Designed)
- Reading, Literacy, and Assessment
- All specializations will require students to complete core courses, readings, assignments, conversations, and core and research courses.
- Students must fulfill a few on-campus residencies for in-person communication, networking, and group learning.
- Students work on a doctoral research project or dissertation focusing on a subject of their interest.
Ball State University
Doctorate of Education – Educational Administration & Supervision
Ball State University offers an online education doctoral program committed to developing the field through effective teaching, research, and service. This online doctoral program in education is a specialist degree designed to prepare students to lead as a superintendent or district-level leader in their state. Students will receive an education that balances academic learning and practical experience to help them become successful practitioners with advanced literary knowledge.
Program Features:
- This online degree can be earned upon completing 90 credit hours, which can take up to five years through an online asynchronous format.
- The program’s curriculum courses include school law, money management, and public relations.
- Students may need to fulfill 15 residency credits beyond their master’s degree.
Pennsylvania Western University
Doctorate in Educational Administration and Leadership
Pennsylvania Western University’s online EdD in Administration and Leadership is geared toward aspiring superintendents of schools, colleges, and universities. It gives students a unique Superintendent Letter of Eligibility certificate.
Program Features:
- Students receive a unique Superintendent Letter of Eligibility certificate.
- Generalist concentration courses include The Superintendency: Theory and Organization, Personnel Leadership for District Improvement, and District Leadership for Legal Issues in Education.
- Students must complete Superintendent Internships under the supervision of a qualified mentor in various contexts.
- The internship entails a field placement with a carefully selected and trained superintendent/mentor in a K-12 school district who shares the SLE program’s belief.
- Graduates can apply for the PRAXIS School Superintendent Assessment (SSA) and start working as a Superintendent of Schools.
University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign
Home of top-ranked online graduate programs, the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign offers a Doctor of Education focusing on Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership. Online students learn from and collaborate with the same on-campus faculty and receive the same curriculum and academic rigor as their on-campus counterparts. Faculty members contribute to the program with scholarly knowledge, research skills, and real-world experience.
Program Features:
- Offers five concentrations:
- Diversity and Equity in Education
- Global Studies in Education
- Human Resource Development
- International Education Administration and Leadership
- Learning Design and Leadership
- Students must complete 64 credit hours.
- It includes written qualifying examinations, preliminary and final oral examinations, and a doctoral dissertation.
- Students should expect support and guidance from a faculty advisor in creating a study plan to help them achieve their unique objectives and general degree requirements.
What are Doctorates in Education?
Doctorates in Education are professional/terminal degrees focused on practice-based learning. Programs often include several scholarly modules and a time for individual study leading to a unique doctoral dissertation. EdD programs provide students with advanced training that prepares them for original doctoral research that will reflect on their professional work.
EdDs are designed specifically for professionals with significant teaching experience and are:
- seeking new positions in the field of educational policy with governmental entities, think tanks, academic institutions, or other organizations,
- wishing to join a network of similar institutions in a top leadership or managerial position,
- interested in using educational experiences while contributing to pedagogical theory research and/or professional practice in Education.
Each college and university has its own admission requirements; however, they may involve some or all of the following:
- Master’s degree: Although some programs accept applicants with graduate degrees unrelated to Education, it may boost your application if it is relevant to your professional practice and research interests.
- Proof of your research capabilities: This might be based on your master’s thesis or some other piece of writing. Your application may also need to include a research proposal.
- Teaching/Education-related Professional Experience: Most programs require three to five years of experience teaching or working in another field of Education.
Curriculum in an Online Doctorate in Education Program
There are several specializations in an online doctorate in education. As a result, curriculum and flow may vary. But the following are some typical elements and classes that you might find in an online EdD program:
Core Courses
Core courses are essential in EdD programs, and regardless of their specialization, students will be required to complete these. Core courses often explore the foundation of leadership, theory, and educational research. Education policy, data analysis, research methods, educational leadership, organizational change, and ethics in education are some topics that may be covered in core courses.
Specialization Courses
Specialization courses teach students advanced information and abilities in that particular topic while delving deeper into their chosen specialized field. For instance, you could take courses in instructional leadership, strategic planning, personnel management, and school improvement if you specialize in educational leadership.
Research Methodology
Courses on data analysis and research techniques are integrated into EdD programs. These courses rigorously prepare students to perform in-depth research, comprehend the research literature, and put what they have learned into practice. Students gain knowledge of survey design, statistical analysis, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and dissertation proposal writing.
Dissertation
The dissertation plays a big role in an EdD program. Under the supervision of a faculty advisor, students conduct original research on the subject of their choice. Students must choose a research question, review relevant literature, gather and analyze data, and present their findings in their dissertations. It is a thorough research project that advances knowledge or understanding in the field of education.
Electives
Some EdD programs offer elective classes that let students explore different areas of interest or learn more about a particular subject. Electives may cover curriculum development, diversity and inclusion, educational technology, or policy analysis. These flexible courses let students customize their education to address their unique interests and career goals.
Practicum or Field Experience
Some online education doctorate programs include one or more practicum or field experience requirements. Students do this to get real-world experience in settings related to their field of study. They could collaborate closely with mentors or experts in their area and use their knowledge and abilities in practical situations.
It’s important to remember that different universities and programs may have additional specific course offerings and curriculum layouts. To understand the particular courses, sequencing, and requirements of the online EdD program they are interested in, prospective students should carefully review the curriculum.
Specializations for Online Doctorate in Education Programs
Doctoral degrees in education are renowned for their flexibility in terms of content. These choices enable students to concentrate their academic efforts on a specific field of study. In some circumstances, teachers encourage students to create their own unique course of study. The following are some popular specializations available through the online EdD programs:
Adult Learning
Prepares students for leadership roles across various sectors, including higher education, nonprofits, and businesses. Focuses on adult learning theory, group dynamics, conflict resolution, and organizational behavior.
Curriculum and Instruction
Offers advanced study in curriculum design, instructional strategies, and educational leadership. Ideal for educators looking to enhance their curriculum development and teaching techniques.
Diversity and Equity in Education
Prepares students for leadership responsibilities in educational settings from prekindergarten to higher education. Covers diversity, social justice, leadership, policy, and equity issues in education.
Higher Education
Emphasizes administration, theory, and practice in higher education. Includes topics such as organizational management, policy analysis, student affairs, financial management, and strategic planning.
Literacy Education
Equips students to become literacy program directors, reading specialists, or instructional material writers. Focuses on literacy program evaluation, grant writing, policy, and research.
Special Education
Covers special education theory, administration, and program evaluation. Prepares students for roles like lead special education teachers, curriculum developers, and policy consultants.
The Superintendency
Trains future district or school superintendents, focusing on advanced leadership skills, management, and educational administration to lead effectively at the highest levels.
Career Opportunities for Doctorate in Education Graduates
The BLS predicts that occupations in the education, training, and library sector will grow 9% from 2022-2032, leading to 857,600 yearly job openings. Furthermore, management occupations will grow 8% within the same decade, with an expected 1.1 million openings yearly.
Some of the most common career paths for education doctorates include:
| Job Title | Job Descriptions | Median Annual Wage |
| K-12 Principal | Manages daily operations, instructional leadership, and school climate in K-12 institutions to ensure student success. | $103,460 |
| School Superintendent | Oversees the entire K-12 school system, making strategic decisions on budgeting, hiring, and educational policies. | $111,020 |
| College Professor | Develops course curricula, teaches students, and often conducts research and publishes work in their academic field. | $84,380 |
| Higher Education Administrator | Manages operations and regulations within colleges or universities, ensuring that academic programs and student services operate smoothly. | $102,610 |
| Educational Researcher | Designs and conducts educational research, develops programs, and integrates findings into curricula and independent projects. | $59,940 |
| Training and Development Manager | Creates and implements employee training programs, develops materials, and evaluates the effectiveness of training sessions. | $125,040 |
Financial Aid for Online Doctor of Education
The tuition rate for an EdD (Doctor of Education) program may vary widely based on factors like the institution (private vs. public), residency status, and the specific program. Generally, private nonprofit schools are more expensive than public institutions or private for-profit schools.
Funding options include stipends from assistantships, federal and state grants, and scholarships. Grants, such as the TEACH Grant, can provide up to $4,000 annually but may require a teaching service obligation. Other grants support specific research areas or professional development, such as those from the American Educational Research Association or the Organization for Autism Research.
Scholarships for EdD students are often awarded based on financial need, academic achievement, or specific research interests. Examples include the A. Harry Passow Classroom Teacher Scholarship and the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program offer financial support ranging from $1,000 to $27,500.
Students should explore grants and scholarships specific to their field of study and professional goals for more tailored support.
Professional Organizations in Education
Professional organizations are excellent places to find resources for educational materials, networking, and professional development opportunities. They can also provide information on job openings. Their membership costs are typically reasonable, especially considering the contacts and services they provide.
All Educators:
- National Education Association (NEA)
- Association of American Educators (AAE)
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
Early Childhood Education:
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- National Head Start Association (NHSA)
Elementary Education:
- Childhood Education International (CEI)
English/Language Arts:
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Mathematics:
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
Science:
- National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Social Studies:
Special Education:
World Languages:
- American Council – Teaching of Foreign Languages or ACTFL
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pursue an online EdD while working full-time?
It depends on the university’s curriculum and requirements. While some programs require students to study full-time and work part-time, others allow students to work full-time and study part-time. However, in most cases, online EdDs enable students to enroll in one course per semester.
Is an Education Doctorate Degree Worth It?
Yes, many students find a doctorate in education to be worthwhile. Pursuing an online EdD prepares you for high-paying educational leadership roles and gives you the rare opportunity to influence others’ learning experiences.
What’s it like to study for an EdD?
While the EdD functions comparable to that of other professional doctorates, other aspects are more particular. For instance, your curriculum can require significant practice-based work in schools, colleges, or other educational institutions.
Key Takeaways
- Online doctorates in education are the most convenient way to pursue advanced study. They employ the same on-campus curriculum.
- Earning a doctorate in education qualifies you for various educational leadership opportunities in the public and private sectors.
- While there are several specializations in an EdD program, the core will teach you critical theories, skills, and knowledge you can apply to K–12 classrooms, academic institutions, community colleges, and other organizations.
