If you want to earn an online associate degree in education, you have a wide selection of schools and programs to choose from. To help narrow your choices, identify what program qualities matter most to you and how your prospective schools compare to them. One essential characteristic of a top-rated school is its ability to provide a personalized learning experience in terms of learning format and class offerings.
The following online education associate degree rankings emphasize programs and schools that put students first by giving them flexible study options and customizable degree plans. Affordability, accreditation, and strength of student support were also important considerations in where we ranked schools. Learn more about this year’s top programs below and see which one best meets your needs and goals.
Best Online Associate Degrees in Education for 2024
We have ranked the top schools below. Our Rankings Data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES.) Click the About the Ranking link below for more information about our methodology.
- Create List of Eligible Schools and Programs
- Institutional accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- At least one program in the subject area offered partially or fully online.
- Assign Weightings
- Number of online programs in subject area reported by school to the U.S. Department of Education. Because exact numbers change often and can be difficult to verify, we use a range-based scoring system: 0-5 online programs = 1 star; 6-10 = 2 stars; 11-15 = 3 stars; 16-20 = 4 stars; 21+ = 5 stars. In our design, laptop icons = stars.
- For degree-specific pages, ex: Psychology degrees, we list the current number of online programs available at that school for that degree type, as self-reported by the schools.
- Cost – Relative cost of attendance compared to peer schools on the list. Based on tuition and fees per academic year.
- Students w/ Institutional Aid – Percentage of students who receive financial aid from the school itself.
- Academic Counseling – Existence of this service on campus or online.
- Career Placement – Existence of this service on campus or online.
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Clyde, NCPublic $
Haywood Community College has three Associate in Applied Science programs for early childhood education, with specializations in early education non-licensure, birth-kindergarten licensure, and career option. However, only this last track is offered mostly online, with almost all courses available through distance learning. The first year of courses is largely the same in all three degree pathways, but it’s during the second year of schooling when students take classes specific to their chosen specialization. It’s also during their final year that students will complete their early childhood capstone practicum where they gain hands-on experience and demonstrate their acquired knowledge through face-to-face interactions with young children.
Program Highlights:
AAS in Early Childhood Education
- Credits: 66-67
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $1,289.75/semester (in-state); $4,361.75/semester (out-of-state)
- Mode: Fully online
- Accreditation: Commission on Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
8/1
-
Washington, NCPublic $
Prospective early childhood education professionals and teachers can earn their Associate in Applied Science degree in early childhood education from Beaufort County Community College. To meet the specific professional goals of each student, Beaufort County Community College has three academic tracks to choose from. These include the birth to K licensure transfer program, the career entry program, and the non-licensure transfer program. These programs differ in that they prepare students for either transfer to a four-year college/university or starting work in early childhood education as soon as they graduate. No matter which pathway a student chooses, they will take many of their courses online. However, they must also complete an in-person practicum where they can apply their recently acquired knowledge in a real-world setting under the supervision of an education professional.
Program Highlights:
AAS in Early Childhood Education
- Credits: 66-71
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $76.00/credit (in-district); $268.00/credit (out-of-state)
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: SACSCOC
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
9/1
-
Hamlet, NCPublic $
Richmond Community College offers students interested in an associate degree three online early childhood education programs to choose from. First, there’s the career track, which prepares students to start working with children soon after graduation. Second, there’s the licensure transfer track, which is aimed at students who want to earn their teaching license after transferring to a four-year college or university. Third, there’s the non-licensure transfer track, which is intended for students who want to continue their college education and earn a bachelor’s degree, but don’t have a need to also obtain a teaching license in the process. Most of the coursework can be completed online, but there some face-to-face learning requirements, including the early childhood capstone practicum.
Program Highlights:
Associate in Early Childhood Education
- Credits: 65-71
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $76.00/credit (in-state); $26.00/credit (out-of-state)
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: SACSCOC
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
11/1
-
Gainesville, TXPublic $
The Associate of Arts in Teaching from North Central Texas College is intended for students who have plans to transfer to a four-year university or college after earning their associate degree. From there, they could earn a bachelor’s degree and obtain their Texas teaching credentials. Another teaching option is the Associate of Applied Science in Child Development. This program is designed for students who want to work with infants, toddlers, and pre-school children. Both degree programs are offered online, although only the AAS in child development program has a practicum and in-person observation course requirement.
Program Highlights:
AA in Teaching
- Credits: 60
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $57.00/credit (in-district); $206.00/credit (out-of-state)
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: SACSCOC
AAS in Child Development
- Credits: 60
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $57.00/credit (in-district); $206.00/credit (out-of-state)
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: SACSCOC
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Houston, TXPublic $
Houston Community College’s Associate of Arts in Teaching is state-approved and designed for students looking to become a licensed teacher in Texas. Specifically, aspiring teachers can earn their lower-level college credits at the community college, then transfer to a four-year college or university and obtain a bachelor’s degree. The bulk of the coursework can be taken online, although students must confirm which courses are offered on campus and which must be completed in-person due to Houston Community College’s policies requiring a specific number of credits to be completed on campus. Of the 60 required credits, 12 relate to teaching, six are prerequisites, and 42 credits are part of the program’s core curriculum.
Program Highlights:
AA in Teaching
- Credits: 60
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $84.50/credit (in-district); $227.00/credit (out-of-state)
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: SACSCOC
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Norfolk, NEPublic $
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Malvern, ARPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
14/1
-
Memphis, TNPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Bedford, MAPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Wesson, MSPublic $
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Shreveport, LAPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Fayetteville, NCPublic $
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Wausau, WIPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
11/1
-
Killeen, TXPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
14/1
-
Albemarle, NCPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
12/1
-
Newtown, PAPublic $$
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
15/1
-
Ann Arbor, MIPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Salisbury, NCPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Harriman, TNPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Concord, NHPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
8/1
-
Bethlehem, PAPublic $$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
16/1
-
Schnecksville, PAPublic $$
Online Programs
2
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Hagerstown, MDPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
18/1
-
Virginia, MNPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Gallatin, TNPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
22/1
-
Conway, SCPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Portland, ORPublic $
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
20/1
-
Muskegon, MIPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
17/1
-
Winona, MNPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
19/1
-
San Antonio, TXPublic $$
Online Programs
3
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
31/1
-
Media, PAPublic $$
Online Programs
1
Academic Counseling
Yes
Career Placement
Yes
Student/Faculty Ratio
26/1
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Base Methodology for OnlineColleges.me’s 2024 Online College Rankings
To be eligible for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria based on government data provided by The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
After creating the list of eligible schools, OnlineColleges.me data scientists assigned weights and ranked schools based on a mix of affordability, support services, and online program availability metrics. Online program availability and overall affordability metrics received the heaviest weightings.
Online Program Availability
Affordability
Support Services
About Our Data
OnlineColleges.me’s rankings use the latest official data available from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Most recent data pull: January of 2024
Learning Outcomes of Online Education Associate Degrees
Each school creates its associate degree in education online program in line with school tenets and beliefs. So, naturally, there’s a lot of variation with respect to topics covered and formats used. To be accredited, though, schools and programs must meet basic standards. As a result, there are certain similarities you can expect when enrolled in an online associate degree education program. One such similarity involves learning outcomes. Common expectations for this degree path include:
Be Prepared to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Education
Almost all states require that you have a bachelor’s degree to become a licensed teacher. An online associate degree in education uses general education and foundational coursework to seamlessly shift you into a two-year bachelor’s degree teaching program. In fact, many online associate degree education programs have curriculums that are set up to take advantage of a two plus two format where you complete your associate degree in two years, then transfer to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree in two additional years of schooling.
Understand Current Issues and Challenges Facing Teachers Today
The classroom of today is far different than the classroom of tomorrow. Earning an associate degree in education exposes you to various trends that are making their way into the classroom. This includes shifts in the legal and social landscape as well as the implementation of technology in student learning.
Know How Children Learn
An education associate degree teaches you about various theories of childhood learning and how they interact with each other. With this knowledge, you can create lesson plans and curriculums that take advantage of your students’ learning styles and preferences. You’ll also improve your self-awareness so you can account for your personal preferences and personality to most effectively communicate and interact with your students.
Identify the Needs of Young Students
This outcome includes learning to identify the educational needs of your students, helpful in creating lesson plans and class activities. You’ll also be able to identify when a student requires additional help and know how to accommodate that need. Finally, an associate degree in education teaches you how to meet the emotional and social needs of your students to help them grow, mature, make responsible decisions, and interact well with their peers and family.
Courses You’ll Take in an Online Associate Degree in Education
Before enrolling in an associate degree in education online program, you should know what kind of courses to expect. Below is a list of the typical type of classes offered. Keep in mind that schools vary in the selection of classes they offer as well as the remote learning format provided.
Child Development
This background course offers foundational knowledge about child development. The development process is examined from language, cognitive, behavioral, and reading perspectives. Concepts covered include psychological and scientific theories. You’ll also review the economic, social, and cultural influences on how children develop and learn.
Working With Special Needs Children
Not every teacher works with children who have special needs, but they need to know enough about working with them to identify when students need additional help and/or modified teaching instruction. This course teaches you how to identify when a child faces a learning challenge and what teaching skills you need to accommodate them. This course also addresses how a child’s emotional and academic development is affected by their special needs.
Math and Science Skills for Young Students
This course teaches the basics of lower-level math and science concepts, but it also shows you how to create curriculums that can convey these ideas to young children. Special emphasis is placed on how to spark a child’s interest in STEM education and make them curious to learn more about science and math.
Early Childhood Reading
In addition to examining how children learn how to read, this course also addresses the development and instructional learning of young students related to listening, writing, and speech communication. This course shows you how to not only how promote best practices when it comes to literacy but also how to tailor classroom instruction to account for the multi-cultural and lingual realities of modern classrooms.
Education Technology
This class begins by providing you with a background on using technology in the classroom. You’ll then shift into how to improve student learning with the use of technology by reviewing how to develop a technology-driven lesson plan as well as how to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology used.
Communities, Families, and Education Providers
Students come from a variety of family dynamics, cultures, and communities. This class helps you understand this and learn how to work with diverse students. It also explains how you can apply certain strategies to create connections with students, families, and communities where the student lives to better teach and communicate.
Individual and Behavioral Differences in Young Students
Every student is different, even if they come from the same socio-economic, cultural, and racial background. This course focuses on differences that relate to a student’s behavior and personality. It teaches you how to build a student’s self-discipline, self-regulation, responsibility, and self-awareness. All these traits can help improve a student’s ability and willingness to learn.
Curriculum Creation
This class covers the basics of how teachers can design classwork by taking into account learning goals and the learning styles and needs of a diverse group of students. Much of your learning focuses on the concept of “developmentally appropriate practice” when creating age-appropriate group and individual learning activities.
FAQs About Earning Your Education Associate Degree Online
While online learning is becoming more common, it’s still a learning format you may not be very familiar with. Most likely, you have many questions about how an online associate degree in education program works. Below are some of the more frequently asked questions about online education programs at the associate degree level.
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Can I earn my associate degree in education 100% online or will I need to visit campus?
Most associate degree in education online programs offer all their coursework online, and no campus visits are necessary. However, some programs require practicums or field experiences in addition to online coursework. These hands-on course requirements must be completed in person since they provide practical and real-world experience.
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What career paths can I pursue with an associate degree in education?
The majority of teaching positions require you to have a bachelor’s degree and complete a teacher preparation program (TPP). An online associate degree in education is still a great way to work with students and help them learn. Below is a list of professions open to you after graduating from an education online associate degree program.
- Teacher Assistant
- Preschool Teacher
- Childcare Worker
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What accreditation should I look for in an online associate education program?
When choosing an online associate degree in education program, look for two types of accreditations. Institutional accreditation comes from a regional or national accrediting body and applies to the entire school. Programmatic accreditation only applies to a specific program. The main accrediting body for teaching programs is the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Older teaching accreditation standards, such as those from the NCATE and TEAC, have become subsumed by CAEP.
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What does the admissions process look like for an associate degree in education?
To apply to an associate degree education online program, you’ll have three main components in your admissions application:
- Online application
- Application fee
- An official copy of your high school transcript
College transfer students must also provide an official copy of their college transcripts, and GED-earners need to provide their GED test scores as part of their admissions application.
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How much does an online associate degree in education cost?
There are several variables affecting how much it costs to earn your degree. The biggest ones include whether you’re attending a public or private school. Public schools usually offer an in-state residency tuition rate along with a higher rate to out-of-state students. For example, the University of Cincinnati’s Associate of Applied Science in Early Childcare and Education costs in-state students $434/credit, but out-of-state students pay $449/credit. Private schools often have even higher tuition rates, but that’s not always true. Campbellsville University, for example, charges $410/credit for online associate degree education students.
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How long does it take to complete an associate degree in education online?
An online associate degree in education program takes about the same amount of time to complete as most other associate programs. With programs made up of 60 to 65 credits, expect to take about two years to graduate as a full-time student. As a self-paced learner, often the case with online students, you can complete your courses at a part-time pace and take three years.
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Are there any specialization options for associate degree education programs?
Besides education major coursework, an associate degree in education also requires you to complete general education requirements. Some online associate degree education programs offer two or more specialization tracks to students who want to further customize their education learning experience. Below are some of the potential education concentrations available.
- Administration
- Child Development
- Early Childhood Development
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Infant and Toddler
- Nature-Based Early Learning
- Physical Education
- Preschool
Demand and Salary Potential for Your Associate Degree in Education
The education field is projected to have respectable growth, which means there will continue to be a need for more teachers. Most teaching positions require a bachelor’s degree, but an associate degree in education is sufficient for many teaching support positions. Also, a significant demand for preschool teachers is expected, and most of these jobs only require an associate degree. The table below gives you an idea of the earnings and job growth potential for the education positions available to you after you earn your associate degree in education online.
| Career | Median Annual Earnings (2021) | Job Growth (2021-2031) |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Assistant | $29,360 | 5% |
| Preschool Teacher | $30,210 | 15% |
| Childcare Worker | $27,490 | 6% |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics