Early childhood education focuses on the early care and education for children from birth to age eight years. It involves the use of various techniques and instructional skills to encourage and stimulate growth and development through to the next stage.

Getting an Early Childhood Education degree online will prepare you to meet the specific challenges in the education of young children. If you have a genuine love and passion for working with young children and are looking to enter into the field, an Associate’s degree in early childhood education will provide you with a well-rounded education in early childhood and field experience.


The program also provides a great opportunity for unlicensed substitute teachers and childcare workers to obtain the additional knowledge and training needed to upgrade their skills. The program focuses on core online courses and topics that teach the principles of educational practice and theory with an integration of teaching skills. Some of the courses covered include childhood education, educational development, nutrition, health and special-needs-care.


The program takes one to two years to complete. Successful completion of the online Associate degree in early childhood education opens the door to a four-year degree program that allows for more advanced and specialized studies within the field.


An Online Early Childhood Education Degree pursued at the Masters or PhD levels will see students focusing on specialized content, knowledge and training that will qualify them for administrative and leadership positions within the field.

Employment Outlook for Childcare Professionals

Graduates of an advanced degree program in Early Childhood Education will have the appropriate qualifications needed to seek licensure within the state they wish to work. They can then pursue various employment opportunities in pre-school childcare centers, day-care centers, recreational centers, kindergartens or other agencies that specialize in childcare. They can also work as a teacher or teacher’s assistant at the elementary or secondary level.

Schools that provide an Online Degree in Early Childhood Education

Western Governors University (BA in Early Childhood Education)

Northern Maine Community College (Associate in Early Childhood Ed)

Penn Foster College

Capella University

Rasmussen College

Salary Range for Childcare Professionals

The median salary for childcare professionals working in a kindergarten, elementary or secondary school is around $25,000- $33,748 per year. A daycare teacher can earn up to $24,165 per year, while a director of a preschool can earn up to $33,458 per year.

Special education entails using individualized and systematically monitored teaching procedures, adapted materials and techniques and other interventions designed to provide additional services and support to help learners with special needs achieve their particular educational goals. The nature of this field will require specially trained educators to help these students learn and the ability to identify their special needs whether physical, social or educational.

Requirements to Become Online Special Education Teacher

To become a special education teacher, students must complete a degree program in special education along a with a teacher education certificate.

Online Bachelor Degrees in Special Education

A Bachelor degree program in special education typically takes four years to complete and will require a high school diploma or GED. The program provides teaching in general education that includes online courses in foundations of teaching, interdisciplinary studies, effective teaching practices for special education and instructional teaching. Students will undergo supervised practice teaching (in a special school for students with disabilities) and completion of a professional portfolio. Students who successfully complete the program will have acquired the effective teaching skills needed to teach learners with mild to moderate disabilities. The program leads to licensure in special education.

Master’s Degree in Special Education

The Master of education degree in special education caters specifically to special education teachers with teacher certification who wish to advance their studies in the field of special education. Participants of the Masters in special education degree program will acquire specialized training and in-depth instructional courses from experienced professionals within their respected fields. These courses will cover areas of learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional and physical disabilities. Participants must have access to a class of children with special needs so they may be able to complete all programmed assignments given during the course.

Employment Outlook for Special Education Teachers

Special educators can obtain employment in public and private school systems, counseling centers, mental facilities, military, private learning centers and places of safety. The type of job offers received will depend on your level of qualification and area of specialization.

Schools that offer Special Education Degrees Online

Capella University
Ellis University Online
Western Governors University
Walden University Online

Salary Range for Special Education Teachers

The salary for special education teachers varies widely depending on the level of training and experience, area of specialization and source of employment. Special education teachers working in a preschool, kindergarten or elementary schools can earn up to $45,000 per year. Those teaching in private institutions or corporations can earn over $60,000 per year, PhD holders within the field can earn up $100,000 per year.

An online K-12 education degree program teaches the fundamentals of class instruction in four areas: early childhood, elementary, middle school and high school. A degree in this field allows you to choose the subject area and grade level you wish to teach. K-12 teachers utilize a variety of instructional techniques and materials to communicate ideas. Most online institutions offer a broad selection of degrees and certification to K-12 educators. The amount of training you require will depend on your level of education, experience and desired area of specialty.

Getting an online K-12 education degree will allow you to acquire the specialized training needed for advancement opportunities in your current career while continuing to work in your present job. These programs are also beneficial to those seeking a career change.

K-12 Education Degree Programs Online

Associate Degrees in K-12 Education

An Associate Degree in K-12 education is typically a two-year academic program that prepares you for a career as a support staffer or teacher assistant in areas of early childhood education, child development or daycare work. Courses covered will include topics in classroom management and lesson planning.

Bachelor Degrees in K-12 Education

Bachelor degree programs in K-12 education will vary depending on the subject area and grade level you wish to teach but they include general courses in child development, education techniques and classroom management. Students who successfully complete a Bachelor’s degree in K-12 education will have the appropriate qualifications to teach in public and private schools at the preschool, middle school or high school levels. A Bachelor’s degree in education is also the required qualification needed to obtain licensure in the state you wish to teach. It also keeps you on track for a graduate degree program that can qualify you for a department head or administrator position within the field.

Masters in K-12 Education

Masters of Education degree programs provide specific training to K-12 educators depending on the grade level or subject area they wish to specialize in. These programs cover a wide range of courses in areas such as school administration, advanced classroom instruction, educational leadership, elementary reading and literacy and middle level education. They also allow for concentration in mathematics, science or education administration such as counseling, educational technology or curriculum design.

Top Schools that provide Online Degrees in K-12 Education

• Capella University
• Jones International University Online
• Western Governors University

Salary Range for K-12 Educators

Salaries for K-12 educators with an advanced degree will vary depending on the level of training, experience, position and employer. The average salary for elementary, middle and secondary school teachers is around $52,000 per year. An administrator in a senior position can earn an average $75,000 to $120,000 per year.