Top Child Development Degree Programs

You can devote your career to helping families and children succeed. A child development degree may be your ticket to a life spent in education, healthcare, social work, or counseling.

This four-year undergraduate degree includes an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines psychology with health, education, and leadership. With this major, you could work in a preschool, hospital, government office, or community service setting.

Child development experts work with some of society’s most vulnerable members — bringing quality services to families and children in various settings. If you envision a career in child development, explore this guide for more information about the top child development degrees, what courses you’ll take, and which jobs you can pursue.

An undergraduate program in child development typically requires a general education core, an array of courses in the major, and a selection of electives. Standard child development courses include:

With a bachelor’s degree in child development, you can empower parents and children to succeed in school, relationships, and society. You might own a childcare center, serve as a teacher in a public elementary school, or work with a state social services department.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 512,300 people worked as preschool teachers in 2022. Many others serve as adoption case managers, religious education directors, or daycare center supervisors. Each of these professionals can change the lives of children and, through them, shape the world of the future.

If you are drawn to this field, you should have an inquisitive nature, love interacting with children, and enjoy exercising your creativity and patience. This interdisciplinary program could prepare you for a preschool leadership, social work, or nonprofit management career.

Alternatively, you could use your undergraduate degree as the foundation for a master’s program in teaching, counseling, or direct-entry nursing or another related discipline.

Although a child development degree does not usually meet the requirements for a K-12 teaching license, this degree can serve as the academic foundation for many rewarding and well-paying careers.

Once you are established in a child development role, you might consider earning a graduate degree as a path to a research, education, or postsecondary teaching career.

Other benefits of a child development degree include:

Child development graduates may work in educational, therapeutic, healthcare, or community service settings. The following careers are some of the options available:

If you want to explore child development without committing to a four-year degree, you may like to consider an associate program. However, if you already hold a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree or doctorate in the field may be more appropriate.

An associate degree in child development is a two-year undergraduate program that can prepare you for a bachelor’s degree or an entry-level career in the field. The curriculum can equip you with skills in planning lessons, fostering relationships, and creating diverse and welcoming learning environments.

This degree could serve as the gateway to an array of careers in education, healthcare, counseling, research, social work, or public policy. However, most top-paying jobs require considerable education beyond the associate level.

As of August 2022, Payscale reports that people with an associate in child development earned an average of $55,000 annually.

An online MA or M.Ed. in child development can equip you to explore and analyze research, lead existing programs, and improve initiatives designed to empower children from infants to age 18.

This degree often takes two years and generally requires 33-36 credits in behavioral health, educational leadership, and community service administration. To finish the program, you may write a thesis or complete a practice-oriented capstone project.

An Ed.D. or Ph.D. builds on a master’s degree in child development or early childhood education. This 3-5 year degree equips you with advanced skills in statistics, qualitative analysis, and research methodology. You will also study child development theory and developmental psychology across childhood and adolescence.

A doctorate can prepare you for a career as a researcher, postsecondary teacher, or organizational executive. As of January 2024, Payscale reports that people with an Ed.D. earned an average of $88,000 annually.

Choosing the right child development program requires more than considering your qualifications and the school’s price. Make sure to look at these other critical factors when making your selection:

Only consider institutionally accredited schools with regional accreditation from an agency such as the Higher Learning Commission or the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Check your target school’s accreditation status before applying.

Some universities may also hold programmatic accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. While this could indicate the institution’s commitment to its child development major, it is not essential.

Diverse faculty perspectives can improve your critical thinking skills and enhance your ability to provide a welcoming environment for all students.

Local schools may give you access to area employers or on-campus recruiting events.

Ask your admissions counselor how many of their school’s childhood development majors hold full-time jobs in the field within six months of graduation.

A master’s degree or doctorate can boost your career in this field. Does your prospective school offer a four-plus-one program or another on-ramp to graduate education?

Depending on your focus and degree level, you may learn about pediatric neurology, language development, assessments, and intervention strategies. Your coursework may cover education, psychology, social service, healthcare, communication, and public policy.

You should aim for the degree you qualify to earn. For instance, if you hold a high school diploma or associate degree in a related field, pursue a bachelor’s degree. If you already have a four-year degree, consider applying for a master’s degree or doctorate.

Each school sets its own admissions standards. However, you typically need a GED certificate, high school diploma, or its homeschool equivalent. You may also need to meet minimum GPA standards, and some schools expect you to have completed a college preparatory curriculum.

The NCES reports that the average annual cost of a bachelor’s degree in education is $13,109. However, tuition varies widely from school to school. Typically, public universities charge less than private institutions, but that’s not always the case. Be sure to explore several possible schools and financial aid options.

According to the BLS, an occupational therapist earned a median annual salary of $93,180 in 2022. Becoming a pediatric occupational therapist requires earning a qualifying master’s degree or doctorate in occupational therapy and passing all state licensure requirements.

The highest paying job for someone with a bachelor’s in child development may be a special education teacher, which brings in a median annual salary of $62,950. In addition to earning your degree, you must meet all state licensure requirements to pursue this career.

Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by Accredited Schools Online. Page last reviewed March 15, 2024.