Best Online Doctorate in Education Programs

A doctorate in education (Ed.D.) is one of two doctoral degrees you can pursue as a scholar in the education field. The Ed.D. is typically practice-oriented and can qualify you for top-ranking roles in teaching and education administration. In contrast, the traditional doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in education maintains a stronger theoretical and research focus, usually preparing graduates for academia.

Educational institutions will continue to play an important role in the knowledge and information economies of the future. An Ed.D. degree can help you make a positive impact on school environments from the pre-K to postsecondary levels.

This overview explains key features of Ed.D. degrees, differentiating them from Ph.D. programs in education and other postgraduate credentials like education specialist (Ed.S.). It also offers a ranked list of this year’s best online Ed.D. programs, which you can use to help inform your search for the ideal learning opportunity.

To ensure employers and reputable educational institutions recognize your degree, you must earn your Ed.D. from an accredited school. You can research schools’ accreditation status through the U.S. Department of Education. For information about online learning-specific accreditation, consult this resource.

Some Ed.D. programs hold optional programmatic accreditation credentials. These endorsements can signal program quality or adherence to professional development objectives.

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes two main specialized accreditors of Ed.D. programs: the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Look for programs with endorsement from these groups if programmatic accreditation matters to you.

The best online Ed.D. programs typically require about 46-54 credits and 3-4 years of study. Because these degrees tend to attract working educators, schools often prioritize flexibility in their online Ed.D. programs with synchronous evening courses, asynchronous classes, and part-time enrollment options.

Given their practice-based focus, Ed.D. programs often involve both academic and experiential components. Academic requirements usually include core courses that build essential professional competencies alongside electives that offer degree customization opportunities. You may also need to complete a capstone project or develop, write, and defend a doctoral dissertation to complete your degree.

Experiential requirements typically include field placements in institutional or research settings. Even distance learners must usually complete these components in person. Many online Ed.D. programs also include periodic campus residencies designed to enrich your learning experience, provide networking opportunities, and facilitate face-to-face knowledge transfer.

To qualify for admission to the best online Ed.D. programs, you often need a master’s degree in education or other relevant field that demonstrates a minimum 3.0 GPA. Though standardized test scores from exams like the GRE were once commonplace, fewer schools now require applicants to submit them. Other application materials often include:

Professional experience in teaching, curriculum development, or education administration may strengthen your application.

As you explore degree options, it’s important to understand how Ed.D. programs differ from other advanced education credentials.

An Ed.D. is a professional doctorate intended for education practitioners aspiring to leadership roles. Meanwhile, Ph.D. programs are academically oriented, emphasizing theory and research. Finally, an Ed.S. is an advanced postgraduate degree teachers pursue that builds advanced skills in a targeted practice area.

Next, explore your Ed.D. specialization options. Many schools offer concentrations in focused areas, such as:

Depending on your goals, a concentrated Ed.D. may match your career plans more closely than a generalist program.

Ed.D. curricula vary according to factors like the program’s philosophical focus and your chosen specialization or concentration. Still, many of the best online Ed.D. programs cover similar topics, offering classes like the following:

According to limited data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), graduate students in education programs at schools offering fully online instruction paid an annual average of $5,187 in tuition and fees in 2020.

Costs vary based on a variety of factors. Prestigious institutions often charge higher tuition, and private schools are generally more expensive than public colleges and universities. Your state residency can also impact tuition at public schools, as some institutions charge out-of-state fees to learners in other jurisdictions, while some online programs offer the same tuition to all enrollees regardless of state residency.

Schools may offer their doctoral students stipends, teaching assistant positions, and other sources of direct financial support. While some such programs limit these options to on-campus enrollees, you may still qualify for funding opportunities as an online learner.

If you need traditional financial aid to meet your schooling costs, look into funding sources that do not require repayment. Beyond any financial assistance programs your school may offer to doctoral students, consider external scholarships, fellowships, and grants.

Federal and private loans are also available for graduate-level programs. However, they create debt, so consider them only as a last resort.

Many Ed.D. degree-holders work in K-12 school systems or higher education. However, these are not the only available career paths. For example, Ed.D. graduates can pursue corporate roles like chief learning officer — a role with average salary of $156,340 per year according to Payscale data from August 2023 — or training and development manager, which the BLS reports offered a $120,000 median salary in 2022.

Even jobs in non-corporate settings offer higher-than-average wages: 2022 BLS data also reveals that K-12 school administrators earned a median salary of $103,460.

Payscale reported the overall average base salary of a working professional with an Ed.D. degree is $88,000 per year as of January 2024. However, your actual earning potential will vary depending on your job title and employment location.

The following table explores data for career tracks open to workers with Ed.D. degrees:

You can also work as a classroom teacher with an Ed.D. degree if you hold teaching licensure. The following link offers state-specific teacher licensing information:

Consulting an authoritative ranking is a great way to start your search for the best online Ed.D. programs. However, you should also consider additional factors before making an educational decision. Some of the specifics you may want to evaluate include:

Assess these and other relevant program features alongside key considerations like program costs, school reputation, and faculty credentials.

Because an Ed.D. is a doctoral degree, graduates can use the “doctor” designation. Some professionals with Ed.D. degrees use this title, while others do not.

An Ed.D. can help you qualify for careers that pay higher-than-average wages, including jobs like chief learning officer, school administrator, and training and development manager. This earning potential can signify a positive return on investment for the degree.

NCES data found that just 11% of K-12 public school principals and 9% of private school principals held doctoral degrees in the 2020-21 school year, so holding an Ed.D. credential can also help you stand out in the job market.

Online Ed.D. programs typically take 3-4 years. However, many factors can impact your graduation timeline. For instance, you can graduate faster if you study full time or if you enroll in courses during summer sessions.

Ed.D. and Ph.D. credentials both convey expertise. The main difference between these doctoral degrees is their focus: Ed.D. programs are intended for professional practitioners, while Ph.D. degrees are more oriented toward research and theory.

If you aspire to a frontline, leadership-oriented position as an educator, an Ed.D. may be a better match for you. Conversely, a Ph.D. can better suit your goals if you want to work in education research or academia.

Each school maintains its own admission policies. Many Ed.D. programs prefer or require applicants with master’s degrees in education, but some consider candidates from other academic backgrounds. For instance, an education-focused master’s degree in psychology may serve as a viable substitute. In other cases, you may not specifically need a master’s in education if you hold a bachelor’s in education and have teaching experience.