Online degrees in education administration

The University of Iowa, College of Education Placement Office surveyed over 2,000 individuals who hire education administrators. In addition to professional skills such as communication, leadership, management, organization, and professional knowledge, they cited the following personal characteristics for successful administrative candidates:

• Positive, honest, ethical character
• Good work ethic, with a commitment to excellence in education
• Initiative, vision and a strong commitment to education
• Knowledge of teaching best practices

A master's or doctoral degree is generally required for education administration positions. Exceptions include preschool and daycare centers and private schools, which may only require a bachelor's degree. Some top college and university positions may also require a Doctor of Education (PhD or Ed.D.) degree. The three most common degree paths for education administration include:

• Master of Education (MAE.d. or ME.d.), which is required by some states for a professional license. In most states professionals need a ME.d. to be a principal or a school counselor. ME.d. degrees can include specializations in curriculum and instruction, counseling and administration.
• Education Specialist (Ed.S.), which is for administrators who want to expand their knowledge beyond a master's degree, but not pursue a doctoral degree.
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), which is generally considered to be the equivalent of a PhD, prepares the administrator for academic, administrative, clinical and research positions in education.

Because the road to an education administration position can be progressive--candidates often move from teachers to assistant principals to principals, for example--obtaining an associate degree and then a bachelor's degree in education may be the logical place to start.

Online degrees in education administration provide significant benefits by allowing students to continue full or part-time work while they learn, and to work with and understand the new technologies that are changing how students learn.

By 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that assistant principals in elementary and secondary schools will account for more than half of all education administrators at 52 percent, and administrators at colleges and universities will hold 26 percent of all positions nationwide.

BLS mean annual salaries in 2010 for education administrators include:

• Preschool and childcare centers: $50,410
• Elementary & secondary school: $89,990
• Post-secondary: $96,680
• Other: $81,870

"We must act as if our institutions are ours to create, our learning is ours to define, the leadership we seek is ours to become," says Peter Block, author and learning consultant. Education administrators are uniquely positioned to be the leaders who define and implement higher education standards.

• Employment: Projected employment for education administrators in 2018: 482,500
• Growth: Employment growth (2008-18) is 8 percent, but retirements promise excellent opportunities for those who enter the field.
• Education: A graduate degree is required for most positions in education administration