Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Early childhood education instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an early childhood education instructor. Early childhood education instructors usually study early childhood education, psychology, or elementary education. 64% of early childhood education instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 345 real early childhood education instructor resumes to see exactly what early childhood education instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for early childhood education instructors are the San Diego State University and the San Diego State University.
There are also many online early childhood education instructor courses to help get the education required to be an early childhood education instructor.
What education do you need to become an early childhood education instructor?
What degree do you need to be an early childhood education instructor?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become an early childhood education instructor?
- Psychology, 14%
- Elementary Education, 12%
- Education, 10%
- Other Majors, 44%
Most common colleges for early childhood education instructors
| Early childhood education instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| San Diego State University | 10.29% |
| University of Phoenix | 10.29% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 7.35% |
| California State University - Fullerton | 5.88% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 5.88% |
Best majors for early childhood education instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early Childhood Education | 20.4% |
| 2 | Psychology | 14.4% |
| 3 | Elementary Education | 12.4% |
| 4 | Education | 10.0% |
| 5 | Human Development | 9.6% |
Best colleges for early childhood education instructors
The best colleges for early childhood education instructors are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An early childhood education instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for early childhood education instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become early childhood education instructors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
10. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
20 best online courses for early childhood education instructors
Advertising disclosure
1. Introduction to Early Childhood
This course is targeted toward individuals wishing to operate a family day care center, and it covers topics including the fundamentals of early childhood development; the importance of play and Developmentally Appropriate Practice; and the significance of building strong family-educator relationships and how to achieve them. Since a Family Policy Handbook is essential for anyone operating a family day care center, this course includes the development of one of three imperative sections of the...
2. Child Nutrition and Cooking
Eating patterns that begin in childhood affect health and well-being across the lifespan. The culture of eating has changed significantly in recent decades, especially in parts of the world where processed foods dominate our dietary intake. This course examines contemporary child nutrition and the impact of the individual decisions made by each family. The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are also discussed. Participants will learn what constitutes a healthy diet for children...
3. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education
Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...
4. Understanding The Impact of Trauma in Early Childhood
The Biological Impact of Early Childhood Trauma on Brain Development and Social-Emotional Functioning...
5. Child Care as a Business
This course is targeted toward individuals wishing to run a home-based child care center. It covers topics such as the fundamentals of an in-home childcare setting as a business; the importance of financial management of a child care center; the creation of a child care contract; and an exploration of how to set tuition rates. Since a Family Policy Handbook is essential for anyone operating a family day care center, this course includes the development of one of three imperative sections of the...
6. Critical Issues in Urban Education
Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...
7. INSPIRED BY REGGIO EMILIA: A New Beginning
Teaching Strategies for Early Childhood Education...
8. Fully Accredited Professional Child Psychology Diploma
Learn or Specialise Your Therapy in Child Psychology with this Fully Accredited Diploma Course...
9. Home-Based Child Care
This series of courses is intended to provide learners with the tools to develop and operate a home-based childcare center. Stages of child development, best practices to stimulate learning, important safety measures, and business fundamentals are introduced...
10. Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing
Everyday Parenting gives you access to a toolkit of behavior-change techniques that will make your typical day in the home easier as you develop the behaviors you would like to see in your child. The lessons provide step-by-step instructions and demonstrations to improve your course of action with both children and adolescents. Among many techniques, you will learn how even simple modifications to tone of voice and phrasing can lead to more compliance. The course will also shed light on many...
11. Montessori Math Course (Early Childhood and Elementary)
Step by step video presentations and pdf manuals and resources that will empower you as a Montessori teacher...
12. Fully Accredited Heal Your Inner Child Diploma Course
Easy & Effective Techniques To Heal Events From Childhood. Using The Tools Of Hypnosis To Set Yourself Free!...
13. Music Education for Teachers
In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...
14. Autism Awareness Course for Parents - Autism Training
Training Helps Parents Reduce Challenging Autism Behavior Learn to Understand & Manage Autism and Autistic Children...
15. Introduction to Child Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
Learn about child behaviour, parenting styles, relationships and socialising, cognitive development, counselling & more!...
16. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
17. Managing Difficult Meeting Participants
Dealing with Negativism and Other Difficult Behaviors of Meeting Participants...
18. Applied Behavioural Analysis(ABA): Application and therapy
# 1 rank Applied Behavioral Analysis(ABA)course. Step by step understanding and applications on ABA intervention...
19. TESOL Teacher Training: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
Putting Theory Into Practice in the ESL/EFL Classroom...
20. Intuitive Curriculum Development: Make it Easy to Understand
A Time-Tested and Research Based Approach To Making Difficult Concepts Easy To Understand...
Top 10 most affordable universities for early childhood education instructors
The most affordable schools for early childhood education instructors are Hunter College of the City University of New York, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for early childhood education instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for early childhood education instructors.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for early childhood education instructors
The hardest universities for early childhood education instructors to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for early childhood education instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for early childhood education instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for early childhood education instructors
The easiest schools for early childhood education instructors to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an early childhood education instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for early childhood education instructors.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
8. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
9. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
10. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
Average early childhood education instructor salary by education level
| Early childhood education instructor education level | Early childhood education instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $45,666 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,738 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,622 |
| Doctorate Degree | $49,055 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,420 |
Early childhood education instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
Search for early childhood education instructor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025