Early Childhood Education TexasTexas is home to one of the largest education systems in the United States, supporting 5 million students, over 1,200 public school districts and 340,000 teachers. As a national leader in the spheres of public and private education, one that has emerged as a leader in the Southwest, the Lone Star State has become a popular destination for teachers who want to be on the frontlines of educational innovation, and especially those who want to teach second-language learners, who comprise a rising percentage of the state’s K-12 student population.

With no less than twenty-six schools offering at least one online degree in early childhood education across the state, Texas houses some of the greatest online learning opportunities for early childhood education in the world. And due to the ever-increasing size of the education infrastructure in almost every state, earning a degree from a top-tier Texas university goes a long way toward establishing one’s credentials as a leader in the industry, and specifically the foundational field of early childhood education.

Requirements for Teaching Licensure
in Texas

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) issues teaching licenses contingent upon meeting five requirements.

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Online Education Program Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for online degree programs depend on the degree sought. Students applying for an online bachelor’s degree in early childhood education must have at least a high school diploma, GED, or 60 transferable credit hours from an accredited community college, preferably with an emphasis in education, in order qualify for admission to an undergraduate program. Students applying for an online master’s degree in early childhood education must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferably with a major in education or a related field in order to qualify for admission. Texas’s doctoral programs generally have the same requirements for admission as those for master’s degrees, albeit with the added requirement of a master’s degree to qualify. Most graduate programs in early childhood education require the GRE, although some may not.

Average Salaries
For Common Educator Roles in Texas

  • Preschool Teacher: $39,620
  • Elementary School Teacher: $59,790
  • Middle School Teacher: $59,800
  • Professor of Education: $76,250
  • School Principal: $90,440
  • Special Education Teacher: $61,040
  • High School Teacher: $61,210
  • School Psychologist: $75,440

Scholarships for Future Educators in the State of Texas

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood TEXAS Scholarship Program

A grant worth 90% of tuition and books for Associate’s degree programs and Bachelor’s degree programs at qualifying colleges and universities in Texas. Includes travel stipend and paid release.

TEACH Grant

A federal grant worth up to $4,000 per year for students who are currently completing or planning to complete a degree and teach in low-income areas or high-need subjects in the state of Texas.

Beginning Teacher Scholarship: Texas Retired Teachers Foundation

Provides a scholarship worth $750 to ten Texas residents who have completed their college education, are about the enter the classroom as professional educators for the first time, and need help paying for teaching licensure and classroom materials.

The 5 Best Online Education Degree
Providers in Texas

Texas has a total of 30 education degree-granting institutions that provide online education degrees. These range from community colleges offering associates in early childhood development or human services, to nationally ranked universities that offer a wide spread of masters level and education endorsement-level programming. While future students may want to go to the “best” online institution in their state for education degrees, they should take some to double check what exact degrees are offered by their institution of choice at the directory of all online education degrees at the bottom of the page. To select the following top five universities, we’ve looked at two factors: the number of fully online education degrees offered by an institution, and an “academic prestige” score. The academic prestige score takes into account metrics such as average amount of financial need received, average class sizes, admissions standards, and the percentage of faculty holding terminal degrees in their field. Also note that the tuition numbers below are just indicators of relatively how expensive or affordable a college is. The tuition numbers below, specifically, are the in-state (where applicable) undergraduate yearlong tuition rates for education degrees. Many universities, however, have similar tuition rates at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

1
Texas A&M University College Station
In-state Tuition: $20,375
Online Ed Degrees: 11
 

Founded in 1876, Texas A&M University is the only Texas institution of higher education to receive the distinction of being a land, sea, and space grant university. Located in College Station, A&M is home to one of the largest and topmost ranking schools of education in the nation.  The College of Education and Human Development places consistently among the Top 40 such schools in the nation.  They also offer many online degrees. As the state’s largest institution of higher learning, and one that consistently ranks among the Top 75 in the nation, Texas A&M enrolls greater than 74,000 students.  Over a quarter of these are graduate and professional students.

Texas A&M’s 11 online degree programs in education offer some of the best graduate degree programs in early childhood education in the United States. In addition to the more traditional master’s programs in Education, A&M’s Master of Science in Special Education is especially suited to students who want to start or advance careers in special and early childhood education.  A master’s degree in education is a great choice for students interested in becoming:

  • Behavior Coaches
  • School Counselors
  • Childhood Clinicians and Therapists

The M.Ed. or MS in Bilingual/ESL Education is sure to go a long way toward securing gainful employment as one of Texas’s high-demand second-language teachers. And of course, the doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction will undoubtedly increase both the job prospects and earning potential of early childhood educators who want to become leaders of their profession.

2
Texas Tech University
In-state Tuition: $6,956
Online Ed Degrees: 26
 

Established in 1923 as Texas Technological College, Texas Tech University is a public, research university located in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech is particularly known for being one of the largest institutions of higher learning in the state of Texas.  They also host one of the ten best public art collections in the United States. Texas Tech University also ranks consistently among the top 200 National Universities in the United States.  A growing portion of Tech students attend online classes and earn online degrees.

Texas Tech University’s 11 online degrees in education offer some of the best graduate programs in early childhood education the state of Texas. In addition to the traditional master’s degrees in Education, which include emphases in Special Education and Principal Certification, Texas Tech also offers a M.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education.  This program offers an excellent path to pursue administrative and leadership roles in the early childhood education arena that may involve counseling families with how to prepare food for and optimally parent their children.

Texas Tech also offers The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership or Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction for Teacher Education also offer unique opportunities for students who might like to pursue a terminal degree while teaching or working either full- or part-time. All of these options, and their attendant flexibilities, make Texas Tech University a perfect fit for busy working Texans who are looking to add another line to their educational résumés.

3
Stephen F Austin State University
In-state Tuition: $13,858
Online Ed Degrees: 12
 

Founded in 1921 as a teacher’s college, Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas. SFA is particularly known for being one of the largest independent public universities in the state of Texas.  It also serves as the headquarters for the Association of Business Communication and the home of the National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops, which discovered the potential of a cancer-fighting agent in 2011. Stephen F. Austin State University also ranks consistently among the top 100 Regional Universities in the western area of the United States.  A growing portion of SFA students attend online classes and earn online degrees.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s 12 online degrees in education offer some of the best graduate programs in early childhood education the state of Texas. In addition to the traditional master’s degrees in Education and Teaching, SFA offers a Master of Education in Educational Leadership with a Principal Certification.  This program offers an excellent path to pursue administrative and leadership roles in the early childhood education arena. The Master of Music in Music Education is another outstanding program available to students interested in sharing their love of music.  The Master of Education in Early Childhood Education also offer unique opportunities for students with a passion for teaching children from birth to age eight. All of these options, and their attendant flexibilities, make Stephen F. Austin State University a perfect fit for busy working Texans who are looking to add another line to their educational résumés.

4
University of St Thomas
In-state Tuition: $19,207
Online Ed Degrees: 5
 

Established in 1947, the University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive Catholic university located in Houston, Texas. It is particularly well-known for:

  • its forward-thinking Christian curriculum
  • being endorsed by the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College
  • its historical architecture

The University of St. Thomas is also one of only a few Catholic universities to rank among the Top 30 Best Universities in the western region of the United States.  A growing portion of University of St. Thomas students attend online classes and earn online degrees.

The University of St. Thomas’s five online degrees in education offer some of the best Catholic graduate programs in early childhood education the United States. Their master’s degree in education includes concentrations in areas like Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction.  St. Thomas University’s unique School Counselor Education program offers a highly specialized path to pursue a career as a school counselor.  All of these options, their Catholic influence, and their attendant flexibilities, make St. Thomas University a perfect fit for busy working students who want to build their resumes.  

5
Sam Houston State University
In-state Tuition: $13,632
Online Ed Degrees: 10
 

Founded in 1879 as a teacher’s college, Sam Houston State University is a public university located north of the City of Houston in Huntsville, Texas. Sam Houston State University is known for being the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas.  It also supports an online program that has ranked among the best in the nation. Sam Houston State University maintains one of the most popular education programs in the state, with education being the school’s most popular major.  Its College of Education program is well-known for its online graduate programs in Education.

Sam Houston State University’s 10 online degrees related to education range from the master’s level to the doctoral level, and they include but are not limited to a:

  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
  • Master of Education in School Leadership
  • Doctor of Education in Instructional Systems Design and Technology

In addition to these options, Sam Houston State University also offers highly specialized degrees such as the Master of Education in Literacy Instruction and Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership.  These programs are great for educators who want to take their career to the next level.  At less than $430 per credit hour for in-state graduate students, these degree programs are a best value for Texas residents.

 

Directory of Online Education Degree
Providers in Texas

Texas A&M University College StationCollege Station, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 11
Texas A M University College Station

TUITION

$20,375



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Bilingual/ESL Education 
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
  • Master of Education in Educational Psychology
  • Master of Education in Educational Administration
  • Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology
  • Master of Science in Special Education
  • Master of Science in Bilingual/ESL Education
  • Master of Science in Educational Human Resource Development
  • Master of Science in Special Education
  • Master of Science in Sport Management
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 26
Texas Tech University

TUITION

$17,896

 
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
  • Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Early Childhood Education
  • Bachelor of Science in Education
 
GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership 
  • Master of Art Education 
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language 
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction 
  • Master of Education in Educational Psychology 
  • Master of Education in Higher Education Administration 
  • Master of Education in Instructional Technology 
  • Master of Education in Language and Literacy Education 
  • Master of Education in Special Education 
  • Master of Science in Agricultural Education 
  • Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education
  • Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
  • Doctor of Education in Agricultural Education 
  • Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration 
  • Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology 
  • Doctor of Educational Psychology 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership Policy 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction (Concentration in Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education) 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction (Track in Language, Diversity and Literacy Studies) 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction (Track in STEM) 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Family and Consumer Science Education 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education- Higher Education Research 
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education 
Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 12
Stephen F Austin State University

TUITION

$13,858

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
  • Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies – EC-6 Teacher
  • Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies – Middle Level Grades 4-8 Teacher
  • Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies – Special Education Teacher
 
GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Certification Prep
  • Master of Music in Music Education
  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership – Principal Certification Preparation
  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership – Athletic Director
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Reading Specialist
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Early Childhood
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – K-12 Instructional Coach
  • Master of Education in Special Education
  • Master of Education in Teaching and Learning
Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 10
Sam Houston State University

TUITION

$13,632



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
  • Master of Education in Instructional Systems Design and Technology
  • Master of Education in Literacy Instruction
  • Master of Education in School Leadership
  • Master of Education in Special Education
  • Master of Education in Teaching and Learning
  • Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
  • Master of Library Science
  • Instructional Systems Design and Technology EdD
  • Higher Education Leadership, EdD
University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 8
The University of Texas at Arlington

TUITION

$14,262



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Literacy Studies
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Mathematics Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Science Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Open Option
  • Master of Education – Mind, Brain, and Education
  • Master of Education – Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
  • Master of Education – Special Education
  • PhD Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
University of St ThomasHouston, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 5
University of St Thomas

TUITION

$19,207



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
  • Master of Education in Instructional Technology
  • Master of Education in School Counselor Education
  • Doctor of Education
The University of Texas of the Permian BasinOdessa, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 6
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

TUITION

$10,370



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
  • Master of Arts in Bilingual/ESL Education
  • Master of Arts in Literacy
  • Master of Arts in Special Education
  • Master of Arts in Special Education – Autism Spectrum Disorders Track
  • Master of Arts in Special Education – Educational Diagnostician Track
University of North TexasDenton, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 13
University of North Texas

TUITION

$15,283



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education – Curriculum and Instruction
  • Master of Education – Educational Leadership
  • Master of Education – Higher Education – Education General Administration
  • Master of Education – Special Education – Autism Intervention
  • Master of Education – Special Education – Educational Diagnostician
  • Master of Education – Special Education – High Incidence Disabilities
  • Master of Education – Teaching – Elementary Education
  • Master of Education – Teaching – Middle School Education
  • Master of Education – Teaching – Secondary Education
  • Master of Science – Early Childhood Education
  • Master of Science – Educational Psychology – Gifted and Talented
  • Master of Science – Educational Psychology – Learning and Development
  • Master of Science – Educational Psychology – Research and Evaluation
Angelo State UniversitySan Angelo, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 4
Angelo State University

TUITION

$12,838



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction
  • Master of Education in Student Development and Leadership in Higher Education 
  • Master of Science in Educational Leadership
  • EdD in Transformative Leadership
Concordia University TexasAustin, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 4
Concordia University Texas

TUITION

$24,761



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Instructional Leadership
  • Master of Education in Educational Technology and Innovation
  • Master of Education in Education Administration
  • Master of Education in Coaching and Sports Administration
Dallas CollegeDallas, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 4
Dallas College Logo

TUITION

$2,743



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching Leading to Initial Texas Teacher Certification in Foreign Language, EC-12
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching Leading to Initial Texas Teacher Certification in Mathematics, 8-12
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching: 4-8, EC-12 Special Education
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching: EC-6
University of HoustonHouston, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 11
University of Houston

TUITION

$14,056



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Mathematics Education 
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Bilingual/ESL Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Early Childhood Education 
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Health Science Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Learning, Design, and Technology
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Reading, Language Arts, and Literature Education
  • Master of Education in Higher Education
  • Master of Education in Special Populations – Special Education
  • Master of Education in Special Populations – Gifted and Talented
  • Executive Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership – Literacy Education
  • Executive Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership – Social Studies/Social Education
University of Texas at TylerTyler, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 6
The University of Texas at Tyler

TUITION

$13,248



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Educational Technology 
  • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Instructional Coaching
  • Master of Education – Educational Leadership
  • Master of Education – Special Education with an Educational Diagnostician Certification
  • Doctor of Education in School Improvement
Texas A&M University Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 3
Texas A M University Corpus Christi

TUITION

$15,181


GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Science in Elementary Education
  • Master of Science in Instructional Design And Educational Technology
  • Master of Science in Secondary Education
Sul Ross State UniversityAlpine, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 3
Sul Ross State University

TUITION

$13,130



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education – Instructional Technology
  • Master of Education – Reading Specialist
  • Master of Education – Instructional Technology
Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 9
Lamar University

TUITION

$11,757



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education – Education Administration
  • Master of Education – Teacher Leadership
  • Master of Education – Educational Technology Leadership
  • Master of Education – Applied Digital Learning
  • Master of Education – Special Education Generalist
  • Master of Education – Special Education Educational Diagnostician
  • Master of Education – Teacher Leadership in ESP
  • Master of Education – Teacher Leadership in Gifted and Talented
  • Doctor of Education – Educational Leadership
Laredo CollegeLaredo, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 1
Laredo College Logo

TUITION

$6,225



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
  • Associate of Applied Science in Child Development
Angelina CollegeLufkin, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 1
Angelina College

TUITION

$8,035


UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching 
Northwest Vista CollegeSan Antonio, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 2
Northwest Vista College

TUITION

$5,841



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching Texas Teacher Certification – EC-6, 4-8, EC-12 Special Education 
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching Texas Teaching Certification – 7-12, Other EC-12
Abilene Christian UniversityAbilene, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 6
Abilene Christian University

TUITION

$28,978



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Higher Education – Academic Advising
  • Master of Education in Higher Education – Student Affairs Leadership
  • Master of Education in Higher Education – Enrollment Management
  • Master of Education in Instruction and Learning – Education and Teaching
  • Education Specialist in Organizational Leadership
  • Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership
Southwestern Adventist UniversityKeene, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 1
Southwestern Adventist University

TUITION

$20,028



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
  • Bachelor of Science in Education
University of the Incarnate WordSan Antonio, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 2
University of the Incarnate Word

TUITION

$20,832



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership
  • Master of Arts in Education
Lubbock Christian UniversityLubbock, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 1
Lubbock Christian University

TUITION

$23,551



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership
University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 18
University of Texas Rio Grande e1668554229889

TUITION

$8,105



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education – Biliteracy
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education – Dual Language
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education – ESL
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education – Educational Leadership
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education – Mexican American Studies
  • Master of Education in Reading and Literacy – Biliteracy
  • Master of Education in Reading and Literacy – English/Adolescent Literacy
  • Master of Education in Reading and Literacy – Digital Literacy
  • Master of Education in Reading and Literacy – Reading Specialist
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Bilingual Studies
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Early Childhood
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Educational Technology
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Curriculum and Pedagogical Generalist
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Higher Education Teaching
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Literacy
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Mathematics Education
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Science Education
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Special Education
Prairie View A&M UniversityPrairie View, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 1
Prairie View A M University

TUITION

$12,875



GRADUATE DEGREES
  • Master of Education – Education Administration
St Philips CollegeSan Antonio, TXOnline Ed Degrees: 1
St Philips College

TUITION

$7,219


UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood and Family Studies
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