Texas is home to one of the largest education systems in the United States, supporting 5 million students, over 1,000 public school districts and 320,000 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.

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With no less than thirty 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. These five teaching requirements are as follows:

  • Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree: Earn at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university that is recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Health Science Technology and Trades & Industrial Education certificates are exempt from this requirement.
  • Complete an Educator Preparation Program: Complete an approved educator preparation program. Those who hold degrees can participate in an alternative certification program. All accredited Texas schools that offer degrees in early childhood education offer some form of educator preparation.
  • Pass Certification Exams: Take and pass teacher certification exams in early childhood (EC) education.Exams are organized according to subject area and grade level and require approval before testing.
  • Submit a State Application: Apply to be certified after earning degree, completing educator preparation, and passing exams in early childhood education. Verify eligibility for certification with preparation program prior to submitting application.
  • Complete Fingerprinting:Submit fingerprints for criminal background check.

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 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: $27,699
  • Elementary School Teacher: $50,966
  • Public School Teacher: $49,628
  • Professor of Education: $82,797
  • School Principal: $91,641
  • Special Education Teacher: $47,955
  • Math or Science Teacher: $53,143
  • ESL Teacher: $50,617
  • School Psychologist: $59,440

Scholarships for Future Educators in the State of Texas

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood TEXAS Project

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 scholarship 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, sre 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

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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: $10176
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 one of the largest and topmost ranking schools of education in the nation, the College of Education and Human Development, which places consistently among the Top 40 such schools in the nation and supports online programs for many of its 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 60,000 students, over a quarter of which 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, which might lead to advanced careers as Behavior Coaches, School Counselors, and Childhood Clinicians and Therapists. The M.Ed. or MS in Bilingual 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 education program’s two doctoral programs 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: $10622
Online Ed Degrees: 11

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, as well as for hosting 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, and 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’s M.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education 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. 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: $9342
Online Ed Degrees: 9

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, as well as for serving 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, and a growing portion of SFA students attend online classes and earn online degrees.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s 9 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, which include emphases and certifications in Early Childhood – 12th Grade and Special Education, Stephen F. Austin’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership with a Principal Certification offers an excellent path to pursue administrative and leadership roles in the early childhood education arena. The Master of Music in Music Education and the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education also offer unique opportunities for students who might like to teach music and a thorough preparation for teaching children from birth to age eight while also teaching or working either full- or part-time. 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: $31520
Online Ed Degrees: 6

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, for being endorsed by the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, and for 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, and a growing portion of University of St. Thomas students attend online classes and earn online degrees.

The University of St. Thomas’s 6 online degrees in education offer some of the best Catholic graduate programs in early childhood education the United States. In addition to the traditional master’s degrees in Education, which include emphases in Special Education and Dual Language Instruction, St. Thomas University’s unique Special Education programs in Early Childhood Special Education, Learning Disabilities, and Autism Spectrum Disorders offer highly specialized paths to pursue more administrative and leadership roles in teaching and caring for children with special educational needs. The master’s degrees in Curriculum and Instruction or Educational Leadership also offer great opportunities to train for leadership roles in a setting conducive to early childhood education. All of these options, their Catholic influence, and their attendant flexibilities, make St. Thomas University a perfect fit for busy working Texas Catholics who are looking to add another line to their educational résumés.

5
Sam Houston State University
In-state Tuition: $9395
Online Ed Degrees: 9

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, as well as for supporting 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, and its College of Education program is well-known for its online graduate programs in Education.

Sam Houston State University’s 9 online degrees related to early childhood 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, a Master of Education in Reading and Language Arts, as well as a Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology. In addition to these options, Sam Houston State University also offers highly specialized degrees such as the Master of Education in International Literacy and Doctor of Education in Developmental Education Administration, ideal programs for prospective school administrators who want to teach English as a second language abroad in an early childhood educational setting or develop and administer programs for underprepared students of math, reading, or writing. 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 at Galveston Galveston, TX Online Ed Degrees: 14
Texas A M University Galveston

TUITION

$4516



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Science in Health Education
  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction (Elementary Education)
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction (Generalist)
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction (Tesol)
  • Master of Education in Educational Psychology – Learning Sciences (Cognition, Creativity, Instruction And Development)
  • Master of Education in Educational Technology
  • Master of Education in Public School Administration
  • Master of Education in School Counseling
  • Master of Education in Special Education
  • Master of Science in Bilingual Education
  • Master of Science in Special Education
  • Doctor of Education in Agricultural Education
  • Doctor of Education in Curriculum And Instruction
Texas A&M University College Statoin College Station, TX Online Ed Degrees: 11
Texas A M University College Station

TUITION

$10176



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Bilingual Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction (Elementary Education)
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction (Generalist)
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction (Tesol)
  • Master of Education in Educational Psychology – Learning Sciences
  • Master of Education in Public School Administration
  • Master of Science in Bilingual Education
  • Master of Science in Health Education
  • Master of Science in Special Education
  • Ed.D. Agricultural Education (Doc@Distance)Executive
  • Doctor of Eduction in Curriculum And Instruction
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Online Ed Degrees: 11
Texas Tech University

TUITION

$10622



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership & Principal Professional Certification Preparation
  • Master of Art Education
  • Master of Education in Instructional Technology
  • 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
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum And Instruction (Concentration in Curriculum Studies And Teacher Education)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum And Instruction (Specialization in Science Education)
Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX Online Ed Degrees: 9
Stephen F Austin State University

TUITION

$9342



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Music in Music Education
  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership – Principal Certification
  • Master of Arts in Teaching – Ec-12 And 7-12 Teacher Certification
  • Master of Arts in Teaching With Ec-12 And 7-12 Teaching Certification
  • Master of Education – All-Level Professional Reading Certification
  • Master of Education – Early Childhood
  • Master of Education in Special Education
  • Master of Education, Content Emphasis
  • Master of Education, Standard Elementary Program
Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX Online Ed Degrees: 9
Texas A M University Galveston

TUITION

$9395



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • M.Ed.Curriculum and Instruction
  • M.A.Curriculum and Instruction
  • M.Ed.Curriculum and Instruction
  • M.Ed. w/ CertificationHigher Education Administration
  • M.A.Instructional Technology
  • M.Ed.International Literacy
  • M.Ed.Reading / Language Arts
  • Developmental Education Administration, Ed.D.
  • Ed.D.Instructional Technology
University of Texas At Arlington Arlington, TX Online Ed Degrees: 8
The University of Texas at Arlington

TUITION

$9616



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Bachelor of Arts in Child And Family Studies – Learning And Development Track (Ba-Chld)

GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Arts in Education – Educational Leadership, Principal Certification
  • Master of Arts in Education – Special Education
  • Master of Arts in Education – Special Education, Autism And Developmental Disabilities in Early Childhood
  • Master of Education – Instructional Specialist, Bilingual Education Or Early Childhood Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction – Digital Literacy
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction – Literacy Studies
  • Master of Education in Educational Technology
University of St Thomas Houston, TX Online Ed Degrees: 6
University of St Thomas

TUITION

$31520



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership
  • Master of Education
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction
  • Master of Education in Dual Language Instruction
  • Master of Education in Generalist
  • Master of Education in Special Education
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock, Texas Online Ed Degrees: 6
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

TUITION

$10022



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Instructional Technology
  • 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 Agricultural Education
  • Doctor of Education in Higher Education
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa, TX Online Ed Degrees: 5
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

TUITION

$6852



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
  • Master of Arts in Bilingual Esl Education
  • Master of Arts in Special Education
  • Master of Arts in Special Education, Autism, Developmental Disabilities in Early Childhood
  • Master of Arts in English as a Second Language
University of North Texas Denton, TX Online Ed Degrees: 5
University of North Texas

TUITION

$10519



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Science in Learning Technologies
  • Master of Science in Educational Psychology (Emphasis in Gifted & Talented Students)
  • Master of Science, Instructional Design And Systems Technology
  • Master of Science, Teaching And Learning With Technology
  • Masters of Education in Special Education (Emphasis in Autism Intervention)
Angelo State University San Angelo, TX Online Ed Degrees: 4
Angelo State University

TUITION

$8038



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Arts in Curriculum And Instruction, Advanced Instructor (M.A.)
  • Master of Arts in Curriculum And Instruction, Texas Teacher Certification (M.A.)
  • Master of Education in Educational Administration (M.Ed.)
  • Master of Education in Guidance And Counseling (M.Ed.)
Concordia University Texas Austin, TX Online Ed Degrees: 4
Concordia University Texas

TUITION

$28160



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Advanced Literacy Instruction
  • Master of Education in Differentiated Instruction
  • Master of Education in Education Administration
  • Master of Education in Sports Administration
Mountain View College Dallas, TX Online Ed Degrees: 4
Mountain View College

TUITION

$1665



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 Houston Houston, TX Online Ed Degrees: 3
University of Houston

TUITION

$10710



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Administration And Supervision – Higher Education (M.Ed.)
  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction – Mathematics Education (M.Ed.)
  • Master of Education in Special Education (M.Ed.)
University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, TX Online Ed Degrees: 3
The University of Texas at Tyler

TUITION

$7321



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Curriculum And Instruction
  • Master of Education in Educational Administration With Principal Certification
  • Master of Education in Reading
Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, TX Online Ed Degrees: 3
Texas A M University Corpus Christi

TUITION

$9106


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 University Alpine, TX Online Ed Degrees: 2
Sul Ross State University

TUITION

$7211



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education – School Leadership Program W/ Principal Certification
  • Master of Education Reading Specialist
Lamar University Beaumont, TX Online Ed Degrees: 2
Lamar University

TUITION

$9901



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Education Technology Leadership
  • Master of Education in Teacher Leadership
Laredo Community College Laredo, TX Online Ed Degrees: 2
Laredo Community College

TUITION

$3300



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Associate of Arts in Education
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching – Education
Angelina College Lufkin, TX Online Ed Degrees: 2
Angelina College

TUITION

$4650


UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Associate of Arts in Education
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching in Education
Midland College Midland, TX Online Ed Degrees: 2
Midland College

TUITION

$2970



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Associate of Arts in Education
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching in Education
Northwest Vista College San Antonio, TX Online Ed Degrees: 2
Northwest Vista College

TUITION

$2088



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Associate of Arts in Teaching – 8-12 And Other Ec-12
  • Associate of Arts in Teaching – Ec-6, 4-8, And Ec-12
Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
Abilene Christian University

TUITION

$32070



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Higher Education
Southwestern Adventist University Keene, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
Southwestern Adventist University

TUITION

$19916



UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
University of the Incarnate Word

TUITION

$28898



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership
Lubbock Christian University Lubbock, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
Lubbock Christian University

TUITION

$21166



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Educational Leadership
University of Texas Pan American Edinburg, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
The University of Texas Pan American

TUITION

$7292



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Education in Special Education
Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
Prairie View A M University

TUITION

$9745



GRADUATE DEGREES

  • Master of Educational Leadership And Counseling
St Philips College San Antonio, TX Online Ed Degrees: 1
St Philips College

TUITION

$5550


UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

  • Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood and Family Studies