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65 Education Statistics for 2025

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Understanding education statistics provides valuable insight into the trends shaping education degrees, programs, and career opportunities. These data points highlight the demographics, costs, and outcomes associated with education, offering a comprehensive look at the field’s current landscape. By exploring these statistics, we can better understand the factors influencing educators, students, and institutions in 2025.

77% of public school teachers were female, while 23% were male

Gender Disparity in Public School Teaching

In the 2020–21 school year, 77% of public school teachers were female, while 23% were male. This statistic underscores the continuing gender disparity in the teaching profession, reflecting both historical trends and societal influences on career choices. 6

Fast Facts about Teachers and Teaching Degrees

  1. In the U.S., fewer people are earning bachelor’s degrees in Education than in previous decades.1 
  2. More than three-quarters of U.S. states are experiencing a teacher shortage.13 
  3. 82,621 people earned their Bachelor’s degree in education in 2021.15
  4. 77% of public school teachers were female, and 23% were male in 2020–21. 6
  5. On average, teachers work 53.3 hours a week teaching and doing school-related work. 9
  6. The average teacher will impact more than 3,000 students throughout the course of their career. 8
  7. The U.S. had around 36,500 teacher vacancies at the start of the 2022-23 school year. 8
  8. Elementary and secondary public school teachers in the United States are considerably less racially and ethnically diverse as a group than their students. 7
  9. During the 2017-18 school year, 15% of all U.S. public school teachers were under the age of 30. 1
Teacher in classroom engaging with students

Education Degrees 

This section dives into key statistics about education degrees and their impact. From the costs of education programs and the most popular majors to demographic breakdowns by race and ethnicity, this section paints a detailed picture of the field. You’ll also discover trends in employment, earnings, and how degrees align with various education-related occupations. These statistics highlight the diverse paths and opportunities available for education degree holders.

Education Programs and Costs

  1. 830 U.S. colleges offer Education programs and its subprograms. 3
  2. 336 colleges have Education BS degree programs, and 517 graduate schools have the program in graduate levels. 3
  3. 51 colleges and vocational schools have the Education program and 163 schools have post-graduate certificate programs. 3
  4. The 2023 average undergraduate tuition of the Education programs is $10,598 for state residents and $34,720 for out-of-state students. 3
  5. The average graduate program tuition is $20,595 for state residents and $34,720 for out-of-state students. 3
  6. For vocational programs (certificate programs), the 2023 average tuition is $7,694, and the average program length is 8.75 months. 3

Majors and Degrees Conferred

  1. All states require public high school teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree, which may be in education. 2
  2. All states require teachers in public schools to be licensed or certified in the specific grade level they will teach. 2
  3. 73% of students major in one of the following concentrations:
    1. General education
    2. Elementary education
    3. Special needs education
    4. Art and music education
    5. Physical and health education teaching 2
  4. 31% of education students majored in general education.2
  5. 26% of education students majored in elementary education. 2
  6. In 2019-20, colleges and universities conferred 85,057 bachelor’s degrees in education, about 4% of the more than 2 million total degrees issued that year. 1
  7. 6.4% of all U.S. graduates earned a degree in education. 16
  8. 17.8% of Master’s students earned their degree in education.16
  9. 6.9% of Doctoral students earned their doctorate in education.16

Education Demographics by Race or Ethnicity 

  1. In 2020–21, of all public school teachers,
    1. 80 percent were White;
    2. 9 percent were Hispanic;
    3. 6 percent were Black;
    4. 2 percent were Asian;
    5. 2 percent were of Two or more races;
    6. Less than 1 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native,
    7. Less than one-half of 1 percent were Pacific Islander. 4
  2. Just over 80% of teachers in the U.S. identify as White, compared to only 46% of students as of 2021. 4
  3. 9% of teachers in the U.S. identify as Hispanic, compared to 28% of students. 4
  4. 6% of teachers in the U.S. identify as Black, compared to 15% of students. 4
Learning Theories Theories of Learning in Education in practice with school children running under a tarp

Fields and Occupations

  1. 80% of educators worked in one of the following occupational groups in 2019:
    1. Educational instruction and library occupations
    2. Management occupations
    3. Office and administrative support occupations
    4. Sales and related occupations
    5. Community and social service occupations 2
  2. 55% of workers worked in educational instruction and library occupations in 2019. 2
  3. 94% of public school teachers reported that they had received professional development or training during the 2017-2018 school year. 14

Earnings and Employment

  1. More than 5.5 million people were employed in education in 2019. 2
  2. 68% of people in education are employed in occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree. 2
  3. 48% of people employed in education have an advanced degree. 2
  4. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of public school teachers employed in the United States increased from 3.1 million to 3.2 million. 4
  5. The median annual wage for this group was $57,220 in May 2021, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $45,760. 5
  6. The median pay for high school teachers in 2021 was $61,820. 5
  7. The median pay for middle school teachers in 2021 was $61,320. 5
  8. The median pay for kindergarten and elementary school teachers in 2021 was $61,350. 5
  9. The median pay for postsecondary teachers in 2021 was $79,640. 5
  10. The median pay for special education teachers in 2021 was $61,820. 5
  11. The median pay for adult basic, secondary education, and ESL teachers in 2021 was $59,720. 5
  12. The median pay for career and technical education teachers in 2021 was $61,160. 5
  13. Employment for preschool teachers is projected to grow 15% in 2021-2031. 2
  14. Employment for postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 12% in 2021-2031. 2
  15. Employment for educational, guidance, and career counselors is projected to grow 10% in 2021-2031. 2
  16. Employment for short-term substitute teachers is projected to grow 8% in 2021-2031. 2
  17. About 929,900 openings each year, on average, are projected to come from growth and replacement needs. 2
woman smiling into camera with chalkboard behind her

Conclusion

Education statistics reveal the dynamic nature of this essential field. By examining trends in demographics, program costs, career outcomes, and more, we gain a clearer understanding of how education degrees shape opportunities and impact society. With this data, aspiring educators and professionals can make informed decisions as they pursue their goals in 2025 and beyond.

Sources

  1. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/09/27/a-dwindling-number-of-new-u-s-college-graduates-have-a-degree-in-education/
  2. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/education/education-field-of-degree.htm 
  3. https://www.univstats.com/area-of-study/education/education/ 
  4. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/
  5. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/home.htm
  6. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020103/index.asp
  7. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/clr/public-school-teachers 
  8. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-top-10-reasons-to-become-a-teacher/2017/07
  9. https://www.zippia.com/advice/teacher-statistics/
  10. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/product-files/A_Coming_Crisis_in_Teaching_REPORT.pdf
  11. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/how-bad-is-the-teacher-shortage-what-two-new-studies-say/2022/09
  12. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/high-school-teachers.htm 
  13. https://abcnews.go.com/US/amid-teacher-shortage-black-male-educators-point/story?id=93089624 
  14. https://pracownik.kul.pl/files/12439/public/3_David.pdf 
  15. https://educationdata.org/number-of-college-graduates
  16. https://www.prosperityforamerica.org/college-graduate-statistics/

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