Ready to advance your educational career with an advanced degree, but not sure which one to complete? If you’re planning to go back to school for a Doctor of Education (EdD) or an Education Specialist (EdS) degree, it pays to know all the facts before starting your journey.
Both degrees can help qualify you for a great-paying career in the growing education sector, but there are significant differences between the two degree types. We’ll break down the differences between an EdD and EdS so you can make a well-informed decision to launch your educational career!
What Are EdD and EdS Degrees For?
EdD and EdS degrees are both completed after your master’s degree. An EdD focuses more on preparing students for advanced leadership positions versus teaching roles. EdD grads may qualify to work in either K-12 or post-secondary settings in leadership roles like a college Dean of Admissions.
In comparison, an EdS provides teachers with additional training in a specialized subject. EdS holders often choose to remain as teachers, but they have the potential to work as K-12 principals or superintendents, as well.
Picking Between an EdD or EdS Program
There are many things to consider when making a decision about which degree to complete. Each has different length requirements, which equates to different tuition costs. Perhaps more importantly for most applicants, each prepares you for a different range of potential career options!
EdD Career Outcomes And Salaries
What sort of jobs and salaries can you expect if you finish an EdD? Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular outcomes.
- Median Salary: $80,560
- Career Outlook: +12% (2020-2030)
These roles typically teach subjects at the college/university level, but may also teach at professional trade schools.
- Median Salary: $97,500
- Career Outlook: +8% (2020-2030)
These roles oversee various college programs, such as student services or academic affairs, among others.
- Median Salary: $107,680
- Career Outlook: +8% (2020-2030)
These high-level positions are responsible for organizational policies and strategies that facilitate broad-based goal achievement.
EdS Degree Career Outcomes And Salaries
As previously mentioned, an EdS qualifies graduates for different types of jobs than an EdD. There is occasional overlap, but by and large, these very different degrees put graduates on different career trajectories. A few popular career outcomes for EdS holders are listed below.
- Median Salary: $98,490
- Career Outlook: +8% (2020-2030)
- Required Education: Bachelor's Degree
Principals lead and manage school staff and daily operations while ensuring a safe, secure environment conducive to learning.
- Median Salary: $62,870
- Career Outlook: +8% (2020-2030)
High school teachers create and teach lessons for students to gain appropriate knowledge and skills for post-graduate careers or college endeavors.
- Median Salary: $61,500
- Career Outlook: +8% (2020-2030)
These teachers adapt suitable lessons to teach students who face educational challenges created by various types of disabilities.
- Median Salary: $58,120
- Career Outlook: +11% (2020-2030)
Counselors help students assess and develop skills necessary to succeed academically, socially, and in future careers.
Source: BLS
Doctor of Education (EdD) vs Educational Specialist (EdS)
As we can see, the main differences between a Doctor of Education versus an Education Specialist degree are:
- EdD – is a terminal doctoral degree
- EdS – is not terminal and can be built upon; it’s not a doctoral degree
- EdD – up to 60 credits hours; takes 3-7 years (depending on full- or part-time enrollment)
- EdS – around 30 credits; takes 1-4 years (depending on full- or part-time enrollment)
- EdD – may require brief residency
- EdS – no residency requirement
- EdD – qualifies grads for higher-level positions, including university-level
- EdS – perfect for teachers who want to specialize or work in K-12 leadership roles
Which path you should take depends on your unique interests, long-term career goals, and factors such as time and tuition (an EdD may cost nearly twice as much since it requires twice as many credits).
What To Look For In Educational Doctoral Degree Programs
Online vs. On-Campus Learning
In recent times, the number of “non-traditional” students attending courses online has started to outstrip the number of “traditional” on-campus learners. That is why major universities have developed online and hybrid programs for several of their popular program offerings, including EdD and EdS degrees.
Online attendance is vastly more convenient for many students. There is no barrier to access, other than the need for a laptop and internet connection. There’s no commute, no scrabble to find parking, no walking half a mile from a parking lot to a building across campus in the heat or cold.
The other significant benefit to online courses is, of course, the sheer flexibility of your time. Instead of required class attendance at a specific hour, you can log in and study at your convenience. That’s perfect for working students, parents, or those with other commitments.
That said, there are certainly pros to on-campus attendance. Many subjects are easier to learn in a hands-on, practical environment. Plus, every learner is different, and some find it hard to stay focused without a rigid schedule and the physical presence of a teacher lecturing in front of them. Of course, one of the biggest draws of in-person attendance is the face-to-face social component, which technology simply cannot replicate.
Note: Many EdD programs require some type of residency, so students can feel a stronger sense of community and access to peers and faculty. Read all program details carefully to ensure you’ll be able to meet applicable residency requirements, some of which may be as brief as a few days or weeks.
Accreditation
Accreditation is a voluntary process that schools go through, during which an authorized external agency assesses the institution or its programs for quality assurance purposes. There are several regional agencies around the nation that perform these functions for schools that desire it.
Even though schools aren’t required to go through accreditation, most do because it gives them a comprehensive and objective review that holds significant value to the schools if they pass.
Accreditation is a seal of approval, a confirmation to potential students and stakeholders that an institution has met or exceeded appropriate educational standards. Schools can still operate without institutional and programmatic accreditation, but they may be ineligible for certain types of state or federal funding. In addition, many schools won’t accept transfer credits from a non-accredited institution.
As noted by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, programmatic accreditation is specifically for “specialized and professional programs in a range of fields and disciplines within institutions.” EdD and EdS students should ensure that both their school and their specific program are accredited by applicable agencies.
The six national agencies authorized by the Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit schools are:
- The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- The New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
- The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- The Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
A college’s school of education typically obtains relevant program accreditation from the State Department of Education, in addition to accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Applying To Education Doctoral Programs
To apply to an EdD or EdS graduate program, you generally need to have your master’s degree completed already, though there may be rare individual exceptions depending on the school and applicant. Programs also often require a teaching certification and a certain amount of professional teaching experience.
As with any grad program, expect a minimum GPA requirement, which varies from program to program. Simply meeting the minimum GPA requirement is no guarantee of admittance; most programs have limited openings, so you’ll need a competitive GPA, especially during years where there are a high number of applicants.
Some programs require Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogy Test (MAT) scores. As with GPAs, there may be a minimum score requirement listed, but the actual score needed to be a competitive applicant is a moving target. Note, some schools may waive or not require these standardized test scores.
Admission Requirements For EdD and EdS Programs
Every school has its own unique program requirements, but the below are standard admission requirements for EdD and EdS program candidates:
Other common requirements may include:
- Teaching certification
- Writing samples
- GRE or MAT scores (online programs may not require GRE/MAT scores; other programs may waive based on a high GPA or work history)