Best Doctorates in Educational Leadership and Administration 2020
The 25 schools on this list offer the best educational leadership and administration doctoral degrees in the U.S. based on alumni salaries in the first year after graduation. Graduates of St. John's University earned a median salary of $137,600 one year after graduating, the highest salary on the list. Indiana State University, ranked twelfth, has the lowest median student debt on the list, at $25,292.
Tuition, median salaries, and median debt were reported by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019. View our methodology for more details about these rankings or read more about the top-ranked schools.
| School | Annual Tuition | Median Debt | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's University | $32,083 | $54,703 | $137,600 |
| Seton Hall University | $34,328 | $63,045 | $110,200 |
| University of Pennsylvania | $44,162 | $129,267 | $107,400 |
| Concordia University - Chicago | $9,705 | $35,145 | $106,600 |
| Vanderbilt University | $53,722 | $62,024 | $97,300 |
| Loyola Marymount University | $20,748 | $49,604 | $97,200 |
| Indiana State University | $15,778 | $25,292 | $94,400 |
| Texas A&M University - College Station | $23,395 | $50,000 | $94,200 |
| The George Washington University | $33,984 | $67,590 | $92,800 |
| Pepperdine University | $39,720 | $101,500 | $91,000 |
| University of Washington - Seattle | $31,530 | Not Reported | $89,400 |
| Samford University | $21,921 | $42,150 | $88,800 |
| University of Houston | $18,871 | $37,568 | $88,600 |
| National Louis University | $12,171 | $68,154 | $87,400 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $32,433 | $42,779 | $86,300 |
| Drexel University | $37,074 | $52,017 | $86,300 |
| Georgia Southern University | $21,424 | $50,000 | $84,500 |
| Michigan State University | $39,876 | $58,921 | $84,000 |
| Immaculata University | $12,780 | $49,263 | $83,900 |
| Wilmington University | $9,276 | $60,007 | $83,400 |
2020 Best Colleges Highlights
St. John’s University offers a 60-credit Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership at its Queens, NY campus. Graduates will study and prepare for future education leadership roles. They will have the training and expertise to pursue employment opportunities in higher education, nonprofit work, and education technology. Students will study educational theory and research, and they’ll gain hands-on experience with education-based web technologies and their integration with current classroom instruction.
Coursework covers a range of topics focused on research methodologies and core components like leadership values, decision making, and curriculum. Beyond the required classes, students choose different tracks and specializations to pursue, including Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology, Higher Education, Administration, and Exceptional and Diverse Learners. Each sequence offers its own set of focused courses. Students will also complete an independent study, a full-time residency, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation that must be successfully defended. Interested applicants are expected to submit a GRE score and complete essay requirements.
South Orange, New Jersey, is the home of Seton Hall University’s College of Education and Human Services. Interested applicants can pursue a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Leadership, Management, and Policy. Through a strong emphasis on current educational theory and research, students will develop the skills required to serve as professionals in higher education institutions or as state-level employees for the Department of Education. The Ed.D. at Seton Hall focuses on scholarly research and its experiential application. Students may choose from two tracks: Management and Administration or College Teaching. The College Teaching track incorporates a minimum of 24 credits in the fields of student development, ethics and values, and counseling; the complete doctoral program requires 90 credit hours.
Seton Hall’s professional degree programs are founded on core knowledge, relevant technology, research, and reflection. The Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership, Management, and Policy’s coursework is composed of a core cluster, a professional cluster, and a research and dissertation development cluster. Students will receive research support and feedback while developing their dissertations. Specific classes students can take include the Historical Development of American Education, Diversity in Higher Education, and Statistical Methods.