If you’re an education-sector professional who is interested in bolstering your credentials to gain potential career advancement, you may want to consider earning an online Doctor of Education (EdD) degree. This is also sometimes referred to as a doctorate in teaching. 

Online doctorate in education programs deliver coursework and content through a blend of online interactions and real-world experiences.

The curriculum of an online or traditional EdD varies between programs and specializations. You can typically expect a mix of core classes related to your education focus, whether that is:

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Depending on the type of program you choose, the course content will be about the same or similar for in-person and online students.

Your online EdD program may feature the following elements:

Offline components support the online EdD degree curriculum. You’ll likely be tasked with watching lectures and completing homework before attending live sessions in preparation for discussions and in-class activities.

Some programs offer on-campus immersions. Immersions are opportunities for you to meet at regular intervals to network with teachers and fellow students, and, in some cases, work on group projects together for credit hours. Though class size varies between programs, universities that offer online classroom experiences typically feature fewer students for a more concentrated experience. 

Credits, requirements, class size, class schedules and on-campus versus online benefits may vary widely based on the program and technology platform being used. Like other components of Doctor of Education programs, tuition costs can vary. Only you can determine the most affordable online education doctorate program for you.

When you are completing an education doctoral program online, you can concentrate on a particular topic in the field of education. Concentration options differ between programs. We’ve compiled a few examples and descriptions of common online EdD concentrations.

While education doctoral programs vary, some schools may offer an organizational change and leadership concentration as part of their program. This concentration may be a fit for you if you want to sharpen your skills in decision-making or conflict resolution or learn methods for driving change in your work environment.

You may be interested in an educational leadership concentration if your personal goals and interests include driving change within the education system—specifically addressing areas that could impact students’ learning.

A doctorate in education program with a concentration in reading and literacy may interest you if you are focused on helping others develop an appreciation for language. Courses within this concentration may focus on how candidates can improve student literacy and overall literacy programs in the areas of: 

An EdD program with a concentration in early childhood education may be useful if you are interested in positions focused on early childhood education, including early childhood special education, including:

The degree covers various aspects within the field of early childhood education, such as:

Some schools offer educational technology concentration options as part of their education doctoral programs. These concentrations focus on software and hardware development, implementation and application to facilitate and enrich the learning experience. The U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology collaborates with other federal departmental agencies in efforts related to effective technological use that helps promote and support teaching and learning.

If you’re considering an advanced degree in the field, you may wonder, “How long is a doctoral degree?” or “How long does it take to earn a doctorate in education?” The length of an online EdD program largely depends on the credit requirement and your enrollment status. Some programs can be completed in 36 months. While program lengths may vary, online education doctorate programs often offer the same or similar courses as their on-campus counterparts.

Whatever your focus, common themes in an EdD online program often include:

• Education supervision
• Administration
• Instruction technology and methodology
• Policy-making in education
• Organizational change and leadership

Learning objectives in this field typically address the following:

• Applying theory from your classes to solve real education problems
• Using research to improve policy, programs and practice in places of learning
• Identifying discrimination/prejudice and advocating for social justice in educational institutions

Not all of the mentioned programs are necessarily available in each online Doctor of Education program. Different schools might offer different EdD program concentrations. Contact the college or university in which you are interested for further information about specific EdD online program offerings.

If your intended school offers a different type of advanced education degree—a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education—you may be wondering what the difference between an EdD and PhD in education is. The main difference is that:

You may be among those who are interested in pursuing an online education doctorate with no dissertation requirement. Some schools offer an alternative like the online Education Specialist (EdS) degree. This typically does not require students to complete a dissertation or residency. EdD programs, however, may require what is known as a capstone project in lieu of a dissertation. 

A capstone can vary by school or program requirements but is typically a long-term, multi-faceted assignment that culminates with an academic experience or investigative project. 

Learn more about the differences between EdD vs. PhD programs.

If you are wondering how to get a doctorate in education online, there are a few things to keep in mind. Individuals interested in enrolling in online education doctorate degree programs may often need to meet the following basic requirements:

Since requirements and courses of study vary from program to program, you will need to contact your desired college or university to find out if there are any additional requirements for your chosen program.

Can you get an EdD without a master’s degree? There are a few online Doctor of Education programs that students may be able to pursue with only a bachelor’s degree (which may also be obtained online in some cases).

If you are considering a doctorate degree in education, then you may be interested in learning more about what types of EdD jobs are available as well as EdD jobs in demand. Education doctorate careers vary and can include working in school or district administration, government or the private sector. Doctor of Education jobs may encompass areas like curriculum development, teaching, research and education policy planning.

Below are a few EdD careers that may be of interest to those who are wondering about the kinds of education doctorate jobs that would suit them best.

Within the elementary through high school setting, Doctor of Education jobs may include leadership roles such as school principal or vice principal. In small school districts, the role of principal may include duties such as serving as an instructional coordinator or assisting with hiring personnel for a school. 

Beyond principals and vice principals, high school positions for EdD graduates might include academic and career counselors and technical educational support directors. Another career path is that of instructional coordinators, who are professionals managing the school’s curriculum and teaching standards. They also oversee the development, implementation and monitoring of instructional material.

At the college and university level, doctorate in education jobs may include provost, dean, registrar, president and vice president. EdD graduates may also decide to pursue jobs such as admissions administrator or student affairs administrator. Another career option is that of the registrar, who is tasked with maintaining records involving courses, graduation requirements, transcripts and student data.

Outside of the school systems, education policy jobs for those with doctoral degrees in education may include research and education lobbyists. Career options within education-based nonprofit organizations might include executive directors and social and community service managers. Policy and planning careers in government can also be found on state, local and federal levels.

There are a number of job opportunities for professionals with a doctorate in education on the district and school administration level. These may include school superintendents, educational administrators on the district level, educational IT administrators, training and development managers and other academic management roles. There may also be human resources careers within school districts that are considered EdD jobs as well.

You may be wondering why you might want to earn a doctorate in education or whether it is worth getting a doctorate in education online.

If you are considering pursuing leadership roles in the field of education or you want to improve teaching and academic systems in the public or private sectors, an EdD might be a good fit for you. While the commitment to getting a doctorate isn’t something to be taken lightly, options like part-time EdD programs and flexible scheduling are available to help working professionals.

Before embarking on your journey to obtain an EdD, you may want to research demand for EdD jobs or demand for education doctorate graduates in your area.

The salary and job outlook for Doctor of Education careers differs by role. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not distinguish EdD holders as an individual occupation class, one of the common occupations for those known to enroll in Doctor of Education programs is the postsecondary education administrator, and for that job, the employment outlook is projected to have an 8% growth rate between 2020 and 2030. That’s just as fast as the average for all occupations.

Here are some median annual wage figures from the BLS as of May 2021 to consider as you weigh your career options in the field of education:

Teach.com has compiled a comprehensive list of all the online doctorate in education programs in the United States, along with their classroom setting and GRE and credit requirements. In searching for the best online education doctoral programs to fit your needs, you may want to carefully consider the structure of the coursework and the admissions requirements. 

We’ve compiled some frequently asked questions and answers about EdD programs to help you make a better-informed decision about whether an EdD program may be the right choice for you.

Last updated in May 2022