Online Early Childhood Education Degrees
Earning an online bachelor's degree in early childhood education can lead to a rewarding career. Here, we list the top programs available.
February 11, 2022 , Modified on May 26, 2022

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Early childhood education majors learn how to care for children and encourage creativity, emotional development, and basic academic skills. A bachelor's degree in education helps professionals increase their earning potential and gain specialized training. After earning a bachelor's degree in early childhood education (ECE), graduates can pursue careers as preschool teachers, preschool directors, and kindergarten teachers.
Our list ranks the top online bachelor's in early childhood education programs for 2021. Prospective applicants can use the rankings to find the best fit for their budget, interests, and career goals. This article also introduces common ECE courses, salary data for graduates, and scholarships for ECE majors.
Early Childhood Education Questions
A bachelor's in early childhood education typically takes four years for full-time students to complete. Transfer students and those who choose an accelerated program may earn the degree sooner.
In addition to childcare worker, preschool teacher, and pre-K teacher roles, an early childhood education degree prepares graduates for roles like preschool director and kindergarten teacher.
Careers in early childhood education appeal to people who love working with children. Early childhood educators care for infants and children up to age eight.
Early childhood education salaries vary depending on the role, employer, and location. According to the BLS, preschool teachers earn a median annual salary of around $30,000 per year, while preschool directors make around $48,000.
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Why Get a Degree in Early Childhood Education?
With a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, childcare workers can increase their earning potential and advance to administrative positions. Early childhood education majors study topics like child development, literacy education, social and emotional learning, and ECE leadership. Specializations, such as ECE administration or special education, can prepare graduates for focused roles.
Online ECE programs give students the flexibility to balance their studies with personal and professional obligations. Additionally, many schools offer tuition discounts to online students.
How Much Does an Early Childhood Education Degree Cost?
The cost of an early childhood education bachelor's degree varies by factors like school and enrollment status. For example, public colleges typically charge lower tuition rates than private schools. The University of Washington charges $231 per credit for its online bachelor's in early care and education program, while California Baptist University costs $613 per credit for its online bachelor's in early childhood studies.
Public institutions usually offer tuition discounts for in-state students. For instance, at the University of Cincinnati, in-state, part-time students pay $505 per credit for the online bachelor's in early childhood education program, while out-of-state students pay $520 per credit.
However, some schools allow all online students to pay in-state tuition rates regardless of residency. Online learners may also save on transportation costs and living expenses compared to on-campus students.
How Much Do Early Childhood Education Majors Make?
Careers in early childhood education typically pay between $30,000-$60,000 per year. Preschool teachers earn a median pay of around $30,500 per year, according to BLS data, while preschool and childcare center directors make a median annual salary of over $48,000.
In addition to preschool and pre-K jobs, an ECE degree can lead to jobs like kindergarten or primary grade teacher. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers earn a median salary of $59,420 per year.
Early childhood educators can increase their earning potential by pursuing certification, licensure, and/or a higher degree. Specializations, such as special education, may also lead to higher-paying jobs.
Courses in Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education courses strengthen teaching, evaluation, and assessment skills. During an ECE degree, undergraduates take courses on topics like child development, curriculum development, and play-based learning. Some programs offer specializations in areas like early childhood administration for preschool directors and early childhood special education.
In addition to coursework, majors complete field observations and student-teaching requirements to gain hands-on experience.
Courses vary by program, but this section introduces classes commonly found in bachelor's in early childhood education programs.
This course examines theoretical and practical approaches to early childhood education. Topics may include teaching strategies that encourage social and emotional development, healthy teacher-child interactions, and professional standards. This introductory course prepares majors for advanced coursework.Principles of Early Childhood Education
In child development courses, students examine developmental milestones from birth through age eight. In addition to physical milestones, learners explore cognitive, language, and social milestones. By studying typical and atypical development, students learn to identify potential developmental issues.Child Development
This course explores topics like age-appropriate curriculum, play-based learning, and activity planning. Majors also learn how to implement and evaluate a curriculum to determine its effectiveness. The class prepares graduates for lead teacher and preschool director roles.Curriculum Development
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Certifications and Licensure for Early Childhood Education
Early childhood educators can demonstrate their expertise through professional certifications and licenses. For example, an early childhood education bachelor's degree may meet the requirements for a state-issued teaching license. The following list outlines several licenses and certifications for early childhood education professionals.
Online Early Childhood Education Programs
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Liberty UniversityLocation
Lynchburg, VA
Tuition$15105
Liberty University's Bachelor of Science in early childhood education is offered in a 100% online format. Students have the option, however, of including a field experience capstone course. If they choose to do so, they'll gain hands-on experience and will be able to pursue certification through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Graduates interested in pursuing careers as teachers can continue on to earn a Master of Arts degree in teaching; this degree is required to obtain teaching licensure. Liberty University is a private, Christian-affiliated institution with its main campus in Lynchburg, Virginia.
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The University of Montana-WesternLocation
Dillon , MT
Tuition$3699
The Bachelor of Science in early childhood education offered by the University of Montana Western is a hybrid program combining online coursework with in-person field experience. Successful completion of 120 credit hours is required to earn this degree, including 70 credits related specifically to the major subject. Students can pursue an area of emphasis and have a dozen options from which to choose. Degree requirements also include completion of a practicum consisting of supervised field experience in the student's area of emphasis. Example career options for graduates of this program include early childhood teacher, early childhood program administrator, parent educator and early childhood trainer.
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South Dakota State UniversityLocation
Brookings, SD
Tuition$7155
South Dakota State University's Bachelor of Science in Early Education and Care is a hybrid program that combines online courses and in-class observation and evaluation experiences. The program is offered through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, or Great Plains IDEA, a partnership of 20 public universities that gives students access to online courses from a wide range of partner institutions. The degree can qualify graduates to work in a variety of early childhood education settings, such as child care homes and centers, Head Start programs, infant/toddler and pre-school programs and before- and after-school programs for children ages 8 and younger.
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Bemidji State UniversityLocation
Bemidji, MN
Tuition$7360
For students interested in earning their degrees online and working in the field of early childhood education, Bemidji offers a Bachelor of Science in elementary education. The degree program is available in a hybrid format, combining online courses with 3 face-to-face meetings in the Minneapolis metro area. An associate degree or completed MN transfer curriculum with a cumulative 3.0 GPA is required for admission. Bemidji's elementary education bachelor's degree prepares graduates for careers in a range of early-childhood-education-related positions, including preschool and kindergarten or elementary school.
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Mayville State UniversityLocation
Mayville, ND
Tuition$5053
Mayville State University offers two early childhood education-focused bachelor's degrees that can be earned partially through online study. Mayville's Bachelor of Science Education in early childhood education degree is a composite of both early childhood education and elementary education and qualifies graduates to apply for birth-through-3rd-grade teacher licensure. Mayville's Bachelor of Arts in early childhood degree is designed to prepare students to work in a number of early childhood education-related leadership occupations, including preschool teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists and more. Both degrees feature a combination of online coursework and in-person activities (field experiences, internships, student teaching).
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Northern Arizona UniversityLocation
Flagstaff, AZ
Tuition$8698
The online Bachelor of Applied Science in early childhood education offered by Northern Arizona University is a blended online/in-person degree-completion program designed for individuals who have previously earned associate degrees from community colleges and wish to expand their knowledge and skills in early childhood education. Students must complete 120 total credit units, which include 64 units in an associate degree transfer block (75 units accepted from Arizona community colleges), and 21 units in specialized early childhood education coursework. This degree does not lead to teacher certification, but graduates should be able to pursue career opportunities with preschools, state agencies, nonprofit organizations and other similar venues where specialized skills in early childhood education are utilized.
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University of Nebraska at KearneyLocation
Kearney, NE
Tuition$5460
The University of Nebraska Kearney's online Bachelor of Arts in early childhood inclusive program was created to allow assistants in preschools, in-house teachers, Head Start staff members and other students unable to attend regular classes on college campuses to earn their degrees and become eligible for their teaching certificates. The degree is offered in a hybrid format that combines online coursework with school-based experiences and student teaching. The degree takes 120 credit hours to complete and prepares students to work with children from birth to age 5 in special education or from birth to age 8 in regular education classrooms.
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Western Carolina UniversityLocation
Cullowhee, NC
Tuition$3893
Western Carolina University's birth to kindergarten (BK) program offers two distinct online bachelor's degree concentrations. The first option is a professional education concentration is designed for those interested in teaching in public school pre-K, North Carolina pre-K and/or kindergarten settings. Coursework is completed online and students are required to complete in-person internships. Internship placement is limited to North Carolina pre-K, Head Start and kindergarten classrooms. The second option is the early childhood concentration, which is geared to those students interested in working with young children and their families in settings other than public schools, as students are not certified to teach in these settings. Coursework is completed online for this concentration, but there is no internship requirement. Students must, however, complete 18 credit hours of action research, in which they must participate in person in an early childhood setting. An alternative licensure option is also available. This option allows students who have previously earned 4-year degrees to participate in internships and other experiences in order to qualify for teaching licensure.
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University of ToledoLocation
Toledo, OH
Tuition$8052
The University of Toledo's bachelor's degree in early childhood education is a non-licensure, degree-completion program that combines online coursework with field experiences. Students must have an associate degree in early childhood education or child development with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 to be admitted into this program. An applicant must also be employed at an early care or education program for a minimum of 20 hours per week. Graduates with this degree typically pursue early childhood education-related employment in support and administrative positions in schools, public and private agencies and similar organizations, or go on to pursue master's degrees in the field, leading to professional licensure and positions as preschool and kindergarten teachers.
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Judson CollegeLocation
Marion, AL
Tuition$16248
Judson College is a private, Baptist-affiliated, all women's college located in Marion, Georgia. Women interested in working with young children, including those at the preschool level and younger, may want to consider Judson College's online Bachelor of Science in elementary education. This hybrid degree-completion program combines online coursework with in-person field work experiences. Courses follow a cohort model, which requires students to start and complete classes on the same schedule as their on-campus counterparts. This degree prepares graduates for employment as teachers at the K-6 grade levels, but may also be applicable to early childhood education settings. Judson College certifies Alabama degree candidates only, and field experience and clinical practice observation placements for this degree program are made exclusively with Alabama schools.
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Florida International UniversityLocation
Miami, FL
Tuition$4721
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Chaminade University of HonoluluLocation
Honolulu, HI
Tuition$23180
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University of CincinnatiLocation
Cincinnati, OH
Tuition$9322
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University of Southern MississippiLocation
Hattiesburg, MS
Tuition$7549
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University of Wisconsin-SuperiorLocation
Superior, WI
Tuition$6535
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North Carolina Central UniversityLocation
Durham, NC
Tuition$3655
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Fort Hays State UniversityLocation
Hays, KS
Tuition$3789
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National UniversityLocation
La Jolla, CA
Tuition$13016
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Northwestern State University of LouisianaLocation
Natchitoches, LA
Tuition$5180
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Fayetteville State UniversityLocation
Fayetteville, NC
Tuition$2923
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University of Alaska FairbanksLocation
Fairbanks, AK
Tuition$5936
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Eastern Oregon UniversityLocation
La Grande, OR
Tuition$6073
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University of West AlabamaLocation
Livingston, AL
Tuition$7286
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Winston-Salem State UniversityLocation
Winston-Salem, NC
Tuition$3335
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Wilmington UniversityLocation
New Castle, DE
Tuition$10620
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Granite State CollegeLocation
Concord, NE
Tuition$7200
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Lewis-Clark State CollegeLocation
Lewiston, ID
Tuition$6120
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Southwestern Assemblies of God UniversityLocation
Waxahachie, TX
Tuition$18900
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Union Institute and UniversityLocation
Cincinnati, OH
Tuition$12240
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Western New Mexico UniversityLocation
Silver City, NM
Tuition$3740
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Bluefield CollegeLocation
Bluefield, VA
Tuition$23600
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University of the CumberlandsLocation
Willamsburg, KY
Tuition$22640
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Brandman UniversityLocation
Irvine, CA
Tuition$12000
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Florida Gateway CollegeLocation
Lake City, FL
Tuition$2369
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Pacific Oaks CollegeLocation
Pasadena, CA
Tuition$21090
AffordableCollegesOnline.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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