8 Doctor of Education Jobs and Careers to Consider

Earning your Doctor of Education (EdD) degree isn’t just about advancing your career—it’s about making a lasting impact. Whether you’re shaping the future of a university, leading a nonprofit, or transforming education policy, an EdD empowers you to drive meaningful change in your community and beyond.

An EdD signals to employers that you’re a thought leader. It tells employers that you’re a strategic thinker and a problem-solver who can tackle complex challenges, inspire teams, and drive meaningful change. With your doctorate in hand, you’re prepared to take on leadership roles across a variety of settings, including education. Professionals who earn an EdD are qualified for roles leading and operating schools at the elementary, high school, or college level. They learn to lead in a way that can be effective at the front of a classroom or at the ground level of an organization.

Here’s a look at the types of positions EdD graduates pursue and eight of the top careers available in the field.

Key takeaways

• Doctor of Education careers are available across K–12 education, higher education, nonprofits, government, and organizational learning.
• An EdD may support advancement into senior leadership, but some positions also require extensive experience or state-specific credentials.
• Salaries vary by occupation, employer, location, and experience; the figures below are national estimates rather than guaranteed earnings.
• The right EdD career path depends on your professional background, leadership goals, and preferred work setting.

What jobs can you get with a Doctor of Education?

Professionals with an EdD may pursue leadership roles in K–12 school systems, colleges and universities, nonprofits, government agencies, and workplace-learning organizations. Depending on their background, they may work as college presidents, chief learning officers, provosts, superintendents, principals, academic deans, professors, or executive directors of education.

Because the degree focuses on practical, applied leadership, students often enter EdD programs from a wide range of fields—including healthcare, human services, business, military leadership, and criminal justice. For example, students in Northeastern University’s EdD program leverage backgrounds across all of these sectors to drive organizational change, illustrating just how adaptable the credential is across industries.

Is a Doctor of Education worth it for career development?

A Doctor of Education can be worth the investment for experienced professionals pursuing senior leadership or roles focused on driving organizational change. The degree can build expertise in organizational leadership, applied research, and complex problem-solving.

However, an EdD does not automatically qualify you for every leadership position or guarantee a higher salary. Its value depends on your goals, professional experience, target employers, required credentials, and the time and cost involved.

8 Doctor of Education jobs and salaries

1. College president

Median annual salary: $306,894

Presidents are the top leaders of a college or university. They establish and execute their school’s strategic vision, spearhead fundraising, attend student events, and deliver speeches to a variety of constituents, such as donors, lawmakers, government, and faculty, to raise the profile of the institution both locally and abroad. They also collaborate with senior administrators, faculty, and staff to devise new ways to support students and improve their learning environment while maintaining high academic standards. Depending on the type of public or private institution they lead, compensation varies significantly by the institution’s size, type, location, and financial resources.

2. Chief learning officer

Median annual salary: $168,001

A chief learning officer (CLO) is a senior-level professional who develops and drives strategies that help their college or university meet critical business goals. They focus on training, learning, and development, and typically oversee an institution’s latest technologies, such as its online learning platform.

3. Provost

Median annual salary: $164,507

A provost—or vice president, depending on the college or university—is a senior-level academic administrator who tends to be second in command after the president. Provosts work closely with deans and department heads and help determine their institution’s academic goals and priorities, as well as how to allocate the resources necessary to support those initiatives. They often oversee daily operations and work to hire and retain a diverse faculty.

4. School superintendent

Median annual salary: $159,537

Superintendents are the top executives of a school district. They’re responsible for establishing and overseeing their district’s budget, staffing, infrastructure, and spending. Superintendents collaborate closely with a school board to develop and implement new policies and programs in line with the district’s short- and long-term goals, as well as allocate the financial and human resources necessary to achieve the district’s overarching vision. Superintendent credential and licensure requirements vary by state, and districts typically expect substantial school-leadership experience.

5. Elementary, middle, or high school principal

Median annual salary: $104,070

Principals oversee the daily operations of an elementary, middle, or high school. They hire teachers and staff, manage the budget, and enforce disciplinary rules when necessary. Principals also develop and assess educational programming aimed at achieving student learning outcomes, all while striving to create and maintain a positive learning environment. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of elementary, middle, and high school principals is projected to decline 2% from 2024 to 2034. Even so, there will still be approximately 20,800 openings each year, on average, over the decade. These openings are expected to result from principals transferring to other occupations or leaving the workforce. 

A principal’s salary might differ depending on whether he or she works at an elementary, middle, or high school. According to PayScale, the median wages for principals at each level are:

• Elementary school: $97,484
• Middle school: $112,193
• High school: $113,243

6. Academic dean

Median annual salary: $105,024

Deans work at the senior administrative level of a college or university. The role varies depending on the institution, but deans often manage faculty and staff, set academic goals, implement strategic planning, oversee their department’s budget, help fundraise, support research initiatives, and foster student development. Some departments you might find them in are:

• Admissions: Those working in admissions develop and lead recruitment initiatives for a college or university. They evaluate applications, decide the number of students who should be admitted to the school, determine who those students should be, and communicate with prospects and their families.
• Research: A dean of research often oversees faculty and collaborates with them to create a strategy for developing short- and long-term research initiatives. They also work to secure research funding, oversee the research budget, and establish key industry partnerships.
• Student affairs: The student affairs office typically oversees a variety of different departments, such as residence life, athletics, student support services, and diversity and inclusion. A dean of student affairs typically establishes and evaluates nonacademic programs that foster and enrich the student student experience, handles disciplinary issues, and communicates with students’ parents or legal guardians.
• Advancement: The advancement office—also known as “development” or “alumni relations” depending on the school—is responsible for securing funding for the college or university from potential donors, including alumni, government policymakers, corporations, and foundations. They nurture and maintain those relationships, ensuring all gifts received are being used as intended.

7. Professor

Median annual salary: $83,980

Professors work at the college or university level, developing course curricula, instructing students in a specific area of study, and assessing their progress. When they’re not teaching, professors are often conducting research, writing scholarly papers, or attending conferences.

Professors’ salaries vary based on where they are on the tenure track and their area of expertise. Below are the median salaries for professors based on rank, according to PayScale.:

• Instructor: $63,387
• Lecturer: $65,079
• Assistant professor: $78,284
• Associate professor: $93,144
• Professor: $97,522

Salaries range further depending on the professor’s focus. According to the BLS, the top 10 highest-paying subjects, and what those subjects offer in terms of median annual wage, are:

• Law: $126,650
• Economics: $119,980
• Engineering: $106,120
• Health specialties: $105,620
• Architecture: $101,480
• Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences: $101,390
• Forestry and conservation science: $100,830
• Physics: $97,360
• Business: $97,270
• Computer science: $96,690

8. Executive director of education

Median annual salary: $132,710

Executive directors are often the senior leaders of a nonprofit organization or business. They work closely with a board of directors but are the ones who make the daily operational decisions. Executive directors hire and manage staff, handle external relations, engage volunteers, oversee the budget—including all fundraising initiatives—and develop policies, programs, and strategies that guide the organization’s mission and purpose.

How can Northeastern’s EdD support your career goals?

Northeastern’s Doctor of Education program is designed for experienced professionals who want to apply research and leadership skills to challenges in education and other organizational settings. The primarily online program can be completed in three to four years and combines online coursework with annual residencies and a dissertation in practice.

Before you decide whether an EdD aligns with your goals, it can help to understand what to expect when pursuing an EdD online, including the coursework, research, learning format, and time commitment involved.

By comparing the program experience with the requirements of your target career, you can make a more informed decision about whether Northeastern’s EdD is the right next step.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2017. It has since been updated for accuracy and relevance.