The Value of a Masters in Educational Administration + No GRE Options

If you have years of experience in education, such as teaching, one of the natural options is to move into educational administration. Many education system veterans with many years of classroom experience eventually earn their master’s in educational administration so that they can work either as a principal or in another leading area of educational administration.

A master’s in educational administration will prepare the experienced educator for a career in administration and supervision in K-12 educational facilities. This degree also can be a good choice for the educational professional who wishes to work in a leadership position at a postsecondary institution.

With a combination of educational administration classes and intensive field experiences, you will develop a solid understanding of educational administration techniques to coordinate staff, instruction and students in an educational setting.

A master’s degree in educational administration will prepare you for a rewarding educational career in these roles:

  • Principal: These educational administrators are responsible for managing all operations in an elementary, middle or high school. These include daily operations, curricula, oversight of teachers, hiring and firing staff and generally providing a safe educational environment. Principals also are responsible for implementing teaching and education standards in schools and school districts. In larger schools, principals will have several assistants who work below them to implement policies.
  • Postsecondary Education Administrator: These educational professionals work at colleges and universities, and may oversee student services, academics and research of faculty. Depending upon the size of the school, they may work in admissions, the office of the registrar or in student affairs. They may also focus on the financial aid department and help students to determine the best ways to afford college tuition. If you work in the registrar’s office, you are mainly in charge of maintaining student and course records.
  • Administrative Service Manager: This administrative professional plans, directs and coordinates the supportive services for many types of organizations. Some administrative service managers work as the heads of various educational facilities. This professional mainly is responsible for making sure that the facility is running smoothly.

Why Earn a Master’s in Educational Administration?

Employment for many educational administrative professionals, such as principals, is going to increase by 6% by 2024. While this is just average growth when compared to other occupations, many states and cities will see much faster growth.

Much of the population growth in the US today is in the southern United States. So educators who earn their master’s degree and work in states such as North Carolina, Florida and Texas could see much more job demand in the larger school districts.

Enrollments are climbing rapidly in some of the bigger cities and states in the south. So you can expect to have many jobs to choose from in educational administration. Jump to all Masters in education degrees online without the GRE.

Also many educational administrators today are being drawn into this field because the field is growing due to the power of technology. Many educational administrators have embraced technology, and this makes doing the job of administrator easier and more rewarding.

For instance, many principals are using Twitter to develop relationships with educators, teachers, students and also educators around the world. Other principals are using blogs to communicate better with staff, students and parents.

Text messaging is also a great way to communicate fast with students, parents and teachers. This technology is proving to be very valuable in keeping stakeholders up to date on school emergencies and weather updates.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for a master’s in educational administration could include the following:

  • GRE test scores
  • Bachelor’s degree in education or a related field
  • Official transcripts
  • Resume
  • Personal statement
  • Minimum of 3.0 GPA

Curriculum and Courses

Grand Canyon University offers a fully online Master of Education in Educational Administration that was designed for those who want to become a principal in a K-12 setting. This program has been made to help you learn vital professional and ethical practices in educational administration.

In addition to your two years of online classes, you also will need to participate in a local internship, practicum and field experience in educational administration. This work will provide you with the practical skills that you need, in addition to the didactic competencies and skills you will learn.

Your required courses will include:

  • Educational Administration: Foundations for the Developing Leader
  • Education Law
  • Education Finance
  • Clinical Internship I: Learner-Centered Leadership
  • Shaping School Culture
  • Strengthening Curricular Programs to Promote Continuous School Improvement
  • Developing Professional Capacity
  • Clinical Internship II: Learner-Centered Leadership
  • Improving Teacher Performance and Self-efficacy
  • Developing and Empowering Instructional Leaders Total Credits: 3 credits
  • Strategic Leadership and Management in the Principalship
  • Clinical Internship III: Learner-Centered Leadership

Upon graduation, you will be very well prepared for many leadership and administrative positions in public, private and charter schools.

Career Outcomes and Job Titles

With your master’s degree in educational administration, you could enjoy these job titles:

  • Principal
  • Superintendent
  • Assistant or associate principal
  • Registrar
  • Educational administrator
  • Assistant dean
  • Dean
  • Director of education

Job and Salary Outlook

  • Principal — Job demand for principals will increase by 6% overall by 2024, but you can expect higher demand in areas of the country with rapid population growth, such as in the southern US in the larger cities. Median pay is $90,400 per year.
  • Postsecondary Education Administrators — Employment in this profession will increase by 9% by 2024, which is faster than average when compared to other occupations. More students are attending college today to compete in the job market. So, many universities and colleges will be hiring more educational administrators to deal with the increase in enrollment. There will also be a need for more admissions officers to handle student applications, and registrars to help students to register for classes and to handle financial aid. Median pay in this field is $88,000 per year.
  • Administrative Service Manager — Employment in this field will increase by 8% by 2024, this is about as fast as average. It is believed that there will be a growth in many types of administrative management positions in education, the environment and manufacturing. The economy is growing faster than in the last few years, so there could be greater need for administrative experts. Median pay in this field is $86,000 per year.

Scholarships and Grants

Earning your master’s degree in educational administration can be costly, but with careful research, you can find ways to pay for your education. Review these resources:

  • School Superintendents’ Association: This organization offers various educational administration scholarships for students who are studying for their master’s or doctoral degree in educational administration.

Additional Resources

Belonging to one of these education administration related associations can bring you many benefits in your career:

  • Association of International Education Administrators: This organization is the only one that is dedicated to serve the interests of senior leaders in international education. Members of this organization are senior international educational leaders who want to dialogue with each other and to share resources.
  • American Association of School Personnel Administrators: The mission of this organization is to provide all school personnel administrators in membership with the services, resources and information that they need to succeed in their careers.