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The number of education degrees awarded in the U.S. steadily decreased in the nearly two decades between 2003-04 and 2022-23, according to a new analysis of federal data by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
Bachelor’s degrees in education dipped from 109,622 annually to 90,710 while master’s degrees declined from 162,632 to 143,669 in that time span, AACTE said in its report on data from the U.S. Department of Education.
On Thursday, AACTE released a data dashboard based on these findings as well as two related reports. One covers the degrees and certificates conferred in education and the other highlights teacher preparation program trends.
As the Trump administration seeks to dismantle the Education Department and limit funding for federal education research, Jacqueline King, a co-author of the reports and an AACTE consultant, called for the agency to continue publishing research on teacher preparation programs.
"These reports provide a valuable check-up on the supply of new educators, and it is exciting that this year we can offer readers the opportunity to customize how they view the data through our new data dashboards,” King said in a Thursday statement. “It is essential that the federal government continue to provide the field — and the broader public — with this important information."
Here are some standout figures on AACTE’s findings on the state of teacher preparation programs nationwide.
By the numbers
-3%
The one-year decline in bachelor's degrees awarded in education from 2021-22 to 2022-23, the most recent year with available data.
-5%
The one-year decline in master’s degrees awarded in education from 2021-22 to 2022-23.
407,566
The number of students enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a comprehensive higher education institution during the 2022-23 academic year.
611,296
The number of students enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a comprehensive higher education institution during the 2012-13 academic year.
124,428
The number of students enrolled in a teacher preparation program at an alternative teacher preparation program — ones not based at colleges — during the 2022-23 academic year. In the 2012-13 academic year, that number was just 43,099
112,913
The number of students who completed a teacher preparation program at a comprehensive college or university in the 2022-23 academic year. During the 2012-13 academic year, that number stood at 163,851.
16,899
The number of students who completed an alternative teacher preparation program not based at a college during the 2022-23 academic year. In 2012-13, that number was 15,550.
+9%
The growth in students completing alternative teacher preparation programs not based at higher education institutions between 2012-13 and 2022-23.
+44%
The growth in students who completed alternative teacher preparation programs based at colleges between 2012-13 and 2022-23.
29%
The share of education bachelor’s degrees awarded to non-White graduates in 2022-23, up from 23% in 2016-17.
33%
The percentage of education master's degrees that went to non-Whites in 2022-23, up from 28% in 2016-17.
42%
The portion of education doctoral degrees earned by non-Whites in 2022-23, up from 37% in 2016-17.
