Adult and Continuing Education: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Adult and Continuing Education is a specialized field focused on designing, delivering, and evaluating learning experiences for adult learners across diverse contexts. This program equips professionals with the pedagogical expertise and strategic insight needed to support lifelong learning, workforce development, and personal growth in non-traditional educational environments.
- Instructional Design for Adult Learners: Developing effective curricula and learning materials tailored to the unique cognitive, motivational, and experiential characteristics of adult students.
- Workforce Development and Career Training: Creating and managing programs that enhance job-specific competencies, support career transitions, and align with evolving labor market demands.
- Basic and Remedial Education Instruction: Delivering foundational academic skills in literacy, numeracy, and digital proficiency to adults seeking to overcome educational gaps.
- Continuing Education Program Management: Planning and overseeing non-credit courses, certificate programs, and community-based learning initiatives that serve diverse adult populations.
- Learning Assessment and Evaluation: Applying methods to measure learning outcomes, program effectiveness, and learner progress in informal and formal adult education settings.
- Adult Learning Theories and Practices: Applying established frameworks—such as andragogy, transformative learning, and self-directed learning—to inform teaching strategies and learner engagement.
Adult and Continuing Education Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Adult and Continuing Education Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Adult and Continuing Education degrees, including Training and Development Specialists, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors and Self-Enrichment Teachers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 781,390 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training and Development Specialists 13-1151 | $65,850 | $37,510 - $120,190 | 436,610 | $31.66 |
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors 25-3011 | $59,950 | $39,750 - $95,750 | 36,260 | $28.82 |
| Self-Enrichment Teachers 25-3021 | $45,590 | $28,980 - $90,780 | 308,520 | $21.92 |
Adult and Continuing Education Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $42,680 in Arkansas to $74,830 in District of Columbia—a 75% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, California, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 781,390 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Adult and Continuing Education by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 61 institutions offering Adult and Continuing Education programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Adult and Continuing Education is found at University of Georgia (UGA) (65 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (41 graduates), Capella University (40 graduates), University of Oklahoma (OU), Norman Campus (39 graduates), and University of Pennsylvania (Penn) (37 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 901 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
65 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Capella University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
40 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | capella.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
39 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
37 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| American College of Education (ACE) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
37 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | ace.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Master's
|
32 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| Troy University (TROY) |
Master's
|
31 | Troy, Alabama | Public | troy.edu |
| Kansas State University (K‑State) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
30 | Manhattan, Kansas | Public | k-state.edu |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSULA) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
29 | Natchitoches, Louisiana | Public | nsula.edu |
| Teachers College at Columbia University (TC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
28 | New York, New York | Private | tc.columbia.edu |
| University of Idaho (U of I) |
Master's
|
27 | Moscow, Idaho | Public | uidaho.edu |
| University of West Alabama (UWA) |
Master's
|
26 | Livingston, Alabama | Public | uwa.edu |
| Waldorf University |
Master's
|
24 | Forest City, Iowa | Private | waldorf.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| University of Southern Maine (USM) |
Master's
|
19 | Portland, Maine | Public | usm.maine.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
18 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Postbac Cert.
|
18 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) |
Master's
|
16 | Alva, Oklahoma | Public | nwosu.edu |
| University of Houston (UHV) |
Master's
|
14 | Victoria, Texas | Public | uhv.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
13 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| Park University |
Master's
|
13 | Parkville, Missouri | Private | park.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
|
13 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Drake University |
Master's
|
12 | Des Moines, Iowa | Private | drake.edu |
| Morehead State University (MSU) |
Master's
|
12 | Morehead, Kentucky | Public | moreheadstate.edu |
| Empire State University |
Master's
|
12 | Saratoga Springs, New York | Public | sunyempire.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Postbac Cert.
|
12 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | charlotte.edu |
| Cleveland State University (CSU) |
Master's
|
12 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | csuohio.edu |
| Portland Community College (PCC) |
Other Award
|
12 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pcc.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
11 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
10 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| SUNY Buffalo State University |
Master's
|
10 | Buffalo, New York | Public | suny.buffalostate.edu |
| James Madison University (JMU) |
Master's
|
10 | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Public | jmu.edu |
| Western Washington University (WWU) |
Master's
|
10 | Bellingham, Washington | Public | wwu.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Master's
|
9 | Kingsville, Texas | Public | tamuk.edu |
| Metropolitan State University |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Public | metrostate.edu |
| University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
7 | Edmond, Oklahoma | Public | uco.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Middletown, Pennsylvania | Public | harrisburg.psu.edu |
| Walden University |
Postbac Cert.
Post-Master's
|
6 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | waldenu.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Postbac Cert.
|
6 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| Texas State University (TXST) |
Master's
|
6 | San Marcos, Texas | Public | txst.edu |
| Hamline University |
Postbac Cert.
|
5 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | hamline.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Western Kentucky University (WKU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
4 | Bowling Green, Kentucky | Public | wku.edu |
| Oklahoma Christian University (OC) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Edmond, Oklahoma | Private | oc.edu |
| City University of Seattle (CityU) |
Master's
|
4 | Seattle, Washington | Private | cityu.edu |
| Indiana State University (ISU) |
Other Award
|
3 | Terre Haute, Indiana | Public | indstate.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| Muskingum University |
Master's
|
3 | New Concord, Ohio | Private | muskingum.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Blacksburg, Virginia | Public | vt.edu |
| Judson University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
2 | Elgin, Illinois | Private | judsonu.edu |
| George Mason University |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Arkansas State University (A-State) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Jonesboro, Arkansas | Public | astate.edu |
| Brenau University |
Doctorate (Other)
|
1 | Gainesville, Georgia | Private | brenau.edu |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Wilmington, North Carolina | Public | uncw.edu |
| Widener University |
Master's
|
1 | Chester, Pennsylvania | Private | widener.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Adult and Continuing Education programs
How much can I earn with a Adult and Continuing Education degree?
Salaries for Adult and Continuing Education graduates vary by role and location. Training and Development Specialists earn a median of $65,850 annually, while Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors earn around $59,950. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $74,830 compared to $42,680 in Arkansas. Approximately 781,390 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Adult and Continuing Education programs?
Currently 61 accredited institutions offer Adult and Continuing Education degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Georgia (UGA) (65 graduates), Texas A & M University, College Station (41 graduates), and Capella University (40 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Adult and Continuing Education growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,416 in 2010 to a peak of 1,102 in 2020, before declining slightly to 901 in 2023-24. This represents a 36% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Adult and Continuing Education degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Training and Development Specialists, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors, and Self-Enrichment Teachers. Related occupations employ approximately 781,390 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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