Reading Teacher Education: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Q: Which universities have the largest Reading Teacher Education programs?

Currently 302 accredited institutions offer Reading Teacher Education degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Grand Canyon University (GCU) (537 graduates), American College of Education (ACE) (525 graduates), and Arkansas State University (A-State) (192 graduates).

Q: Is enrollment in Reading Teacher Education growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 9,987 in 2010 to a peak of 6,105 in 2020, before declining slightly to 5,986 in 2023-24. This represents a 40% decrease overall from 2010.

Q: What career paths are available with a Reading Teacher Education degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Education Teachers, Postsecondary, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, and Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education. Related occupations employ approximately 1,752,000 professionals nationwide.

Program Overview

Designed for educators committed to advancing literacy across diverse learning environments, this program equips professionals with the expertise to identify and address reading challenges in students of all ages. Through a rigorous academic foundation, candidates develop advanced skills in literacy instruction, assessment, and intervention strategies tailored to K–12 settings.

Reading Assessment and Diagnosis: Learn to administer and interpret standardized and informal assessments to pinpoint specific reading deficits, including phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, and comprehension.
Instructional Strategies for Literacy Development: Master evidence-based methods for teaching foundational reading skills, vocabulary acquisition, and text analysis across grade levels and student populations.
Curriculum Design and Implementation: Gain the ability to develop, adapt, and deliver comprehensive reading curricula aligned with state standards and individualized learning needs.
Intervention and Remediation Techniques: Study targeted approaches for supporting struggling readers, including small-group instruction, response-to-intervention models, and multi-tiered systems of support.
Specialized Literacy Needs: Explore frameworks for teaching reading to English language learners, students with learning disabilities, and other populations requiring differentiated instruction.
Professional Leadership in Literacy Education: Prepare to lead literacy initiatives, mentor colleagues, and contribute to school-wide literacy improvement through data-driven decision-making.

Reading Teacher Education Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

5,986

Total Graduates (2023-2024)

302

Universities & Colleges

Career Pathways

Career & Salary Outlook Schools Offering This Program Related Programs

Reading Teacher Education Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Reading Teacher Education degrees, including Education Teachers, Postsecondary, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education and Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education. 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 1,752,000 professionals.

National Average Salaries

Occupation	Median Salary	Salary Range	Total Employment	Hourly Rate
Education Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1081	$72,090	$38,650 - $126,450	59,090	N/A
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2031	$64,580	$47,330 - $104,670	1,072,540	N/A
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25-2022	$62,970	$47,050 - $100,980	620,370	N/A

Salary Comparison

Data Source: Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 estimates, based on 3 related occupations. Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics.

*Salary Range Explanation: The salary range represents the 10th to 90th percentile, meaning 80% of workers in this occupation earn within this range. This excludes the lowest 10% and highest 10% of earners to provide a more realistic picture of typical compensation.

Important Disclaimer: Salary data represents national averages and varies by location, experience, employer, and market conditions. These statistics are estimates for general guidance and do not guarantee specific employment outcomes for graduates.

Reading Teacher Education Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $53,233 in Oklahoma to $93,697 in California—a 76% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Washington, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 1,752,000 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 Reading Teacher Education by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Reading Teacher 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 Reading Teacher Education is found at Grand Canyon University (GCU) (537 graduates), American College of Education (ACE) (525 graduates), Arkansas State University (A-State) (192 graduates), SUNY Oneonta (159 graduates), and Viterbo University (159 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 4,583 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	Admissions	Location	Control	Website
Grand Canyon University (GCU)	Master's	537	SAT: 1058-1175 ACT: 19-24	Phoenix, Arizona	Private	gcu.edu
American College of Education (ACE)	Master's	525	N/A	Indianapolis, Indiana	Private	ace.edu
Arkansas State University (A-State)	Master's Post-Master's	192	SAT: 1030-1180 ACT: 19-25	Jonesboro, Arkansas	Public	astate.edu
SUNY Oneonta	Master's	159	SAT: 1090-1250 ACT: 23-28	Oneonta, New York	Public	suny.oneonta.edu
Viterbo University	Postbac Cert. Post-Master's	159	SAT: 1040-1380 ACT: 22-27	La Crosse, Wisconsin	Private	viterbo.edu
State University of New York	Master's	116	N/A	Cortland, New York	Public	www2.cortland.edu
University of the Cumberlands	Master's	93	N/A	Williamsburg, Kentucky	Private	ucumberlands.edu
Northwest Missouri State University	Master's	80	SAT: 970-1200 ACT: 18-23	Maryville, Missouri	Public	nwmissouri.edu
Clemson University	Master's	80	SAT: 1230-1390 ACT: 28-32	Clemson, South Carolina	Public	clemson.edu
Bowling Green State University (BGSU)	Master's Other Award	74	SAT: 1020-1230 ACT: 20-26	Bowling Green, Ohio	Public	bgsu.edu
Holy Family University	Postbac Cert. Master's	54	SAT: 950-1130	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	holyfamily.edu
Alverno College	Master's Post-Master's	54	N/A	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Private	alverno.edu
University at Albany (UAlbany)	Master's Post-Master's	50	N/A	Albany, New York	Public	albany.edu
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU)	Master's	48	SAT: 980-1190 ACT: 19-25	Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania	Public	sru.edu
Wilkes University	Master's	48	SAT: 1023-1270 ACT: 20-29	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Private	wilkes.edu
Texas Woman's University (TWU)	Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	48	N/A	Denton, Texas	Public	twu.edu
Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest)	Postbac Cert. Master's	46	SAT: 940-1170 ACT: 20-26	California, Pennsylvania	Public	pennwest.edu
Concordia University (CUC)	Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	44	N/A	River Forest, Illinois	Private	cuchicago.edu
California State University (CSUF)	Master's	43	N/A	Fullerton, California	Public	fullerton.edu
American International College (AIC)	Master's Post-Master's	43	N/A	Springfield, Massachusetts	Private	aic.edu
SUNY College	Master's	41	SAT: 1200-1380 ACT: 26-31	Geneseo, New York	Public	geneseo.edu
Morningside University	Master's	40	ACT: 12-22	Sioux City, Iowa	Private	morningside.edu
University of Central Arkansas (UCA)	Postbac Cert. Master's	39	SAT: 940-1120 ACT: 19-25	Conway, Arkansas	Public	uca.edu
Missouri State University	Postbac Cert. Master's	39	SAT: 990-1220 ACT: 19-25	Springfield, Missouri	Public	missouristate.edu
St. John's University (SJU)	Master's Doctorate (R)	39	SAT: 1110-1320 ACT: 24-29	Queens, New York	Private	stjohns.edu
Olivet Nazarene University (ONU)	Postbac Cert. Master's	38	SAT: 960-1190 ACT: 18-28	Bourbonnais, Illinois	Private	olivet.edu
University of Pennsylvania (Penn)	Postbac Cert. Master's	37	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	upenn.edu
Longwood University	Master's	37	SAT: 1020-1190 ACT: 22-25	Farmville, Virginia	Public	longwood.edu
Capella University	Master's Doctorate (R)	37	N/A	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Private	capella.edu
Pace University	Master's Post-Master's	36	SAT: 1130-1328 ACT: 24-29	New York, New York	Private	pace.edu
State University of New York	Master's	36	SAT: 1170-1340 ACT: 24-29	New Paltz, New York	Public	newpaltz.edu
National Louis University (NLU)	Master's Post-Master's Doctorate (R)	35	N/A	Chicago, Illinois	Private	nl.edu
CUNY Queens College	Postbac Cert. Master's Post-Master's	35	SAT: 1100-1320	Queens, New York	Public	qc.cuny.edu
Valley City State University (VCSU)	Residency	35	ACT: 18-24	Valley City, North Dakota	Public	vcsu.edu
Eastern Michigan University (EMU)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	34	SAT: 910-1170 ACT: 18-26	Ypsilanti, Michigan	Public	emich.edu
Belhaven University	Master's Post-Master's	34	ACT: 18-23	Jackson, Mississippi	Private	belhaven.edu
Georgia Southern University	Master's	33	SAT: 980-1160 ACT: 18-23	Statesboro, Georgia	Public	georgiasouthern.edu
Augusta University (AU)	Postbac Cert.	33	SAT: 1020-1230 ACT: 19-26	Augusta, Georgia	Public	augusta.edu
Fresno Pacific University (FPU)	Master's	32	N/A	Fresno, California	Private	fresno.edu
SUNY College	Master's	32	N/A	Potsdam, New York	Public	potsdam.edu
Appalachian State University (App State)	Postbac Cert. Master's	32	SAT: 1100-1280 ACT: 21-27	Boone, North Carolina	Public	appstate.edu
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (KU)	Master's	32	SAT: 1070-1270	Kutztown, Pennsylvania	Public	kutztown.edu
CUNY Hunter College	Master's	31	SAT: 1210-1470	New York, New York	Public	hunter.cuny.edu
SUNY Brockport	Master's	31	SAT: 1070-1240 ACT: 18-26	Brockport, New York	Public	brockport.edu
East Carolina University (ECU)	Master's	31	SAT: 1050-1200 ACT: 20-26	Greenville, North Carolina	Public	ecu.edu
Ohio University (OHIO)	Master's	31	SAT: 1100-1290 ACT: 22-28	Athens, Ohio	Public	ohio.edu
Mount St. Joseph University (MSJ)	Postbac Cert.	30	SAT: 880-1083 ACT: 17-24	Cincinnati, Ohio	Private	msj.edu
California State University (CSUEB)	Master's	29	N/A	Hayward, California	Public	csueastbay.edu
Regis University	Master's Post-Master's	29	N/A	Denver, Colorado	Private	regis.edu
Minnesota State University	Postbac Cert. Master's	29	ACT: 22-25	Mankato, Minnesota	Public	mnsu.edu
West Virginia University (WVU)	Master's	29	SAT: 1010-1240 ACT: 20-26	Morgantown, West Virginia	Public	wvu.edu
Central Connecticut State University (CCSU)	Master's Post-Master's	28	SAT: 960-1180 ACT: 19-29	New Britain, Connecticut	Public	ccsu.edu
Touro University	Master's	28	SAT: 1275-1440 ACT: 28-33	New York, New York	Private	touro.edu
Mercy University	Postbac Cert. Master's	27	N/A	Dobbs Ferry, New York	Private	mercy.edu
West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU)	Master's	27	SAT: 1100-1270 ACT: 24-28	West Chester, Pennsylvania	Public	wcupa.edu
Sacred Heart University (SHU)	Post-Master's	26	N/A	Fairfield, Connecticut	Private	sacredheart.edu
New Jersey City University (NJCU)	Master's	25	N/A	Jersey City, New Jersey	Public	njcu.edu
SUNY Buffalo State University	Master's	25	SAT: 960-1190	Buffalo, New York	Public	suny.buffalostate.edu
Marshall University	Postbac Cert. Master's	25	SAT: 890-1130 ACT: 18-24	Huntington, West Virginia	Public	marshall.edu
University of Southern Maine (USM)	Postbac Cert. Master's Post-Master's	24	SAT: 995-1280 ACT: 23-26	Portland, Maine	Public	usm.maine.edu
SUNY Old Westbury	Master's	24	N/A	Old Westbury, New York	Public	oldwestbury.edu
University of South Carolina (USC)	Master's Doctorate (R)	24	SAT: 1180-1380 ACT: 26-32	Columbia, South Carolina	Public	sc.edu
The University of Tennessee	Postbac Cert.	24	SAT: 1190-1340 ACT: 25-31	Knoxville, Tennessee	Public	utk.edu
University of Florida (UF)	Master's	23	SAT: 1300-1480 ACT: 28-33	Gainesville, Florida	Public	ufl.edu
Hamline University	Postbac Cert. Master's	23	SAT: 1146-1393 ACT: 20-28	Saint Paul, Minnesota	Private	hamline.edu
St. Joseph's University (SJNY)	Master's	23	SAT: 1090-1280	Brooklyn, New York	Private	sjny.edu
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU)	Master's	23	SAT: 970-1170 ACT: 20-25	East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania	Public	esu.edu
Point Park University	Postbac Cert. Master's	23	SAT: 1035-1240 ACT: 19-27	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Private	pointpark.edu
Liberty University	Master's	23	N/A	Lynchburg, Virginia	Private	liberty.edu
The College of Saint Scholastica (CSS)	Postbac Cert.	22	ACT: 21-27	Duluth, Minnesota	Private	css.edu
Roberts Wesleyan University	Master's	22	SAT: 965-1250	Rochester, New York	Private	roberts.edu
University of Cincinnati (UC)	Postbac Cert. Master's	22	SAT: 1150-1360 ACT: 24-29	Cincinnati, Ohio	Public	uc.edu
Loyola University Maryland	Master's	21	SAT: 1180-1350 ACT: 27-32	Baltimore, Maryland	Private	loyola.edu
University of North Dakota (UND)	Master's	21	N/A	Grand Forks, North Dakota	Public	und.edu
Saint Joseph's University (SJU)	Master's	21	SAT: 1150-1330 ACT: 27-31	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	sju.edu
William & Mary (W&M)	Postbac Cert.	21	SAT: 1365-1510 ACT: 32-34	Williamsburg, Virginia	Public	wm.edu
Concordia University-Wisconsin (CUW)	Master's	21	ACT: 22-29	Mequon, Wisconsin	Private	cuw.edu
Wilmington University (WilmU)	Master's	20	N/A	New Castle, Delaware	Private	wilmu.edu
University of South Florida (USF)	Master's	20	SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 24-29	Tampa, Florida	Public	usf.edu
University of Georgia (UGA)	Master's Doctorate (R)	20	SAT: 1160-1390 ACT: 25-32	Athens, Georgia	Public	uga.edu
Millersville University of Pennsylvania	Master's	20	SAT: 1030-1210	Millersville, Pennsylvania	Public	millersville.edu
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)	Master's Doctorate (R)	20	SAT: 1000-1230 ACT: 19-26	Murfreesboro, Tennessee	Public	mtsu.edu
Towson University (TU)	Postbac Cert. Master's	19	SAT: 1050-1270 ACT: 19-28	Towson, Maryland	Public	towson.edu
University of Massachusetts	Master's	19	SAT: 1180-1350 ACT: 26-30	Lowell, Massachusetts	Public	uml.edu
MGH Institute of Health Professions (MGH IHP)	Post-Master's	19	N/A	Boston, Massachusetts	Private	mghihp.edu
State University of New York	Master's	19	SAT: 1060-1270 ACT: 23-27	Oswego, New York	Public	oswego.edu
Northeastern State University (NSU)	Postbac Cert. Master's	19	SAT: 920-1145 ACT: 18-23	Tahlequah, Oklahoma	Public	nsuok.edu
Eastern Washington University (EWU)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	19	N/A	Cheney, Washington	Public	ewu.edu
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU)	Master's	18	N/A	Chicago, Illinois	Public	neiu.edu
Gordon College	Master's Post-Master's	18	SAT: 1168-1370 ACT: 26-32	Wenham, Massachusetts	Private	gordon.edu
Nazareth University	Master's	18	SAT: 1170-1330 ACT: 25-30	Rochester, New York	Private	www2.naz.edu
SUNY	Master's	18	SAT: 1060-1290 ACT: 21-28	Fredonia, New York	Public	fredonia.edu
California State University (CSUSM)	Master's	18	N/A	San Marcos, California	Public	csusm.edu
Illinois State University (ISU)	Master's	17	SAT: 1010-1230 ACT: 22-27	Normal, Illinois	Public	illinoisstate.edu
William Paterson University of New Jersey	Postbac Cert. Master's	17	N/A	Wayne, New Jersey	Public	wpunj.edu
California State University	Master's	16	N/A	Fresno, California	Public	fresnostate.edu
University of Central Florida (UCF)	Postbac Cert. Master's	16	SAT: 1190-1350 ACT: 25-29	Orlando, Florida	Public	ucf.edu
Nova Southeastern University (NSU)	Master's Post-Master's	16	SAT: 1050-1310 ACT: 21-28	Fort Lauderdale, Florida	Private	nova.edu
Central Michigan University (CMU)	Master's	16	SAT: 960-1210 ACT: 21-27	Mount Pleasant, Michigan	Public	cmich.edu
Park University	Master's	16	N/A	Parkville, Missouri	Private	park.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Reading Teacher Education programs

How much can I earn with a Reading Teacher Education degree?

Salaries for Reading Teacher Education graduates vary by role and location. Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $72,090 annually, while Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn around $64,580. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $93,697 compared to $53,233 in Oklahoma. Approximately 1,752,000 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 Reading Teacher Education programs?

Currently 302 accredited institutions offer Reading Teacher Education degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Grand Canyon University (GCU) (537 graduates), American College of Education (ACE) (525 graduates), and Arkansas State University (A-State) (192 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 Reading Teacher Education growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 9,987 in 2010 to a peak of 6,105 in 2020, before declining slightly to 5,986 in 2023-24. This represents a 40% 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 Reading Teacher Education degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Education Teachers, Postsecondary, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, and Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education. Related occupations employ approximately 1,752,000 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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