In 2023, early childhood education majors were recently listed as the lowest earners among mid-career college graduates. These graduates earn a median income of $49,000. Five years post-graduation, they’re earning roughly $8,000 more than their pre–high school salary. This jarring difference points to the economic burden imposed on anyone entering the education profession.
The data paints a very troubling picture for early-career education workers. Even early childhood education majors see low pay bump considerably by only a few modest dollars, as they accrue experience. They’re still making only $39,000, well below the U.S. median wage of $48,060 for 2023 as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Engineering majors usually locked down six-figure salaries by mid-career, with most earning over $80,000 within a year or two of graduation.
Yet the overall major college major landscape is a bit surprising. Although the median salary overall for every field studied is $50,000, the majority of liberal arts and education graduates struggle to make that starting-out figure of $40,000. This persistent pay gap raises critical issues about the societal value placed on education careers. More importantly, it points to the significant financial burden experienced by those earning degrees in this area.
Looking at the 2023 data, you can start to see alarming gaps between areas of study. Engineering graduates are greeted with incredible monetary incentives for their schooling. Consider that many of them within a few years become six-figure earners as they work throughout their careers. As the greatest party on Earth—our early childhood education majors—like to remind us, they’re laying the groundwork for our future generations. Too often, they end up trapped in a downward wage spiral.
The story highlights a trend that is feeding a national crisis with the long-term viability of education professions. These tireless advocates for care and education dedicate their lives developing and teaching young children! The financial rewards they reap rarely, if ever, account for the life-altering impact their work has. This recent trend may deter prospective students from getting degrees in early childhood education. Consequently, it can affect the quality and supply of educators in this important area of study.
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