Degrees
Master of Education (M.Ed.) Degree Pathways
A Master of Education (M.Ed.) is the common graduate entry point for licensed educators advancing into leadership or specialist practice. Many M.Ed. programs offer an educational leadership concentration, but the degree title alone is not a principal credential. Confirm whether a program is approved to recommend you for an administrative license in your state before enrolling.
Reviewed by Brittnie Vargas, School principal, M.Ed.Editorial processKey takeaways
- A Master of Education (M.Ed.) is the common graduate entry point for licensed educators advancing into leadership or specialist practice. Many M.Ed. programs offer an educational leadership concentration, but the degree title alone is not a principal credential. Confirm whether a program is approved to recommend you for an administrative license in your state before enrolling.
- No. An MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) is usually oriented to initial teacher preparation. An M.Ed. more often serves already-licensed educators advancing in leadership or specialization, though some M.Ed. programs are licensure-leading. Read the program's published licensure statement and confirm with your state board.
- Not by itself. Most states require an approved principal preparation sequence, documented teaching experience, and any required leadership exams in addition to the graduate degree. Use the principal credential hub and your state board checklist.
- Start with what the state board will accept as administrator preparation. Many building credentials sit inside an approved M.Ed. Use an EdS when you need post-master’s hours. Use an EdD when you need a terminal practitioner degree. None of those titles is the license.
For the leadership audience this site prioritizes, the useful M.Ed. question is not “Is online available?”, it is “Does this sequence satisfy my state’s principal or administrator preparation rules?” Internship hours, mentoring principals, and leadership exams (where required) sit on the credential side of the ledger.
M.Ed. concentrations commonly include educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, reading and literacy, educational technology, special education, and TESOL. Choose the concentration that maps to the credential or role you want; do not assume a general M.Ed. unlocks building administration.
Career changers seeking a first teaching license should use MAT or initial-licensure routes instead. An M.Ed. designed for already-licensed teachers will not substitute for an approved classroom preparation program unless the state explicitly recognizes that route.
When comparing programs, prioritize state approval for any licensure claim, clinical/internship requirements, modality fit, and published Title II outcomes for the provider, never marketing pass-rate claims without a federal or state source.
Treat the M.Ed. as the first rung on a published ladder: concentration, then the state administrative credential, then EdS or EdD only if the role or the board requires post-master’s hours. Use the principal credential hub for the license checklist and the educational leadership specialization for how programs are organized. IPEDS completions show that an institution conferred awards in a CIP code; they are not proof the program may recommend you for a principal license.
Online and hybrid M.Ed. options are common. Coursework can be remote; internships usually cannot. If you need a building credential, the program must place you with a mentoring administrator in a setting the board accepts. Reciprocity after an out-of-state M.Ed. follows the receiving board’s rules, not a national compact republished here.
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Principal credentials by state
The ranking page for “how to become a principal in {state}” is the credential checklist. Degree and leadership × state URLs stay live for assistants and are not Google ranking targets.
Frequently asked questions
Is an M.Ed. the same as an MAT?
No. An MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) is usually oriented to initial teacher preparation. An M.Ed. more often serves already-licensed educators advancing in leadership or specialization, though some M.Ed. programs are licensure-leading. Read the program's published licensure statement and confirm with your state board.
Does an M.Ed. in educational leadership make me a principal?
Not by itself. Most states require an approved principal preparation sequence, documented teaching experience, and any required leadership exams in addition to the graduate degree. Use the principal credential hub and your state board checklist.
Should I pick the M.Ed. or go straight to an EdS or EdD?
Start with what the state board will accept as administrator preparation. Many building credentials sit inside an approved M.Ed. Use an EdS when you need post-master’s hours. Use an EdD when you need a terminal practitioner degree. None of those titles is the license.