Online Early Childhood Education Degrees

Support Growth and Development in Young Learners

Our online early childhood education degrees can teach you the skills needed to work in the field of education with children from birth through third grade. We offer licensure and non-licensure programs to suit your career goals. Licensure programs will require additional hours of hands-on teaching experience and student teaching courses. As an online student you will have support throughout your educational journey as you pursue your teaching career. 

Children playing with toys on the ground in a classroom setting
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Explore Early Childhood Education Online Degrees

We offer online degrees in early childhood education at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.1 If you are an aspiring teacher who is interested in gaining initial teaching licensure you can enroll in the licensure pathway. However, if you are not interested in licensure you can enroll in a non-licensure program. For those interested in special education, we offer early childhood special education degrees. These programs provide education for supporting young learners with exceptionalities during critical developmental stages.

Bachelor’s Degrees

An online bachelor’s degree in early childhood education can help you start your career in teaching and build foundational skills for teaching children. Our undergraduate programs all lead to initial teacher licensure.

Master’s Degrees

Our online master’s degrees in early childhood education build upon the knowledge of an undergraduate degree and focus on leadership, curriculum development and assessment skills. Our graduate programs offer licensure and non-licensure pathways.

Teacher in pink jacket standing and smiling in front of a classroom

Career Paths for Early Childhood Education Graduates

Online early childhood education degrees are designed to help you pursue a range of careers working with young children. The courses you take in an ECE degree program will cover topics such as developmental stages, reading acquisition and instructional methodologies that can support graduates in their teaching careers.

Early childhood education graduates may be able to pursue careers such as: 

  • Preschool special education teacher
  • Preschool teacher
  • Kindergarten teacher
  • Elementary school teacher
  • Teaching assistants
  • Special education teaching assistant

$62,310

Median annual wage for kindergarten and elementary school teachers as of May 20242

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about ECE online degrees.

Earning an early childhood education degree online can be worth it if you are seeking to gain the necessary skills and qualifications for teaching. Online programs can provide added flexibility compared to a traditional in-person program, while providing the same skills and knowledge necessary to prepare for a career in teaching.

The difference between elementary education and early childhood education is the age of the children you are prepared to teach. Elementary education degrees typically cover teaching kindergarten through eighth grade, whereas early childhood education degrees cover teaching children from birth through third grade.

The main difference between licensure and non-licensure ECE degrees is the number of field hours required and whether or not you gain the qualification to teach in public school districts. Licensure programs require more hours of hands-on teaching as well as additional student teaching courses to gain initial teaching licensure to teach at public schools. Non-licensure programs require fewer field hours and can qualify graduates to possibly teach in private schools or charter schools. If you are interested in a master’s degree, you can enroll in a non-licensure program if you have already achieved licensure during your bachelor’s degree. 

Build Strategies To Support Diverse Learners

Teaching is not one-size-fits-all, as children have various learning needs and abilities. Our program can help prepare you with strategies that instill confidence in your approach to instruction and your ability to create welcoming learning environments. Enrolling in an early childhood education special education program will provide even further strategies and skills that can help you support students with exceptionalities. 

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for the online early childhood education degrees are dependent on what program you choose. The College of Education requirements for admission will vary depending on the degree level. Our admission team is here to help you every step of the way and answer any questions you have about the application and enrollment process. 

Accreditation

GCU has been institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968 and remains dedicated to providing a quality education to all students both in person and online. The College of Education upholds the university’s commitment to the standards and principles of GCU’s accrediting bodies. These standards inform our approach as we develop the next generation of educators through our online early childhood education degrees.

Interactive Learning Platform

Our interactive courses allow online students to feel connected with their cohort and develop a sense of community. Through discussion boards, collaborative projects and one-on-one communication with your professors, you will have plenty of opportunities to connect with others in the College of Education.

GCU did a really great job at preparing me for all aspects of the classroom. Private school, Christian school, charter school, all of them.

Krista Smith GCU Student, College of Education

The College of Education here at GCU is unique because it is so extremely hands-on. You get to put into action what your professors are teaching you, and so once you find yourself in a real-life classroom, it feels like you’ve been there before.

Amelia Bain Elementary Education Major

Resources for Online Early Childhood Education Degrees

As an online student you have access to a variety of resources to support your educational journey. If you need extra support with your coursework you can connect with online tutors and seek assistance through the Student Success Center. The College of Education supports you as you complete practical requirements and helps prepare you for teacher candidate testing. 

If you are seeking licensure/certification, please refer to the Accreditation and Compliance/State disclosures link for the specific program of interest’s website for your location and/or employment state licensure requirements, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)32 and 668.43(c).

1 Excluding observational and practice-based experiences, and student teaching.

2 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers as of May 2024, retrieved April 23, 2025. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2024 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as kindergarten and elementary school teachers, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.

Our online early childhood education degrees can equip you with the necessary skills to teach effectively and support developing minds.