Master's in Elementary Education in New York

A master's in elementary education in New York can mean very different things on paper. CUNY City College's Track E is explicitly a master's without teacher certification, while SUNY New Paltz and CUNY Brooklyn College build theirs around Childhood Education, grades 1-6.

That distinction matters before price does. Program-level earnings and debt drive the rankings wherever the data allows; cost, exams, admissions and the choice between an NYC and an upstate campus shape the rest.

The degree title rarely settles the question. The certification pathway behind it does.

10 Standout New York Elementary Education Master's Programs, Ranked

The strongest elementary education master's programs in New York balance three things at once: what the degree costs, what graduates actually earn and how easily working adults can fit the program around a job. Completion matters most in this list, because a program that finishes its candidates is worth more than one that simply enrolls them. Each entry below notes the reason it stands out, the tuition the school publishes for graduate study and how many of its students finish.

Rank	School	Location	Net price	Best for
#1	Siena University	Loudonville, NY	~$17,000/yr (est.)	Career changers seeking small-cohort teacher preparation
Siena University is a private college in Loudonville whose Education Department awards an MSEd in Early Childhood and Childhood Education leading to New York State initial certification from birth through grade six. Classes are small, fieldwork runs through rural, suburban and urban partner schools, and the department publishes an AAQEP report for public review. Graduate tuition is listed at $16,200, and schools offering this program graduate 75% of their students. MSEd in Early Childhood and Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 6), Master's — Online AAQEP-accredited Education Department Leads to New York State Initial Teacher Certification Covers certification from birth through grade six Small classes taught closely with departmental faculty Fieldwork in rural, suburban and urban partner schools Mentoring by Education Department professionals AAQEP public report available for review TeachNY $100 application fee reimbursement Visit Website
#2	Mount Saint Mary College	Newburgh, NY	~$20,000/yr (est.)	Evening learners adding special education certification
Mount Saint Mary College is a private college in Newburgh with a CAEP-accredited Division of Education and an MSEd in Childhood Education that branches into dual certification paths in early childhood or special education. Courses run in the evening and online, student teaching is built into every path, and alumni receive a 20% tuition discount. Graduate tuition is listed at $20,160, and schools offering this program graduate 65% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $71,876 four years after finishing. MSEd in Childhood Education, Master's — Hybrid CAEP-accredited Division of Education Student teaching placement plus early fieldwork Evening and online courses for working professionals Most students finish within two to two and a half years 20% tuition discount for Mount alumni Dual certification options available Small classes with supportive faculty Visit Website MSEd in Childhood Education and Early Childhood, Master's — Hybrid 46 total credit hours Accredited by CAEP plus specialized subject associations Prepares candidates across early childhood and childhood settings Career changers welcome Close ties to regional school districts Visit Website MSEd in Childhood Education and Special Education, Master's — Hybrid 49 total credit hours Dual certification in special education Student teaching placement included Prepares candidates for New York State certification One of several concentration options in the MSEd Visit Website
#3	Niagara University	Niagara University, NY	~$16,000/yr (est.)	Adults balancing work with a compressed timeline
Niagara University, in western New York near the Canadian border, offers a CAEP-accredited M.S.Ed. in Elementary and Secondary Education with an elementary birth to grade six track. The 39-credit program runs three semesters or 12 to 16 months and pairs 150 clinical hours with a student teaching practicum, with rolling admissions and three start dates a year. Graduate tuition is listed at $14,976, and schools offering this program graduate 75% of their students. M.S.Ed. in Elementary and Secondary Education, Master's — Online Rolling admissionsFully online option 39 credit hours finished in 12 to 16 months CAEP accredited 150 clinical hours plus a student teaching practicum Rolling admissions with three start dates per year Entrance exam required: SAT, ACT, GRE or Accuplacer Elementary track requires coursework in math, science, social studies and English Cohort structure with synchronous and asynchronous classes Paid field experiences with partner school districts Visit Website
#4	State University of New York at New Paltz	New Paltz, NY	~$13,000/yr (est.)
SUNY New Paltz runs an MSEd in Childhood Education for grades 1 to 6 aimed at teachers who already hold initial certification and are working toward professional certification, with a STEM specialization woven through the curriculum. The School of Education draws clinical placements from Mid-Hudson districts, BOCES and teacher centers, hosts the region's Master Teacher Program site, and holds an annual recruitment day that brings more than 50 districts to campus. Graduate tuition is $11,310 in state and $23,100 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 72% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $46,638 one year after finishing. MSEd in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), Master's — Hybrid Designed for teachers who already hold initial certification Leads to professional certification in New York STEM specialization available Full-time and part-time study options Clinical placements through Mid-Hudson districts and BOCES Regional host site for New York's Master Teacher Program Annual Teacher Recruitment Day draws more than 50 districts Visit Website
#5	CUNY Brooklyn College	Brooklyn, NY	$10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.)
CUNY Brooklyn College offers an M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education Teacher (Grades 1-6) in the liberal arts, built around urban classrooms and a social justice orientation, with faculty drawn from childhood, bilingual and special education. Students pick from three program options based on prior experience and complete internships across New York City public and private schools. Graduate tuition is $11,090 in state and $20,520 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 54% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $80,655 four years after finishing, with median graduate debt of $27,668. M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education Teacher (Grades 1-6), Liberal Arts, Master's — Online Rolling admissions Rolling admissions for fall and spring starts Three program options based on prior experience Internships in New York City public and private schools Faculty from childhood, bilingual and special education Emphasis on social justice and equity in urban classrooms 3.0 GPA minimum with two letters of recommendation Prepares candidates for New York State certification Visit Website
#6	State University of New York at Plattsburgh	Plattsburgh, NY	~$13,000/yr (est.)
SUNY Plattsburgh's M.S.T. in Childhood Education prepares candidates for grades 1 to 6 certification through 42 credits and a full semester of student teaching arranged by the Office of Clinical Practice. The North Country campus hosts the regional Master Teacher Program site, and faculty mentors are assigned to guide career changers and experienced educators alike. Graduate tuition is $11,310 in state and $23,100 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 59% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $56,554 four years after finishing, with median graduate debt of $36,344. M.S.T. in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), Master's — Online or On-Campus 42 credit hours, completable in three semesters Fieldwork must be completed in New York State schools Full semester of student teaching arranged by the Office of Clinical Practice Faculty mentors guide career changers and experienced educators 3.0 GPA required for admission Leads to New York State certification for grades 1-6 Regional host site for New York's Master Teacher Program Visit Website
#7	CUNY Hunter College	New York, NY	~$11,000/yr (est.)
CUNY Hunter College's MSEd in Childhood Education for grades 1 to 6 is built for candidates without initial certification, pairing a 40-credit curriculum with two semesters of fieldwork in New York City public schools and a full semester of student teaching. Afternoon, evening and some daytime sections let students study full time, part time or on an individualized plan. Graduate tuition is $11,090 in state and $20,520 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 57% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $77,067 four years after finishing, with median graduate debt of $25,523. MSEd in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), Master's — Hybrid 40 credit hours with full-time and part-time plans Two semesters of fieldwork in New York City public schools Culminating full-semester student teaching experience Afternoon and evening courses, with some daytime options Designed for candidates without initial certification Fall and spring admission; 3.0 GPA and two recommendations Coursework in child development, methods and urban education Visit Website
#8	College of Staten Island CUNY	Staten Island, NY	$10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.)
The College of Staten Island offers an MSEd in Childhood Education leading to initial certification, organized into seven concentration options that include learning and development, literacy, and mathematics education. A 15-month residency pathway places candidates in a host school as a cohort, with courses taught on site and a stipend attached. Graduate tuition is $11,090 in state and $20,520 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 34% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $71,468 four years after finishing, with median graduate debt of $20,950. MSEd in Childhood Education (Learning and Development), Master's — On-Campus Prepares candidates without certification for initial certification Seven concentration options across the degree Teacher residency pathway with a stipend Cohort model with a year-long apprenticeship in a host school Coursework links educational research to classroom practice Visit Website MSEd in Childhood Education (Literacy Education), Master's — On-Campus 15-month cohort-based program Literacy concentration within the childhood MSEd Financial aid available Leads to initial certification Visit Website MSEd in Childhood Education (Mathematics Education), Master's — On-Campus Courses held on site at the host school Year-long apprenticeship in a host school Emphasizes educational research and theory Integrates liberal arts and sciences coursework Visit Website
#9	CUNY City College	New York, NY	~$11,000/yr (est.)
CUNY City College offers a 31-credit M.Ed. track in childhood education for students who are not seeking teacher certification, which makes it a fit for educators adding a graduate credential rather than a license. Required coursework covers literacy, social studies, elementary science and engineering methods, and mathematics for grades 1 to 6, plus two research courses and electives by advisement. Graduate tuition is $11,090 in state and $20,520 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 57% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $79,740 four years after finishing, with median graduate debt of $27,301. M.Ed. in Childhood Education (Track E, without teacher certification), Master's — On-Campus 31 total credit hours Two prerequisite courses, including child development Does not lead to teacher certification Seven required courses plus two research courses Methods coursework in literacy, social studies, science and math for grades 1-6 Electives chosen with an adviser Visit Website
#10	CUNY Lehman College	Bronx, NY	~$12,000/yr (est.)
Lehman College runs an MSEd in Childhood Education for grades 1 to 6 that pairs a two-year plan of study with a heavy field presence in Bronx Professional Development Schools. Candidates log 100 hours of classroom fieldwork before a 15-week student teaching experience, and a bilingual extension is available for those who need it. Graduate tuition is $11,090 in state and $20,520 out of state, and schools offering this program graduate 51% of their students. Graduates reported median earnings of $78,311 four years after finishing, with median graduate debt of $25,825. MSEd in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), Master's — On-Campus 36 to 42 credit hours over a two-year plan of study 100 hours of fieldwork in a grades 1 to 6 classroom before student teaching 15-week student teaching, much of it in Bronx Professional Development Schools Bilingual extension track runs 39 to 48 credits 3.0 GPA, two recommendations and a 500-word essay required Application deadline of May 15 Visit Website

How We Scored These Programs: Data Sources, Weights and Caveats

A school's graduation rate and a program's earnings answer two different questions, and only one of them describes the degree you would actually enroll in.

The Inputs Behind Each Score

Outcome figures come from the federal College Scorecard, which reports earnings and typical graduate debt for individual master's programs rather than for a campus as a whole. Tuition comes from IPEDS graduate tuition reporting. Graduation rates are institution-level and cover the entire university. Earnings carry the most weight, tuition next, and school-wide graduation figures a smaller share as context.

Program-Level vs. School-Level Numbers

Earnings and debt attach to a specific program, so a childhood education master's inside a large university is measured against its own graduates, not the business school's. Net price and graduation rate do not work that way. They describe the institution, usually with undergraduates folded in. That distinction matters for a master's, because you are buying one program, not the whole campus. A school-wide graduation rate says something about institutional health and very little about whether the Grades 1-6 sequence is well run.

What the Numbers Cannot Tell You

• Net price: an estimate built from broad averages, not a bill for your situation.
• Graduation rate: school-wide, so read it as background rather than a program verdict.
• Missing earnings: where a program has no published figure, we leave the gap rather than guess.

The scoring also cannot see curriculum fit, field placement quality, or a program's relationships with local districts. Confirm those with each admissions office before you apply.

Grades 1-6 Certification in New York: Initial vs. Professional, Exams and Degree Labels

New York's Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) certificate comes in two stages: an Initial certificate that lets you start teaching in an elementary classroom, and a Professional certificate you apply for later, once you are working. Both are issued by the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives, and both are handled through the TEACH system.

Two stages, two applications

The Initial certificate is the entry-level credential for grades 1 through 6. The Professional certificate is not an automatic upgrade: NYSED generally requires its own application and its own requirements, so plan on applying again rather than waiting for it to arrive. Some New York districts advertise openings that require Professional or Permanent certification, and one state job posting ties that requirement to two years of full-time classroom teaching. Because the details attach to your individual pathway, confirm the experience and coursework the Professional stage expects with NYSED before you enroll.

Exams, workshops and clearance

Expect the NYSTCE Educating All Students (EAS) exam plus the content exam for this level, NYSTCE Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood. Subtest structures and passing standards are revised periodically, so check the current NYSTCE framework and any safety net before you register. Three workshops are specified: Child Abuse Identification, School Violence Prevention, and DASA (the Dignity for All Students Act). Fingerprinting and clearance run through TEACH.

Your program route matters too. NYSED-registered teacher-education programs lead to Initial certification, while out-of-state or substantially equivalent programs go through NYSED evaluation. A NYSED rulemaking document describes a 40-day student teaching placement in the certificate area, though field experience varies by approved pathway.

What the degree title does and does not tell you

MSEd, MS, EdM and advanced certificate are institutional labels, not state categories. One school may use MSEd for a certification track and MS for something else entirely. So the reliable test for a program that leads to initial certification is a NYSED-registered, certification-leading track, not a degree title. CUNY City College's Track E, for example, is a master's in education without teacher certification, which suits already-certified teachers and not career changers. New Paltz's Childhood Education 1-6 MSEd and Siena's Birth to Grade 6 MSEd sit on the certification-leading side.

Two ways in

Most candidates enter through a registered program that includes student teaching; career changers sometimes use transitional or alternative routes administered by NYSED, which carry their own coursework and employment conditions.

CAEP Accreditation and NYSED Registration: What Each Means and How to Check

A nationally accredited education school and a state-registered program are not the same thing, and only one of them decides whether you can be certified to teach grades 1-6 in New York. Registration is the gatekeeper; accreditation is the quality signal layered on top.

NYSED registration applies to a specific degree program at a specific campus. New York requires every degree program to be registered, and a certification-leading program must be registered before a college may advertise it, recruit for it, or enroll candidates. CAEP accreditation, by contrast, applies to the preparation provider at the initial and advanced levels, with terms running no longer than seven years. New York accepts either CAEP or AAQEP as the professional-education accreditor, and teacher preparation programs must become accredited within seven years of initial registration and stay that way.

A three-step verification routine

• Start with NYSED: Search the Inventory of Registered Programs using the institution's exact legal name, then confirm the award title, campus location, and registered status match the program you are applying to.
• Then check the accreditor: Use CAEP's Provider Search 2.0 and the published accreditation decisions, noting the preparation level and term. Initial and advanced levels receive separate actions, so one does not imply the other. Note that CAEP's older AIMS 1.5 system shuts down on December 15, 2026.
• Finish on the school's own education-unit page: Programs usually list their accreditor and expiration date there, which is the quickest way to catch an AAQEP provider that is not CAEP.

What is confirmed, and what is not

CAEP's Fall 2025 decisions list full accreditation for College of Staten Island/CUNY and accreditation for Lehman College-CUNY. NYU Steinhardt's teacher education unit is AAQEP-accredited through June 30, 2027, not currently CAEP. For other schools here, accreditor status could not be independently confirmed, and provider-level listings never establish that a particular master's title is registered.

Third-party directories keep listing suspended or discontinued programs long after the fact. Verify current registration before you pay a deposit.

Lowest-Cost Elementary Education Master's Options in New York

Public CUNY campuses anchor the low end of New York pricing: the lowest-cost rows in our data list graduate tuition and fees before aid of $11,398 to $11,524 for New York residents (federal figures, not net price), while the private colleges on this page generally charge more, and per-credit rates change yearly, so confirm current charges with each school. Aid can lower the bill further: the NYS Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship covers SUNY or CUNY tuition up to $5,655 per semester for full-time students (at least 12 credits a term) who meet residency and GPA rules and commit to teaching in a New York public K-12 school for five years, and graduate assistantships or departmental scholarships are worth asking about when you apply. If you already work in a school, ask your district about tuition reimbursement, and weigh part-time pacing against the scholarship's full-time requirement before you pick a schedule.

What Do Graduates Earn After Finishing These Elementary Education Master's Programs?

These are median earnings for graduates of each school's elementary education master's program, not campus-wide figures. CUNY Brooklyn College leads at $81,371 five years after finishing, and St. John's posts the top four-year figure, $83,019 four years after finishing. Median debt shapes the payoff: it runs $25,523-$27,668 at Hunter, City and Brooklyn, roughly a third of five-year earnings, versus $52,441 at St. John's.

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Getting in: Prerequisites, Test Requirements and Career-Changer Routes

Admissions rules differ from school to school. Use the examples below as benchmarks, then confirm every requirement on the program's own admissions page before you apply.

• Minimum GPA

  A 3.0 cumulative GPA is a common floor. NYIT's Childhood Education M.S., for example, requires a 3.0. Applicants with a 2.85 to 2.99 may receive conditional admission from the department chair, but they must earn a 3.0 in their first six graduate credits to continue.
• GRE

  Many education master's programs no longer require the GRE. Policies still vary, so confirm with each school whether the test is required, optional or waivable.
• Deadlines

  The University of Rochester's Warner School admits on a rolling basis, with its next priority deadline on December 15, 2026. Its 15-month full-time initial-certification master's begins in summer. Deadlines shift every cycle, so recheck dates before you plan.
• No education bachelor's? Usually fine

  Initial-certification programs are built for career changers. Rochester asks for a BA or BS in the liberal arts or sciences. NYIT expects a major or a 30-credit concentration in a field such as biology, English, history, mathematics or psychology.
• Content-core coursework

  Expect a transcript review of your liberal arts and sciences credits, including math, science, English and social studies. Gaps may require extra courses before you can be certified.
• Transfer credits

  Transfer limits vary by school. Ask in writing how many graduate credits will count and whether grade or age limits apply.

New York Elementary Teacher Pay Benchmark

Use this statewide figure as a reference point when weighing what a master's might be worth to you.

Additional New York Elementary Education Programs to Explore

The directory below covers additional New York elementary education master's programs beyond the ranked list, grouped by region and presented without ranking. Each entry notes the program's focus, delivery format and published graduate tuition where the school reports one. Use it to widen a search, then confirm current details with each admissions office.

New York City

Long Island

Hudson Valley

Central New York

Finger Lakes