An EdD salary in 2026 depends on the job you hold, not on the degree itself. In the newest federal data, from May 2025, median pay was $105,870 for K-12 principals and $104,590 for college administrators. Top executives of K-12 school systems, the federal job group that includes superintendents, earned a median of $176,720. The doctorate helps most in jobs that prefer or require one, such as superintendent, dean or professor at a four-year college.

EdD Salary by Job

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks pay by job, not by degree. So there is no official “EdD salary.” BLS updated these figures in August 2026. They show pay from May 2025, the newest year available. The table shows the jobs EdD graduates often move into. The median is the middle salary: half of workers earn more, and half earn less.

BLS has no category for superintendents alone. It counts them with chief executives. So we use chief executives in elementary and secondary schools. That group can also include other top school leaders, such as heads of private schools. We treat college presidents the same way.

Job	Median pay (May 2025)	Typical entry education	Job outlook 2025–35
Top executives, colleges and universities (includes presidents)	$376,520	Master’s degree; doctorate often preferred	3% (all chief executives)
Top executives, K-12 school systems (includes superintendents)	$176,720	Master’s degree; doctorate often preferred	3% (all chief executives)
Training and development managers	$133,000	Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of experience	6%
Elementary, middle and high school principals	$105,870	Master’s degree	0%
Postsecondary education administrators	$104,590	Master’s degree	2%
Postsecondary teachers (all subjects)	$85,330	Doctorate at 4-year colleges	7%
Instructional coordinators	$77,440	Master’s degree and 5+ years of experience	2%
Education teachers, postsecondary	$75,350	Doctorate at 4-year colleges	2%

Two notes about the table. First, the pay for college top executives comes from only 2,550 jobs, so treat it as a rough guide. Second, BLS gives one outlook for all chief executives, in every industry.

Most of these jobs will grow slowly. Still, many jobs open each year as workers retire or leave. For example, BLS expects no growth for principals, but about 20,600 openings each year. It expects about 14,500 openings a year for postsecondary education administrators.

Some websites quote one “average EdD salary.” Be careful with that number. It often mixes very different jobs, or it comes from salaries people report themselves. Pay by job is a better guide.

Pay Range: What the Top and Bottom Earn

The median is only the middle of the range. The table below shows pay at five points for four leadership jobs. For example, the 10th percentile is the pay that 10% of workers earn less than.

Job (May 2025)	10th percentile	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile	90th percentile
K-12 principals and other school administrators	$76,280	$86,040	$105,870	$134,630	$167,770
Postsecondary education administrators	$64,560	$80,870	$104,590	$144,370	$215,620
Top executives, K-12 school systems	$109,430	$137,230	$176,720	$237,650	$320,510
Top executives, colleges and universities	$167,940	$226,830	$376,520	$459,010	$624,100

Where you work also changes your pay. Principals in local public schools earned a median of $107,860. In private schools, the median was $98,020. Training and development managers earned $156,440 in professional and technical services. In educational services, they earned $114,970.

Does a Doctorate Raise Teacher Pay?

It can, but the raise may be small. Many school districts pay teachers from a salary schedule. The schedule has steps for years of service and lanes for education level. Some districts have a lane for teachers with a doctorate.

Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia is one example. Its 2026–27 teacher scale has six lanes, including a PhD lane. Any doctoral degree moves a teacher to that lane, so an EdD counts.

Step (Fairfax County, 2026–27)	MA lane	MA +30 lane	PhD lane
Step 1 (new teacher)	$69,959	$72,058	$73,457
Step 10	$96,733	$99,634	$101,569

At step 1, the PhD lane pays $3,498 more than the MA lane. At step 10, it pays $4,836 more. That is about 5% at both steps.

However, an EdD usually takes 30 or more credits beyond a master’s degree. So many teachers are already in the MA +30 lane before they finish. Compared with that lane, the doctorate adds only $1,399 at step 1 and $1,935 at step 10.

Fairfax also pays some principals and supervisors a yearly stipend for advanced degrees. The stipend is $2,500 for an Ed.D. and $1,500 for an Ed.S. (Education Specialist).

Every district is different. Yours may pay more, less or nothing extra for a doctorate. Look at your own district’s salary schedule before you enroll. You can find the Fairfax scale on the Fairfax County Public Schools salary page.

Jobs Where an EdD Helps Most

A doctorate matters most in the first three jobs below. In the last two, it is optional. All pay figures are BLS medians from May 2025.

• Superintendent: BLS says superintendents usually need a master’s degree, but a doctorate is often preferred. Top executives of K-12 school systems earned a median of $176,720. Principals and instructional coordinators can move up to this job with more education and experience.
• College leadership: BLS says provosts and deans often must have a Ph.D. Ask the schools you want to work for whether an EdD meets that need. Postsecondary education administrators earned a median of $104,590.
• Professor at a 4-year college: BLS says these faculty typically need a Ph.D. or other doctorate. Postsecondary teachers in all subjects earned a median of $85,330. Education teachers at colleges, who train future teachers, earned $75,350.
• Training and development manager: These managers lead training programs for employers. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience as typical. Some employers prefer a master’s degree. The median pay was $133,000.
• Instructional coordinator: These workers plan curriculum and teacher training. The job usually requires a master’s degree and at least five years of experience. The median pay was $77,440. BLS says some coordinators become superintendents with more education.

Is an EdD Worth the Cost?

An EdD pays off when it helps you get a higher-paying job or a raise. Before you enroll, compare two numbers: the total cost and the yearly raise you expect. Divide the cost by the raise. The result is roughly the number of years it takes to earn the money back, before taxes and interest.

Here is an example. The Fairfax Ed.D. stipend is $2,500 a year. One year of the largest federal unsubsidized loan is $20,500. The stipend alone would take more than eight years to repay that loan, before interest.

A new job changes the math much more than a stipend. At the median, top executives of K-12 school systems earn far more than principals. A lower price also helps. See our guide to the cheapest online EdD programs.

Federal student loan rules changed on July 1, 2026. New graduate borrowers can no longer get Grad PLUS loans. You can still borrow up to $20,500 a year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Total federal borrowing for graduate school is limited to $100,000, and the lifetime limit is $257,500.

If you borrowed before July 1, 2026, the old limits may still apply to you for a short time. Ask your financial aid office. For details, see the U.S. Department of Education’s loan limit charts.

Ask your employer whether it offers tuition help. If you work for a public school, college, government agency or nonprofit, you may also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Salary by State

Pay changes a lot from state to state. BLS publishes wages for every state each year. Open the BLS wage tables and choose the state data. Then search for these job codes:

• 11-1011: Chief executives (includes superintendents and college presidents)
• 11-9032: Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary (includes principals)
• 11-9033: Education administrators, postsecondary
• 11-3131: Training and development managers
• 25-9031: Instructional coordinators
• 25-1081: Education teachers, postsecondary

For teacher pay, look up the salary schedule for each district where you might work. Many districts post it online.

Terms to Know

• Median: The middle salary. Half of workers earn more, and half earn less.
• Percentile: A point in the pay range. At the 90th percentile, only 10% of workers earn more.
• Salary schedule: A public table that shows what a district pays teachers.
• Step: A row on the salary schedule. Teachers move up steps over time.
• Lane: A column on the salary schedule, based on your education, such as MA or PhD.
• Stipend: Extra pay added to your salary, such as a yearly amount for holding a doctorate.
• Job outlook: The expected change in the number of jobs over 10 years.

Explore More EdD Guides

• Best online EdD programs ranked by school quality
• Accelerated online EdD programs you can finish in two to three years
• Cheapest online EdD programs for a smaller budget
• EdD programs that do not require the GRE
• Online EdD programs without a dissertation that end with a capstone or dossier
• One-year doctorate options and what they require
• Best on-campus EdD programs

EdD Salary FAQ

How much do EdD holders make?

It depends on the job. In the newest federal data, from May 2025, K-12 principals earned a median of $105,870, and college administrators earned $104,590. Top executives of K-12 school systems, including superintendents, earned a median of $176,720. Education teachers at colleges earned $75,350.

Does an EdD raise a teacher’s pay?

In some districts, yes, but the raise can be small. In Fairfax County, Virginia, the doctorate lane pays about 5% more than the master’s lane. Compared with the MA +30 lane, it adds $1,399 to $1,935 a year. Check your own district’s salary schedule.

Do you need an EdD to be a superintendent?

Not always. BLS says superintendents usually need a master’s degree, but a doctorate is often preferred. Some principals move up to superintendent, and BLS says this may require more education. Your state may also have its own rules.

Is an EdD easier than a PhD?

No, but it has a different goal. An EdD prepares you to lead and solve real problems in schools and organizations. A PhD in education focuses more on original research. Both take several years of hard work. BLS reports pay by job, not by type of doctorate.

Is an EdD degree worth it?

It can be, if it helps you reach a higher-paying job. It is less likely to pay off if you stay in the same job. Compare the total cost with the raise you expect. Choosing a lower-cost program also shortens the payback time.

How much can I borrow for an EdD in 2026?

New graduate borrowers can get up to $20,500 a year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Total federal graduate borrowing is limited to $100,000. Grad PLUS loans closed to new graduate borrowers on July 1, 2026.

Sources: Pay, education and job outlook data are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We used its Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025–35 outlook) and its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Teacher pay is from the Fairfax County Public Schools FY27 salary scales, effective July 1, 2026. Loan limits are from the U.S. Department of Education. All sources were checked in September 2026.