Is an Ed.D. Degree Worth It?
Blog Updated on August 26, 2024.
According to the most recent data published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), about 3.2 million students were enrolled in graduate programs in fall 2021. NCES projects that number to increase by 6% over the next decade.
Graduate degrees chart a compelling career trajectory for students. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center report, 72% of postgraduate degree holders believed their education was extremely or very useful in preparing them for their professional journey.
However, for working professionals, putting a job on hold to pursue full-time graduate study, especially beyond a master’s degree, may be impractical. Enter the burgeoning arena of part-time online graduate school choices, including programs for Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees. Of those 3 million graduate students enrolled in 2021, over 1.4 million were part time — advancing their education while pursuing a profession or other priorities.
When surveying the landscape of graduate programs, educational professionals may wonder whether an Ed.D. degree is worth it. For working professionals who wish to grow in influence and confidence, an Ed.D. has distinct benefits.
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What Is an Ed.D. Degree?
An Ed.D. is an advanced degree in education that focuses on solving a problem of practice. Ed.D. graduates frequently use their advanced degrees to foster their leadership skills and positions in various fields. An Ed.D. program is characteristically geared toward supporting students to evaluate and solve practical problems within an organization, a business or an educational facility.
Ed.D. candidates have the option to go on to do scholarly work or teach in academia, but they’re also able to apply the skill set learned in Ed.D. programs to pursue an oversight role in an educational setting, such as school leader. They can just as likely work for a private or nonprofit organization, the government or a consulting firm.
Who Should Consider Getting an Ed.D.?
An Ed.D. degree concentrates on cultivating leadership qualities for educational professionals who want to pursue a high-level administration role in academics. These competencies can help leaders facilitate student success and develop strategies that can shape the trajectory of education.
A key question in considering whether an Ed.D. is worth pursuing is how it can help you with your career goals. Many professionals may wonder what it can provide to strengthen, enhance and develop their skills. An Ed.D. degree can equip you to:
- Execute best practices based on current research
- Move beyond academia into civil service or the private sector
- Chart real-world change within your sphere of work
Additionally, the knowledge and skills honed through an Ed.D. program can lead to additional intriguing opportunities beyond traditional administrative roles, such as public speaking engagements or authoring education-based articles for various publications.
Ed.D. vs. Ph.D.: Which Should You Choose?
An Ed.D. and Ph.D. are both terminal degrees in education, each with distinct concentrations. Their similarities may leave some students to wonder whether an Ed.D. is worth it and which degree has more of a focus on real-world application.
An Ed.D. is the more hands-on program of the two, shaping direct leadership opportunities. Due to its practical emphasis, an Ed.D. degree is applicable outside the academic realm. A Ph.D. in education, by comparison, is keenly focused on scholarly, research-based studies, often drilling down to a single theory or subject matter.
What Are the Different Academic Paths to Achieve Each Degree?
Pursuing a Ph.D. may mean applying for highly competitive scholarships or taking a leave of absence to receive a stipend. An Ed.D. enables students to work full time during their course load, making it more practical for professionals.
A Ph.D. may require more of a time investment than an Ed.D., and many Ed.D. students have already earned their master’s degree before considering the program. Graduates frequently complete their Ed.D. in two to three years, while a Ph.D. may take four to six years.
Ed.D. vs. Ph.D.: Which Degree is More Relevant to Your Goals?
Is an Ed.D. worth it vs. a Ph.D.? Neither degree is better — each provides unique benefits and opens doors for its graduates. However, one degree is more likely to be more suitable for any given student, based on career path and ambition.
Because Ed.D. programs focus on leadership preparation, it’s important to ask yourself the following questions to help determine whether an Ed.D. or a Ph.D. is the right degree to pursue:
- Do you want to effect positive change within your organization?
- Do you want to pursue a flexible, affordable degree while continuing to work full time?
- Do you want to be better trained to take on more responsibility in your field?
If you answered yes to the above questions, an Ed.D. may be the right choice for you.
What Are the Specific Areas of Study for an Ed.D. Program?
Many Ed.D. programs include research and exploration of positive change in learning environments, with the end goal of implementing these skills in a practical setting. Ed.D. programs are likely to focus on applying educational theory and research to problem-solving.
Students may explore such subjects as:
- Integrating educational theory into organizational innovation
- Ethical leadership
- Effectively leading to social justice outcomes
- Best approaches to applied research
- Leading an organization in complex times
- Transformative leadership
- Strategic leadership
- Systems thinking
- Coaching and mentoring
- Change management
- Developing leadership in others
- Technological proficiency within an organization
Ed.D. vs. Ph.D.: What Does a Dissertation Look Like?
The primary difference between an Ed.D. dissertation and a Ph.D. dissertation lies in their focus. Whereas a Ph.D. dissertation tends to be about researching a topic, the Ed.D. dissertation at Marymount University emphasizes applying theories to practical educational challenges. To further emphasize their purpose, some university programs refer to this type of dissertation as a dissertation in practice (DiP).
What Are the Benefits of an Ed.D. Degree?
When you earn an Ed.D., you can gain a wide range of benefits that can help you shape your professional career with optimal effectiveness and efficiency. These benefits include the following:
- You’re better positioned to continue in your current career while taking classes.
- If you’re in a management role overseeing projects and people, you can apply problem-solving strategies that you practiced and learned in your courses.
- You can connect with other professionals while you learn. Because an Ed.D. degree program typically attracts students who are full-time professionals, you’ll likely interact with and learn from a cohort of skilled and diverse professionals.
When you pursue an Ed.D. degree online, you can also experience the benefit of additional flexibility. Online curricula commonly allow you to proceed through coursework at times that are convenient for you, meaning that you don’t have to bend your busy schedule to fit the rigidity of a classroom environment. Online programs also offer various components, such as online bulletin boards that allow for networking and collaboration opportunities to occur, just as they might in an in-person setting.
The Impact of an Ed.D. on Servant and Ethical Leadership
The concepts of servant and ethical leadership have grown in popularity in recent years and many universities, particularly those with strong values and mission statements, are incorporating this into their curricula. While many degree programs may work to find inroads to integrate these concepts, few degrees naturally afford the deep dive that an Ed.D. does.
Servant leadership isn’t just laudable; it makes good organizational and business sense. Ethical leadership yields many organizational benefits, such as reduced turnover rates, increased employee satisfaction, bolstered public reputation and boosted loyalty from long-term shareholders.
Here are some factors to consider when it comes to servant and ethical leadership.
Honing Your Vision
What is your vision for leadership? By articulating the reasons why you want to pursue an advanced degree, you can analyze your intent and consider how an Ed.D. will advance your career.
Increasing Your Impact
Ed.D. students naturally desire to make a greater impact within an organization. Candidates should consider what kind of impact they’d like to make, where they’d like to make it and how they’d like to do it.
An Ed.D. not only helps students focus on their reason why but also gives them the tools and knowledge to make the impact they desire. Moreover, Ed.D. students who adopt ethical leadership skills and principles can have a positive and lasting impact when leading large groups within an organization.
Implementing Change
Is an Ed.D. worth it when you consider the potential for organizational or policy change? In empowering a leader to think strategically, an Ed.D. qualifies a leader to craft and implement change. Ed.D. graduates can create better work and educational environments for others, identify and train other leaders and solve problems within an organization or a business.
What Career Paths Can You Pursue With an Ed.D.?
Earning an Ed.D. degree can help you gain the expertise needed to become a respected leader who gains results. This can help qualify you to pursue many career opportunities in a wide range of industries. Some of these roles tie directly to the education field, such as education policy analyst or university president. Others can lead you to a more corporate setting, such as human resources (HR) director or training and development manager.
Regardless of career, earning an Ed.D. can potentially lead to well-paying jobs. According to Payscale, the median annual salary for those with an Ed.D. degree was $88,000 as of January 2024. A few factors can dictate the precise amount you may earn with the degree. These can include years of experience, job type and job location.
Where to Take Your Next Step Toward a Doctorate in Education
Whether you want to make a difference in your organization or community, an online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation can empower you as a change agent ready to initiate and inspire. Learn how our Ed.D. program can help you apply research and theory to solve a problem of practice facing your organization or community.
Connect with an enrollment advisor to get started.
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