Elementary Education · California

Elementary Education colleges in California

CampusPin lists 262 U.S. colleges in California that offer Elementary Education programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Elementary Education prepares you to teach all core subjects to children in the elementary grades, building skills in reading, math, science, and child development.

Schools in California that offer Elementary Education

Elementary Education programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 262 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

262

Public / private

15 / 35

Universities / 2-year

40 / 10

Cities represented

35

In-state tuition range

$1,124–$63,255

Median in-state tuition

$15,977

Lowest published in-state tuition

Antelope Valley Community College District

$1,124

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State University-Fullerton

41,793 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Elementary Education program

  • Child development and learning theory across the elementary years
  • Methods for teaching early reading, phonics, and writing (literacy instruction)
  • Elementary mathematics methods and number sense
  • Science and social studies methods for young learners
  • Classroom management and positive behavior support
  • Lesson planning, curriculum design, and standards alignment
  • Student assessment, data interpretation, and differentiated instruction
  • Supporting English learners and students with disabilities (inclusive practices)
  • Supervised classroom fieldwork and a student-teaching practicum

Where a Elementary Education degree can lead

  • Elementary School Teacher
  • Reading Specialist
  • Curriculum Coordinator
  • Instructional Coach
  • Grade-Level Lead
  • Education Consultant

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 elementary school teachers, except special education median $62,340).

An Elementary Education major prepares you to teach across all core subjects to children in the elementary grades, which, depending on the state and school system, can span the early years through the upper-elementary or early-middle grades. Rather than specializing in one subject the way a secondary education candidate would, you learn how to teach reading and writing, mathematics, science, and social studies to the same group of students, and how children develop cognitively, socially, and emotionally as they learn. Coursework blends child development and learning theory with hands-on methods classes that show you how to plan lessons, assess progress, manage a classroom, and adapt instruction for English learners and students with disabilities. This focus on younger learners and on teaching every subject is what separates Elementary Education from secondary education, from special education, and from a general child-development or early-childhood major.

The standard credential is a bachelor's degree, and most programs are built around supervised fieldwork that culminates in a full-time student-teaching placement, often a semester long, where you lead a real classroom under a mentor teacher. To teach in a public school you must earn a state teaching license or certification, which typically requires completing an approved preparation program, passing subject-matter and pedagogy exams, and clearing a background check; programmatic accreditation and the exact licensure steps vary by state and should be verified directly with the state education agency. Graduates most often work as classroom teachers in public and private elementary schools, and with added experience or graduate study can move into roles such as reading specialist, instructional coach, curriculum coordinator, or grade-level lead.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of elementary school teachers, except special education, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $62,340 and projects employment to decline about 2% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Elementary Education in other states

Other majors in California

Find more Elementary Education schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 262+ Elementary Education programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

Search Elementary Education schools in CaliforniaAbout the Elementary Education majorAll colleges in California

Related majors in California