Social Studies Education · Pennsylvania

Social Studies Education colleges in Pennsylvania

CampusPin lists 145 U.S. colleges in Pennsylvania that offer Social Studies Education programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Social Studies Education prepares future teachers to teach history, civics, geography, and economics in K-12 schools, pairing the social sciences with the pedagogy and licensure to teach them.

Schools in Pennsylvania that offer Social Studies Education

Social Studies Education programs in Pennsylvania: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 145 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

145

Public / private

11 / 39

Universities / 2-year

35 / 15

Cities represented

37

In-state tuition range

$4,632–$68,300

Median in-state tuition

$26,929

Lowest published in-state tuition

Community College of Philadelphia

$4,632

Most selective

Curtis Institute of Music

7% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

Drexel University

21,623 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 Social Studies Education program

  • United States and world history
  • Civics, government, and the foundations of democracy
  • Geography and human-environment systems
  • Economics and personal and public finance
  • Teaching with primary sources and evidence
  • Source and media literacy
  • Social studies methods and pedagogy
  • Assessment and classroom management
  • Supervised student-teaching practicum in schools

Where a Social Studies Education degree can lead

  • Middle School Social Studies Teacher
  • High School History or Government Teacher
  • Civics or Geography Teacher
  • Social Studies Curriculum Specialist
  • Museum or Civic Educator
  • Tutoring Instructor

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 secondary school teachers median $64,580).

Social Studies Education, classified federally as Social Studies Teacher Education, prepares people to teach history, civics and government, geography, and economics in schools. Where a History or Political Science major centers on advanced study within one discipline, this field draws on several social sciences and aims them at the classroom: helping students understand how societies, governments, and economies work, weigh evidence and sources, and take part in civic life. It is also more subject-focused than a general Secondary Education major, pairing social-science content with methods courses on teaching social studies. Candidates build breadth across the social sciences, then learn to turn primary sources, maps, and current events into lessons that develop reasoning and citizenship.

Most social-studies-teaching positions are entered with a bachelor's degree that combines social-science coursework with an education sequence and a culminating student-teaching placement under a mentor teacher. Graduates teach social studies in middle and high schools, and some move into curriculum work, civic or museum education, or graduate study. Because public-school teaching is regulated, candidates should confirm the certification subjects, grade bands, and exams required where they intend to work before committing to a program.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of secondary school teachers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $64,580 and projects employment to decline about 1.6% 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.

Social Studies Education in other states

Other majors in Pennsylvania

Find more Social Studies Education schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 145+ Social Studies Education programs in Pennsylvania by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

Search Social Studies Education schools in PennsylvaniaAbout the Social Studies Education majorAll colleges in Pennsylvania

Related majors in Pennsylvania