Ed.D. Programs in Colorado

Online Ed.D. Programs in Colorado

Online doctorates in education in Colorado have been developed by two public research universities and one for-profit school. The following universities offer online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) programs in Colorado:

1. Aspen University
2. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
3. University of Northern Colorado

Public Colorado Universities

The University of Northern Colorado has an established history in teacher education. The university accepts transfer credits for graduate work, including the Ed.S. It also charges a flat rate for Extended Campus programs.

• UNC’s Online Doctor of Education in Educational Studies is mostly online, with one five-day session on the Loveland campus each summer. The 4-year curriculum includes targeted coursework in leadership & policy, a dissertation, and a scholarly paper requirement.
• UNC also offers an Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership that can be adapted to almost any PreK-20 setting. This doctorate is 100% online and includes with real-time, synchronous sessions every other Saturday. Coursework takes 2-2.5 years, followed by a dissertation proposal & research (~1 year).

You can compare UNC’s offerings with the University of Colorado Denver’s Online Ed.D. Leadership for Educational Equity. This 100% online, cohort-based doctorate is available in 8 unique specialties, including a K-12 Executive Leadership track with the option to pursue administrative licensure. Students can select a 3-year or 5-year plan of study that culminates in a Dissertation in Practice (DiP).

For-Profit Colorado Universities

Aspen University is a private, for-profit school that specializes in online programs for working adults. It is nationally accredited, but it’s not regionally accredited. We mention this because many state licenses & certificates require a degree from a regionally accredited school.

• If you’re comfortable with national accreditation, the 100% online, 60-credit Online Doctor of Education in Leadership and Learning comes in a host of specializations (e.g. Higher Education Leadership, K-12 Educational Leadership, Organizational Leadership, etc.).
• It’s also affordable. Thanks to low overheads, Aspen tuition rates are similar to tuition rates from low-cost public universities.

Note: Our overview of online doctoral programs in education has listings of online Ed.D. degrees in every state.

Doctoral Education Funding in Colorado

The following section provides links to institutional funding opportunities for Ed.D. students at Colorado universities. Happily, a number of Colorado schools offer doctoral scholarships. If you are searching for assistance with external aid applications (e.g. federal & private loans), the Office of Financial Aid and the Graduate College will be your best bets.

Aspen University

Aspen University is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to offer federal student aid for all of its degree programs. Military, veterans, and their spouses are eligible for a tuition discount & fee waiver on doctoral degrees. Aspen uses a monthly payment plan, but you can also choose to pay in installments.

University of Colorado Denver

The School of Education & Human Development (SEHD) has a helpful section on Financial Aid, with info on Scholarships. Be sure to examine the section on Doctoral Scholarships—funds are available for Ed.D. students. CU Denver also offers Tuition Assistance to current employees of University of Colorado schools.

University of Denver

Each Ed.D. program page contains advice on Financing Your Graduate Education, with details on tuition costs and financial assistance. In addition, the Morgridge College of Education (MCE) has separate section on Financial Aid & Scholarships. Doctorate in education students may be able to take advantage of the:

• Dean’s Scholarship: This is awarded based on academic merit; no separate application is necessary.
• Uhrmacher Scholarship: Granted to doctoral students in the field of curriculum & instruction.

The MCE also offers Student Employment & Assistantships.

University of Northern Colorado

UNC’s Graduate School has a comprehensive section on Funding & Costs, with details on

• Graduate Assistantships
• Graduate Financial Aid
• Graduate Grants & Loans
• Graduate Scholarships
• Student Employment

You can also browse through UNC’s full list of scholarships. In particular, ask the Ed.D. program coordinator if you’re eligible for any College of Education & Behavioral Sciences Scholarships, as well as the:

• Dr. Kathryn Whitaker Educational Leadership Scholarship
• Arthur R. Partridge Educational Leadership Scholarship
• Peter Roknich Teaching Scholarship

Note: If a university name is missing from the list, we didn’t find specific examples of Ed.D. funding beyond private & federal loans and external aid.

Educational Leadership Jobs in Colorado

Educational Leadership Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks employment & salary data for K-12 education administrators and postsecondary education administrators in every state.

• Broadly speaking, Colorado—like its neighbor, Arizona—employs a fair number of K-12 education administrators.
• You can hone these numbers even further by paying a visit to the CDE’s SchoolVIEW. This resource contains a gold mine of school & district data on budgets, school performance, enrollment, and more.
• In Colorado Education Statistics, you’ll find a section devoted to School/District Staff Statistics.

It’s a similar job story for higher education:

• Employment numbers for postsecondary education administrators in Colorado are solid, and often beat out New Mexico.
• For a more nuanced picture, visit the Colorado Department of Higher Education and its section on Data & Research.

Educational Leadership Salaries

The BLS posts annual mean wage data for all kinds of Colorado education administrators (including preschool) in State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Colorado.

• Wages for Colorado K-12 education administrators are respectable. The state is often in the second highest paying wage bracket.
• We recommend you compare these stats to the CDE’s section on School/District Staff Statistics. This has hard data on average salaries for Colorado principals, assistant principals, and superintendents.

Salaries for Colorado postsecondary education administrators are similar to neighboring states, with the exception of top-paying Utah.

• The CU Salary Database provides a summary of annual base salaries for CU employees, organized by campus, job family, and department.
• Colorado State University’s Accountability section lists CSU salaries in its Compensation Report.

Educational Leadership Job Boards

Conventional job sites will post employment opportunities for Colorado educational leaders (e.g. Indeed, HigherEdJobs, TopSchoolJobs, SchoolSpring, etc.). But we also wanted to highlight some state-specific job boards.

• CASE has a Career Center where you can search for building-level and district-level administrator jobs in Colorado.
• CASBO lists Career Opportunities for Colorado school business officials.
• The Colorado League of Charter Schools hosts a Career Center where you can search for K-12 administrative jobs.
• The Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS) has a section on Job Postings.
• CU Careers lists job opportunities in all four CU campuses.

Educational Leadership Organizations in Colorado

Educational Leadership Associations

• Colorado Association of Financial Aid Administrators (CAFAA): CAFAA is a non-profit organization representing individuals within the financial aid industry—from public and private school officials to lenders and student service organizations.
• Colorado Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CO-ALAS): CO-ALAS is a professional education association that advocates for aspiring and current Latino/a administrators and educational leaders in Colorado.
• Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB): CASB represents 1,000+ school board members and superintendents in Colorado.
• Colorado Association of School Business Officials (CASBO): CASBO is a non-profit organization serving school business officials in Colorado school districts, BOCES, charter schools, and colleges & universities.
• Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE): CASE is a professional organization representing administrators in Colorado K-12 education. Superintendents, principals, and other school & district leaders are eligible for membership.
• Colorado Association for Supervision, Curriculum, and Development (CO ASCD): CO ASCD serves to empower educators and students statewide through innovation and the educators’ voice. It has 2,500+ active members and it’s a state affiliate of the ASCD.
• Colorado Education Association (CEA): CEA is the state’s largest education union and a state affiliate of the NEA. Members include K-12 teachers, higher ed faculty, and education support professionals, as well as students in teacher education.

CASE Departments

• Colorado Association of Educational Specialists (CAES): CAES serves as an advocate for educational specialists in all Colorado public schools.
• Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals (CAESP): CAESP exists to support PreK-Grade 8 elementary and middle school administrators in Colorado. It’s the Colorado arm of the NAESP.
• Colorado Association of Leaders in Educational Technology (CALET): CALET provides professional development opportunities that help educational technologists grow into educational leaders.
• Colorado Association of School Personnel Administrators (CASPA): CASPA organizes the cooperative efforts of public school administrators who have a professional responsibility for administering personnel programs involving licensed and/or classified school employees.
• Colorado Association of Superintendents and Senior Administrators (CASSA): CASSA organizes programs and activities for Colorado superintendents and senior administrators. It’s the Colorado arm of the AASA.
• Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals (CASSP): CASSP supports middle level and secondary school principals throughout the state. It’s the Colorado arm of the NASSP.
• Department of Business Officials (DBO): DBO is dedicated to developing and improving school business management and administration.

Note: Remember that state and national educator organizations often have funds and scholarships available for continuing education (e.g. Ed.D.). Check the website and ask about opportunities.

Educational Leadership Events in Colorado

Educational Leadership Conferences

• CASB Conferences: CASB organizes a four-day Annual Convention in December, a two-day Winter Legislative Conference, days at the Capitol, a two-day Fall Delegate Assembly Conference in October, fall regional meetings, and school bus tours.
• CASBO Conferences: CASBO’s Annual Spring Conference for Colorado school business officials is held over three days in April. The Annual Fall Conference usually takes place in mid-October.
• CASE Annual Convention: CASE’s flagship professional development event is held over five days in July. Two days are dedicated to pre-convention workshops and three days are reserved for the conference, which includes 50+ sessions and a legislative and policy program.
• CASE Superintendents Conference: Sponsored by CASSA (a CASE Department), this three-day event in September gives Colorado superintendents a chance to discuss and debate current issues facing school districts.
• CASE Winter Leadership Conference: CASE’s three-day leadership event in early February attracts public education leaders from every job position in the state.

Educational Leadership Training

• CASE Professional Learning: CASE runs a number of targeted programs for Colorado K-12 educational leaders.
• CDE Professional Development: Professional development programs from the Colorado Department of Education include workshops, training modules, online courses, and more.