Quick Facts: Earning an Ed.D. in Maryland
- The most prestigious universities in our Maryland Ed.D. listings are Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland College Park. They frequently appear in rankings of the top 25 Schools of Education in the USA. However, there are a number of solid alternatives. For example, Morgan State University is an HBCU with a Carnegie R2 classification.
- Four universities in Maryland—University of Maryland College Park, Johns Hopkins University, Frostburg State University, and Salisbury University—are members of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED). UMD offers a hybrid doctorate in education; the remaining schools offer online Ed.D. programs.
- Need practical experience? All of the online Ed.D. programs offered by Maryland public universities feature practicums, externships, or internships. Just be aware that some of these doctoral programs will have a high bar for entry (e.g. minimum 3.5 GPA on a master’s degree).
Online Ed.D. Programs in Maryland
Online doctorates in education in Maryland are available at public and private universities; public schools will have more affordable tuition rates for in-state residents. The following universities offer online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) programs in Maryland:
- Bowie State University (CAEP-accredited)
- Frostburg State University (CAEP-accredited)
- Johns Hopkins University (CAEP-accredited)
- Morgan State University (CAEP-accredited)
- Salisbury University (CAEP-accredited)
Public Maryland Universities
Frostburg State University’s 100% Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with practicums is the most flexible public option. Specializations are available in PK 12 Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, Adult & Professional Learning Facilitation, and Leadership in Health Professions Education. Anyone interested in the PK 12 specialization should already hold—or be eligible to hold—certification as an Administrator. The Ed.D. does not meet MSDE standards for Administrator I endorsement, but you can ask about the possibility of adding FSU’s Post Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership. FSU is a CPED member.
PreK-12 educators in Maryland will also want to investigate Bowie State University’s Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. This has a high level of entry—3.5 GPA on any previous graduate work and at least 3 years of recent successful administrative experience in a pre-collegiate school setting. However, it’s also packed with intriguing elements, including electives, a dissertation, and an externship.
Working at the community college level? Morgan State University’s Online Ed.D. in Community College Leadership is aimed at applicants who aspire to senior level leadership roles and professorships within a community college setting. It’s a cohort-based program that’s been running for many years. It’s available in a convenient 7-semester, 3-year plan of study. The curriculum includes team-based work, a dissertation, and an internship or practicum at a community college. And it’s affordable.
Literacy specialists in Maryland who need a flexible schedule may wish to consider Salisbury University’s cohort-based Online Ed.D. in Literacy Studies. Salisbury is a member of the CPED initiative, so the Ed.D. dissertation will be focused on a meaningful problem of practice. A doctoral internship is also available as an elective. Applicants should have a master’s degree in literacy, education, or a closely related field with a minimum GPA of 3.5; preference is given to candidates with at least 3 years of relevant work experience.
Private Maryland Universities
Looking for the prestige factor? Johns Hopkins University is an active member of the CPED initiative and a school with a superb reputation for education. The School of Education is often ranked as one of the top 20 in the USA. The Online Ed.D. is available in a variety of unique areas of interest, including urban leadership; entrepreneurial leadership; learning design and technology; or neurodiversity and neuroeducation. These offerings tend to attract students from around the globe. This program also features a unique Doctoral Dossier comprised of faculty-mentored research projects. See the academic catalog for more details on the Dossier process.
Note: If these options don’t appeal, our overview of online Ed.D. programs contains a listing of online doctorates in every state, plus our rankings of the top Doctor of Education programs.
Doctoral Education Funding in Maryland
Maryland universities offer a number of financial aid opportunities to Ed.D. students. Although full funding is a rarity for Doctor of Education programs, you may still be eligible for scholarships, assistantships, research grants, and more.
Bowie State University
BSU has a section on Graduate Fellowships & Scholarships, but nothing that directly applies to education students. However, the university does offer a payment plan. University System of Maryland employees (current and retired) and their spouses & dependent children should also take a look at the page on Tuition Remission.
Frostburg State University
FSU has a section on Financial Aid for Graduate Students, with details on Scholarship Programs. Foundation scholarships are listed in the Academic Works scholarship portal.
Johns Hopkins University
The School of Education offers a need-based Ed.D. Initiative Scholarship for up to three years of study. You’ll find more funding options in the list of School of Education (SOE) Grants & Scholarships—you will need to fill out an application for the Endowed Scholarship program. International students can apply for the Tan and Chen Global Education Scholarship. JHU also offers a monthly payment plan.
Morgan State University
The School of Graduate Studies has a comprehensive section on Graduate Funding, with details on fellowships, assistantships, and the FAFSA. You can also look into MSU’s monthly payment plans.
Salisbury University
The Office of Graduate Studies has sections on Graduate Assistantships and Financing Graduate School. Just be aware that the Good Neighbors Graduate Scholarship discount does not apply to online courses. Ed.D. students are eligible for a few Salisbury University Scholarships: the modest Diane D. Allen Scholarship, the Audrey C. Christopher Endowment for Education, and the Judith K. Franzak Literacy Studies Endowment. You may also want to investigate options for Graduate Research Grants.
Towson University
Graduate & teaching assistantships are available for doctoral students—TU recommends you contact the Ed.D. Program Director for more info. The Office of Graduate Studies has a list of Graduate Fellowships & Scholarships, such as the Terminal Degree Fellowship program. We didn’t see any general doctorate of education scholarships in the Towson University Foundation Scholarships database, but you may find awards that relate to your area of particular interest. TU also has a payment plan.
University of Maryland College Park
Check the section on Financial Aid & Fellowships for professional graduate programs. The Ed.D. is offered by the EdTerps Learning Academy through the College of Education, which means that you may be eligible for funds such as the General College of Education (COE) Scholarship and the Maryland Senatorial Scholarship and support from your school system.
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
The Department of Education has a useful section on Financial Aid and Scholarships—UMES doctoral students can apply for a number of scholarships, including the Graduate Studies Grant Award. The School of Graduate Studies also has advice on Financial Assistance, with details on the Connective Endowment Scholarship (students in Educational Leadership programs can apply), and USM Tuition Remission. And there’s a payment plan.
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.
School Administrator Certification Requirements in Maryland
Administrative & Supervisory Certification
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) handles certification for public school teachers, administrators, and specialists in public schools. Administrative and supervisory certification areas include:
- Superintendent
- Supervisors of Instruction, Assistant Principals, and Principals
- Library Media Administrator
- Supervisor of Guidance
- Supervisor of School Psychological Services
- Supervisor of Pupil Personnel
- Supervisor of Special Education
- Supervisor of Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
One way to fulfill the education requirement for certification is to complete an MSDE-approved educator preparation program.
Many certification prep programs in Maryland take the form of a post-master’s certificate, but at least one program in our listings is designed to meet MSDE certification standards. UMD’s Ed.D in School System Leadership is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education for Superintendent II certification. When in doubt, ask the Ed.D. program coordinator.
Supervisor of Instruction, Assistant Principal, and Principal
This license allows an educator in Maryland to be assigned as a supervisor of instruction, assistant principal, or principal. To earn it, you must:
- Hold a master’s degree.
- Have completed 27 months of effective teaching performance or effective performance as a licensed specialist.
- Have completed 3 semester hours or a State-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit in special education coursework.
- Have completed one of the following preparation pathways:
- An MSDE-approved program which leads to certification as a supervisor of instruction, assistant principal, or principal.
- An approved out-of-state program leading to licensure in the same areas, which includes a supervised clinical practicum.
- 18 semester hours of graduate coursework at the post-baccalaureate level to include a balance of content in certain instructional categories.
- Hold a valid professional state license in administration from another state or country and have verification of five years of effective performance as an administrator in a PK–12 school setting.
If you opt for the 18 hours of graduate coursework or an out-of-state program, you must also present evidence of a qualifying score on the MSDE-approved School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) from ETS.
Superintendent I Certificate
The Superintendent I license qualifies an individual in Maryland to be assigned as a county deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent, or associate superintendent. To earn it, you must:
- Hold a master’s degree.
- Have completed 27 months of satisfactory teaching performance or performance as a certified specialist in a PreK–12 setting.
- Have completed 24 months of satisfactory administrative or supervisory experience in a PreK–12 setting.
- Have completed 3 semester hours or a State-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit in special education coursework
- Have completed one of the following preparation pathways:
- An MSDE-approved program which leads to certification as a superintendent.
- An out-of-state program that leads to certification as a superintendent in the state in which the institution is located.
- 45 semester hours of graduate coursework, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in educational administration.
See the website for details on Option II: Reciprocal Route.
Superintendent II Certificate
The Superintendent II license qualifies an individual in Maryland to be a county superintendent. To earn it, you must meet almost the same requirements for the Superintendent I Certificate.
However, in the educator preparation pathway, the MSDE will want to see that you’ve tackled coursework covering public school administration, supervision, and methods of teaching. For the last preparation pathway, it also expects you to have 60 semester hours of graduate coursework—including a minimum of 24 semester hours in education administration.
See the website for details on Option II: Reciprocal Route.
Educational Leadership Jobs in Maryland
Educational Leadership Career Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks employment & salary data for kindergarten through secondary education administrators and postsecondary education administrators across the USA. Maryland employs a respectable number of administrators, especially for a small state. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan areas are predictable job hotspots for both categories.
- You can dig deeper into these numbers by visiting the MSDE’s Division of Assessment and Accountability, which publishes Maryland Public Schools Report Cards.
- State data for Maryland postsecondary education administrators aren’t always available. So you may wish to consult the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)’s Annual Data Book. Check out the section on Full-Time & Part-Time Staff to view actual employment numbers (The University of Maryland Global Campus and UMD are the clear winners.)
Educational Leadership Salaries
You’ll find mean wage data for all kinds of Maryland educational administrators in the BLS’s section on State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Maryland.
- Salaries for Maryland kindergarten through secondary education administrators are particularly strong—the state is often in the top wage bracket, along with its neighbor, Delaware. You can compare BLS wage data with annual Professional Salary Schedules published by the MSDE.
- You’ll frequently see Maryland among the top paying states for postsecondary education administrators in the country, along with New Jersey and Delaware. The MHEC’s Annual Data Book doesn’t publish salaries for staff at Maryland public colleges & universities, but it does list average salaries of full-time faculty. Large UM institutions are usually the highest payers (e.g. UMD and UMB). The Baltimore Sun Media also keeps track of university wages in the Public Salaries Archive.
Educational Leadership Job Boards
Large job sites will have postings for educational administrative positions in Maryland (e.g. HigherEdJobs, SchoolSpring, LinkedIn, TopSchoolJobs, etc.). But we also wanted to highlight a few state resources.
- ASBO MD&DC posts current Job Opportunities for business officials, as well as links to HR departments in Maryland counties.
- MABE advertises current Maryland Superintendent Vacancies.
- Each Maryland county (e.g. Harford County Public Schools) will have job postings under its Careers or Human Resources section. The MSDE has links to all Local Education Agencies (i.e. counties).
Educational Leadership Organizations in Maryland
Educational Leadership Associations
- Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE): MABE is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to serving and supporting boards of education in Maryland. All 24 Maryland boards of education are members of MABE.
- Maryland Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (MACTE): MACTE is a voluntary state association composed of higher education institutions and related organizations involved in educator preparation programs.
- Maryland Association of School Business Officials (MD ASBO): MD ASBO is a professional organization which provides programs and services to Maryland school business officials.
- Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals (MAESP): MAESP is a professional association that offers service, support, and advocacy for Maryland’s elementary school leaders. It’s a state affiliate of NAESP.
- Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP): MASSP is a state affiliate of NASSP. Membership is open to middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and other school administrators—building, district, and state.
- Maryland College Personnel Association (MCPA): MCPA is a state division of the ACPA. It serves and represents student personnel professionals at colleges and universities across the state of Maryland.
- Maryland State Education Association (MSEA): MSEA is the state’s teacher union and a state affiliate of the NEA. It has ~76,000 members, including teachers, administrators, higher education faculty, certificated specialists, and more.
- Public School Superintendent’s Association of Maryland (PSSAM): PSSAM membership is made up of the 24 school superintendents representing each of the local agencies in the State of Maryland.
Educational Leadership Professional Groups
- Council of Educational Administrative and Supervisory Organizations of Maryland (CEASOM): CEASOM is an umbrella organization comprised of many members involved in the areas of educational administration and supervision, teacher preparation, facilities management and support, and professional development.
Note: State and national educator organizations often have funds available for continuing education (e.g. Ed.D.). Check the website and ask about opportunities.
Educational Leadership Events in Maryland
Educational Leadership Conferences
- Common Ground Maryland: This popular professional development event in spring is the brainchild of CEASOM, in collaboration with professional organizations in Maryland and the MSDE. It attracts ~1,000 educational leaders.
- MABE Annual Conference: MABE’s flagship event in October attracts school board members and other educational leaders from across the state.
- MAESP Annual Conference: This is a three-day conference for elementary school administrators and school leaders.
- MASSP Spring Conference: MASSP organizes a three-day event for middle & secondary school administrators in late March.
- MD ASBO Annual Fall Conference: This boutique one-day conference for school business officials typically focuses on a relevant theme. It’s held in November.
- MD ASBO Annual Spring Conference: This four-day event for Maryland school business officials usually takes place in May.
Educational Leadership Training
- MD ASBO Professional Development: Maryland school business officials and staff can investigate ASBO’s workshops, foundation courses, certification program, webinars, and more.
- MABE Professional Development: MABE’s programs are designed for new & veteran board members, but programs like the Legal Services Seminars have wider applications.
- MSDE School Leadership Branch: This runs the Maryland School Leadership Academy (MSLA).
School Listings
8 Schools Found
Bowie State University
College of Education
Bowie, Maryland
Frostburg State University
Department of Educational Professions
Frostburg, Maryland
Johns Hopkins University
School of Education
Baltimore, Maryland
Online EdD in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education
Offered Online
Morgan State University
School of Education
Baltimore, Maryland
Salisbury University
Department of Graduate Studies and Research
Salisbury, Maryland
Towson University
Department of Educational Technology and Literacy
Towson, Maryland
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Department of Graduate Studies
Princess Anne, Maryland
University of Maryland-College Park
College of Education
College Park, Maryland