Ed.D. Programs in Nevada

Earning a Doctor of Education Degree in Nevada

The University of Nevada dominates the field of doctoral programs in education. Our school listings contain only two public options: the CAEP-accredited UNR and the regionally accredited UNLV. Links to curricula and costs are nestled alongside the degree title.

The good news is that both UN schools have different Ed.D. offerings (curriculum & instruction vs. educational leadership). Both appear to have a substantial amount of doctoral funding on tap. And both can help you earn administrator endorsements—though usually not with a doctorate.

Once you’ve settled on your choice, take a quick look at our career section. It contains NV administrative job & salary data, ideas for job hunting, and poential sources of statistics for your dissertation research. We’ve also put together a list of supportive educational leadership organizations and useful conferences & training programs (e.g. CPO).

Doctoral Education Funding in Nevada

Internal Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards

To save you time, we’ve highlighted sources of institutional aid. University of Nevada schools are both a) extremely affordable when it comes to tuition; and b) generous with their graduate funding. The Office of Financial Aid and the Graduate School will be able to assist with questions on federal loans, tuition reimbursement from work, and the like.

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

The College of Education (COE) maintains a list of COE Scholarships. Another useful resource is the Graduate College’s section on Financing Your Graduate Studies, which has details on external funding Resources and internal Funding Opportunities & Awards. UNLV has a large number of UNLV Fellowships & Scholarships for doctoral students (e.g. Dr. Gregg Schraw Scholarship)—be sure to ask the Ed.D. program coordinator if you’re permitted to apply for them.

The Graduate College also has a section on Graduate Assistantships. As part of the Ed.D. residency requirement, you’re allowed to work as a departmental teaching and/or research graduate assistant.

University of Nevada-Reno

The Ed.D. falls under the purview of the Graduate School, which has a comprehensive section on Financing Your Graduate Education. There are University Fellowship & Scholarship Awards for doctoral students, including the Graduate Dean’s Fellowship and GSA Spring Awards.

In addition, the College of Education has a limited number of Graduate Assistantships for full-time students who are admitted to masters or doctoral programs. The Graduate School has further info on External Funding Resources.

School Administration Licensure Requirements in Nevada

Administrator Endorsements

The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) is responsible for educator licensure. Nevada educational leaders typically add an Administrator of a School and/or Program endorsement to their existing license. You’ll find a complete set of rules & requirements listed in the Nevada Administrative Code: NAC 391.160-171.

A person who holds an endorsement as a professional administrator of a school may be employed by a Nevada school district as a superintendent, assistant/associate superintendent, principal, vice principal, or the like. So we’ve provided a brief summary of that endorsement below.

Because only 36 graduate credits above the bachelor’s level are needed, most educator preparation programs for the school administrator endorsement are master’s degrees (e.g. UNLV’s M.Ed. in Educational Policy & Leadership, SNC’s M.Ed. in Administration, etc.).

Administrator of a School (K-12) Endorsement

To earn the endorsement as a professional administrator of a school, you must:

• Hold a master’s degree from a regionally accredited university.
• Hold a valid renewable license to teach in elementary, middle, junior high, secondary, or special schools.
• Complete at least 24 semester hours of graduate courses in the administration of a school. The NDE has specific coursework requirements—see NAC 391.170 for details.
• Have completed an additional 12 semester hours of graduate courses, which may include other courses considered to be part of an administrative program for educators OR hold a master’s degree or higher in educational administration from a regionally accredited institution.
• Have at least 3 years of teaching experience in kindergarten or grades 1-12 in schools approved by the state.

Note: NAC 391.170 also lists requirements for out-of-state applicants. NAC 391.171 has details on earning a conditional endorsement while you are pursuing an alternative route to licensure.

Educational Leadership Jobs in Nevada

Educational Leadership Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) keeps a close eye on employment & salary data for elementary & secondary school education administrators and postsecondary education administrators. The maps on these pages are particularly helpful, since they put Nevada and its regions in context with the rest of the country. Hover over an area to see the actual data points.

Compared to its neighbors, Nevada doesn’t employ a great deal of K-12 administrators. That’s not a big surprise when you consider base population numbers. For example, the Las Vegas area is far and away the biggest employment hotspot.

You’ll discover more nuanced K-12 insights in the NDE’s section on Data & Reports. This includes links to Nevada Report Cards, reports on enrollment numbers, Career & Technical Education Accountability statistics, and more. The NDE’s annual Financial Reports (NRS 387.303) are particularly detailed.

Nevada’s relative lack of higher education institutions equates to one of the lowest employment levels for postsecondary education administrators in the country. UNR, UNLV, and CSN help a little with the numbers, but institutions such as Nevada State College sometimes employ fewer than 500 people.

You can explore the public territory using the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) website and its comprehensive Info & Data Center. This contains interactive data dashboards on all kinds of metrics, financial reports, and institutional research.

Educational Leadership Salaries

Annual mean wages for four types of education administrator—including preschool—can be found in the BLS’s section on State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Nevada.

Overall, wages for Nevada K-12 administrators are strong. Like Utah, Nevada is often lurking in the second wage bracket for this category when you compare all states. If you’d like specifics:

• Transparent Nevada publishes School District Salaries, listed by the individual’s name and title (e.g. superintendent, principal, etc.).
• NDE’s annual Financial Reports (NRS 387.303) contain FTE Salary Calculations, District Salary Schedules, and Charter Salary Schedules.

The compensation news for Nevada postsecondary education administrators is equally good. The state handily trumps Utah and often even beats out Oregon in the mean wage stakes.

Overall, the Reno area tends to pay more than the Las Vegas area. If you examine Transparent Nevada’s section on Higher Education Salaries for NV public institutions, you’ll see a number of executive-level administrators lurking at the top of the UNR salary list. UNR also posts its own Salary Schedules.

Educational Leadership Job Boards

Traditional job sites (e.g. Indeed, TopSchoolJobs, HigherEdJobs, etc.) will have postings for Nevada educational leaders. But there are also state-specific resources.

• For public K-12 positions, you can visit district websites (e.g. CCSD’s Administrative Job Opportunities). The NDE provides a helpful list of links to all School District Employment Opportunities.
• For higher education jobs at public universities & colleges, try NSHE’s section on Human Resources. This contains position announcements at NSHE Institutions (e.g. UNR, UNLV, CSN, NSC, etc.).

Educational Leadership Organizations in Nevada

Educational Leadership Associations

• Clark County Education Association (CCEA): CCEA is a union of Clark County teaching professionals that bills itself as the largest educator union in Nevada. It split from the NSEA in 2018.
• Nevada Association of School Administrators (NASA): One to bookmark. NASA serves as the voice of Nevada administrators, including superintendents, supervisors, principals, central office administrators, deans of students, and staff specialists. It’s a state affiliate of NAESP, NASSP, and AASA.
• Nevada Association of School Boards (NASB): NASB supports success for all Nevada students through local school board leadership. It often works closely with Nevada superintendents and district-level leaders. See the section on Research/Data.
• Nevada Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFAA): NAFAA strives to meet the needs of Nevada financial aid administrators and the students they serve. It’s a state affiliate of NASFAA.
• Nevada State Education Association (NSEA): NSEA is the state’s teachers’ union. To compete with CCEA, it has a local union arm called NEA-SN. NSEA itself is a state affiliate of the NEA.

Educational Leadership Professional Groups

• State of Nevada Council on Black American Affairs (SNCBAA): SNCBAA seeks to improve educational, professional development, and career opportunities for Black American students, faculty, staff, and administrators. It’s a state chapter of WRCBAA and an affiliate of AACC.

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

Educational Leadership Events in Nevada

Educational Leadership Conferences

• NAFAA Conference: This annual three-day conference for Nevada financial aid administrators and related professionals takes place in October.
• NASA Conferences: NASA organizes a number of events for Nevada administrators, including a two-day Annual Spring Conference in June, a two-day Fall Conference in November, an Assistant Principal/Dean/Aspiring Administrator Conference, Law Conferences in Las Vegas and Reno, and more.
• NASB Annual Conference: NASB hosts its annual two-day conference for school board members, superintendents, and K-12 educational leaders in November.

Educational Leadership Training

• CCSD Professional Development Education (PDE): PDE is a Clark County School District staff development program that provides teachers and administrators with opportunities to grow professionally and earn renewal credit for professional licenses and/or for salary advancement.
• Certified Public Official (CPO) Program: CPO is the joint brainchild of NASB, Extended Studies at UNR, the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, and the Nevada Association of Counties. It’s an in-depth series that provides professional development for elected and appointed officials in public office. That category includes Nevada school board members and school district superintendents.
• NASA Superintendent’s Academy: This two-day professional training & leadership development event usually takes place in January.