Ed.D. Programs in Oregon

Earning a Doctor of Education Degree in Oregon

Oregon has a little something for every doctorate in education student. In our school listings, you’ll discover Ed.D. programs with online components, programs with unique Ed.D. scholarships and tuition discounts, and doctorates that can help with administrative licensure requirements. For licensure, there’s even a COSA-sponsored online option that comes from out of state.

The University of Oregon’s College of Education merits a top 20 ranking from U.S. News & World Report, but there are other state highlights. For example, Portland State University and the University of Portland have signed up for the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), which emphasizes applied learning. UP is also active in its community (check out UP’s local & national partnerships). Along with price, curriculum, and the CAEP badge, look for quality markers such as these.

Once you’ve got a doctorate or two on your shortlist, take a quick glance at our career section. We’ve pulled out Oregon administrative job & employment data and provided links to local job boards. You can decide what Oregon educational organizations & associations you’d like to join (we’d recommend COSA for K-12 administrators) and plan your calendar of educational leadership conferences & training programs.

Online Doctor of Education Programs in Oregon

What to Know About Oregon Online Ed.D. Programs

Oregon universities have yet to jump on the distance learning bandwagon. We only found one school that was willing to offer a 100% online doctorate in education (Concordia University – Portland), but it announced plans to permanently closed after the spring 2020 semester.

On the other hand, Oregon Colleges of Education seem more than happy to offer hybrid/blended Ed.D. programs. These are frequently part-time, cohort-based doctorates that have been tailored to fit the schedules of working students. Since there are so many, we’ve given them their own section.

Note: Want more choice? Our overview of online doctoral programs in education has a complete listing of online Ed.D. degrees in every state.

Hybrid Ed.D. Programs at Oregon Universities

Examples of blended Ed.D. programs in Oregon include:

• Oregon State University’s 114-credit Hybrid Doctor of Education in Adult and Higher Education, which consists of online coursework and on-campus classes for two weekends per term (in the first two years). This is an in-depth program that contains an internship.
• George Fox University’s 56-credit Hybrid Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, which is primarily online, with annual two-week residencies. The Administration concentration includes administrative licensure preparation.
• Portland State University’s 72-credit Hybrid Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, which involves face-to-face class sessions for six of ten weekends during the 11-week quarter term (Friday night and Saturday) and online work during the non-face-to-face weeks. This is an affordable public option.
• University of Oregon’s 81-credit Hybrid Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, which blends real-time coursework with online content. As we mentioned, U of O’s College of Education has a solid reputation.

Doctoral Education Funding in Oregon

Internal Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards

Doctoral funding can be tricky to source. To save you time & hassle, we’ve pulled up sources of institutional aid (e.g. internal fellowships, tuition breaks, etc.). The Office of Financial Aid and/or the Graduate School will have resources on external aid (e.g. federal & private loans). One word of caution—some Oregon Ed.D. programs are part-time, which may affect aid eligibility. Contact the Ed.D. program coordinator and ask them how most students are funded before you commit.

George Fox University

GFU has a section devoted to Financial Aid for Graduate Program Students; however, grants & scholarships are primarily reserved for teachers and seminary students.

Lewis & Clark College

Lewis & Clark offers Doctor of Education in Leadership Diversity Scholarships. Ed.D. candidates who have demonstrated a significant commitment to promoting justice and social equity through K-12 education and serving underserved student populations are encouraged to apply.

The Graduate School has further info on Tuition and Financial Aid, including general Scholarships/Grants/Assistantships and Sample Financial Aid Awards.

Oregon State University

The College of Education has a section on Education Scholarships. You can also search for general scholarships administered by OSU ScholarDollars, Graduate School Awards, and Graduate Tuition Support Programs.

However, keep in mind that OSU’s Ed.D. is a part-time program (fewer than 9 credits per term). So you may not be eligible for some awards. Talk to the Ed.D. program coordinator about your options.

Portland State University

PSU doesn’t offer direct funding for Ed.D. students, but the section on Student Resources has details on travel awards and emergency funding. Traditional Financial Aid and scholarships are also available (graduate assistantships are only open to full-time students).

Sort the Scholarships database by the College of Education category. If you’re interested in postsecondary administration, you may wish to ask the Ed.D. program coordinator about the possibility of applying for the Mary Kinnick PACE Scholarship. Curriculum & Instruction candidates can look into the Susan J. Lenski Curriculum & Instruction Dissertation Endowed Scholarship.

University of Oregon

U of O has a useful section on Educational Leadership Scholarships and Funding, with details on financial aid applications, College of Education Graduate Scholarships (e.g. Lucinda Jane Criswell Scholarship, Paul B. Jacobson Memorial Scholarship, etc.), and Doctoral Research Awards.

University of Portland

You’ll find most of the info you need in the School of Education’s section on Graduate Tuition, Financial Aid, and Scholarships, which has advice on financial aid and funding. It also has a list of awards for students who are studying for post-master’s certificates (e.g. Catholic Educator Scholarship, Catholic Religious Tuition Discount, etc.), but it’s unclear whether doctoral students qualify.

We recommend you ask the Ed.D. program coordinator, since at least one of these awards is for candidates seeking administrative licensure (i.e. John F. Sonnhalter Endowed Scholarship in Education). UP’s Ed.D. includes licensure preparation.

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 Administration Licensure Requirements in Oregon

Administrator Licenses

Oregon’s Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) handles licensure for public school administrators in Oregon. From 2016-2019, the TSPC did a complete overhaul of its licensure process and came up with three types of administrative license:

• Principal License for building-level administrators
• Professional Administrator License for administrators with preparation specific to district-level administration (e.g. superintendents)
• Reciprocal Administrator License for administrators prepared outside of Oregon and holding full licensure in another state or country

These replaced the TSPC’s old categories (e.g. Initial, Preliminary/Basic, Continuing, etc.). We’ve provided a brief rundown of the principal & professional administrator licenses below. More info can be found in the TSPC’s section on Administrator License Redesign and in the Oregon Administrative Rules—Chapter 584: Division 235: School Administrator Licenses.

Many of the universities in our school listings offer TSPC-approved preparation programs for administrators—a lot of these programs take the form of certificates or COSA’s special online licensure programs through Concordia University Chicago.

But there are Oregon-based Ed.D. options! For example, GFU’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership – Administration and UP’s Ed.D. in Learning & Leading incorporate principal and professional administrative licensure coursework into the program. Talk to the Ed.D. program coordinator about your options.

Principal License Requirements

The Principal License is valid for three years. To earn it, you must:

• Hold a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or its foreign equivalent.
• Complete a TSPC-approved Principal License preparation program. Out-of-state applicants should see the rules for details on alternative pathways.
• Have three years of licensed school experience in a 1.0 FTE assignment or six years in a 0.50 FTE or more assignment. (FTE stands for Full-Time Equivalent.) See the rules for details on what counts as qualified experience.
• Meet the requirements for knowledge of U.S. and Oregon civil rights laws and professional ethics.

Teachers who are hired to be principals, and don’t have a current Principal License, can be issued a Restricted Administrator License while they fulfill licensure requirements.

Professional Administrator License Requirements

The Professional Administrator License is valid for five years. To earn it, you must:

• Hold a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or its foreign equivalent.
• Meet or complete all the requirements of the Principal License or an equivalent administrator license issued previously by the Commission or NASDTEC jurisdiction.
• Complete a TSPC-approved Professional Administrator License program. See the rules for details on out-of-state applications and waiver requests.
• Have three full years of licensed school administrator experience in a 1.0 FTE assignment or six full years in a 0.50 FTE or more assignment. (Years don’t have to be earned consecutively.) See the rules for details on what counts as qualifying experience.

Educational Leadership Jobs in Oregon

Educational Leadership Career Outlook

For an “all-in-one” glance at the job field, begin with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It monitors employment & salary data for elementary & secondary school education administrators and postsecondary education administrators in every state. The employment maps are always enlightening.

Like its northern neighbor (i.e. Washington), Oregon maintains a respectable employment market for K-12 education administrators; the Albany, OR metropolitan area often has a high concentration of jobs. If you’d like more detail, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE)‘s section on Reports & Data is a useful resource. It has Report Cards, budgets, At-a-Glance Profiles, and more. Better yet, Oregon.gov has a section on Education Service Districts (ESD) Transparency. Reports on Salaries Data also contain administrative headcounts.

The employment story for Oregon postsecondary education administrators is a little different—the state can’t always compete with colleges & universities in Washington or California. The state’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) has an entire section devoted to Research. Here you’ll find Statewide Higher Education Snapshots, reports on student data trends (e.g. enrollment) in Public Universities and Community Colleges, and more.

Educational Leadership Salaries

Annual mean wages for Oregon education administrators, including a category for preschool, are published in the BLS’s section on State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Oregon.

On the whole, Oregon K-12 education administrators tend to earn great salaries; they’re often in the highest wage bracket, right up there with Washington and California. As we mentioned, Oregon.gov publishes Salaries Data for Oregon ESDs on a regular basis. COSA’s annual Administrator Salary Survey is also available to COSA members.

In contrast, mean wages for Oregon postsecondary education administrators are not always stellar, especially when compared to the rest of the U.S. Athletic coaches and OHSU executives tend to do well, but the state still loses out to Washington. You can confirm these generalizations with hard facts—Oregon public universities post wage data on their HR websites (e.g. U of O’s Salary Reports and OSU’s Salary Reports).

Educational Leadership Job Boards

Conventional job sites (e.g. Indeed, LinkedIn, HigherEdJobs, SchoolSpring, etc.) will have postings for Oregon educational leaders & administrators. But here are a few state-specific job boards worth examining.

• COSA lists Jobs for Oregon administrators at both the building-level (e.g. principals) and district-level (e.g. superintendents).
• OALA has Job Postings for administrators and educators in Oregon school districts, community colleges, and more.
• OSBA posts Executive Employment Opportunities on its website, with job openings and vacancies for school district and community college executives.
• OASFAA lists Job Announcements for financial aid administrators, including financial aid advisors, managers, and officers.
• The Oregon University System was dissolved in 2015, but you can still visit the HR sections of each public university to discover job opportunities.

Educational Leadership Organizations in Oregon

Educational Leadership Associations

• Confederation of Oregon School Administrators (COSA): COSA is an umbrella organization representing four different departments: OASE, OASSA, OESPA, and OACOA. It has 2,000+ members, including school administrators, managers, and executives. Check out its special online licensure programs.
• Oregon Association of School Business Officials (OASBO): OASBO provides training, resources, programs, and activities for Oregon school business officials. It’s affiliated with ASBO International. It also offers voluntary certification.
• Oregon Association of Latino Administrators (OALA): OALA exists to support and mentor Latino administrators (and educators who aspire to become administrators) in Oregon.
• Oregon Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA): OASFAA represents 300+ student financial aid administrators and financial aid-related professionals in Oregon.
• Oregon Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (OASCD): OASCD is committed to the improvement of supervision and curriculum development in the educational system of Oregon. It’s a state affiliate of the ASCD.
• Oregon Education Association (OEA): OEA is the state’s teacher union. It represents ~44,000 Oregon educators, from preschool through to community colleges. It’s a state affiliate of the NEA.
• Oregon Middle Level Association (OMLA): OMLA is a network of middle school educators & administrators who support one another in the implementation of educational strategies for 10-to-15 year olds. It’s affiliated with AMLE.
• Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA): OSBA membership is made up of 1,400 locally-elected public officials who serve on school district, education service district, and community college boards.
• Oregon School Personnel Association (OSPA): OSPA serves as the statewide hub for Oregon public school employees with personnel administration or related responsibilities. Check out its Oregon Professional Educator Fair.
• Oregon Small Schools Association (OSSA): OSSA serves as a voice for small schools in the state of Oregon.

COSA Departments

• Oregon Association of School Executives (OASE): OASE serves three different groups: licensed school administrators who are directly responsible to a board of education; superintendents, including deputy, associate, area, or assistant superintendents; and district-level directors in personnel, business management, or collective bargaining.
• Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA): OASSA represents administrators who are engaged in the administration or supervision of secondary and middle schools/students.
• Oregon Elementary School Principals Association (OESPA): OESPA serves administrators who are actively engaged in the administration or supervision of elementary and middle school students.
• Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators (OACOA): OACOA supports any supervisory personnel who are excluded from the bargaining unit and whose job descriptions are to coordinate, supervise, and/or evaluate instructional programs, curriculum and/or personnel (e.g. directors, business managers, coordinators of special programs, etc.)

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 Oregon

Educational Leadership Conferences

• COSA Assistant Principals Conference: This one-day conference usually features thought-leader presentations, breakout sessions, and a lunch. It occurs in August.
• COSA Elementary Principals Conference: This is Oregon’s statewide conference for elementary school leaders. It’s held over three days in April.
• COSA Executive Retreat for Superintendents: This three-day event in July is a mix of sessions and networking opportunities (e.g. Superintendent Family Barbeque).
• COSA Secondary School Principals, Assistant Principals, and Instructional Leaders Conference: This targeted three-day conference takes place in October. It often focuses on a particular theme (e.g. Teaching and Leading the iGeneration).
• OALA Winter Conference: This two-day conference is a chance for educators, business professionals, and community leaders to learn about ongoing and emerging educational issues impacting the Latino community. It usually takes place in early February.
• OASBO Events: OASBO organizes a number of events for school business officials, including a one-day Winter Conference in January, an Annual Summer Conference in July, and fall workshops.
• OASFAA Annual Conference: This three day event in February brings together Oregon’s financial aid administrators.
• OSBA Events: OSBA hosts a large, four-day Annual Convention in November and a Summer Board Conference (i.e. Summer Camp for School Boards) over three days in July.
• OSPA Conferences & Retreats: OSPA organizes an annual Spring Conference for HR professionals, superintendents, and building administrators in April. It also hosts Advanced HR Retreats twice a year. Teams of HR, business services, and IT professionals are welcome to attend.

Educational Leadership Training

• COSA Professional Learning: COSA and its departments have developed tons of leadership programs for Oregon administrators, including the Superintendents Academy, Aspiring Superintendent Program, New Principals Academy, New Special Education Directors Academy, OACOA Seminar Series, and more.
• OALA Aspiring Administrator Program: This year-long program is run on a cohort-basis. Training covers topics such as leadership development, best practices for equity and systemic reform, social justice, and more.
• OASBO New Business Managers Institute (NBMI): The curriculum for OASBO’s three-year program includes conferences, workshops, zone meetings, mentorship, and online coursework.
• OSPA Human Resources in Education Leadership Program (HrELP): This four-course program aims to develop K-12 HR professionals in the area of communications, leadership and change management. A scholarship is available for this program.
• OSSA Professional Development: Oregon’s organization for small schools runs a number of PD programs, including leadership institutes.
• OSSA Superintendent Mentor Program: OSSA offers this resource to every member superintendent. It’s a network of small district superintendents with considerable expertise in various areas.