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Eastern Illinois University

Educational Leadership (Specialist)

Pursue more advanced and intensive graduate study in educational leadership. Many courses are offered at night and on weekends, on campus and at off-campus locations, to fit the schedule of working educators.

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Educational Leadership (Specialist)

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Degree Level
Educational Specialist
Delivery
Fully Online
Credit Hours
33 Total, 33 in Major
Careers
Secondary, Postsecondary, Education, Preschool, Daycare
Educational Leadership (Specialist) students at EIU

Why Study Educational Leadership (Specialist) at EIU?

  • Learn through hands-on, project-based coursework
  • Work closely with faculty in small class settings
  • Prepare for a wide range of careers across almost every industry
"I chose to attend EIU because they have a strong reputation for education majors. Additionally, while working professionally, I was looking for a graduate program that allowed me to maintain a healthy work-life-college balance; EIU offering online graduate programs allowed me to maintain this balance."
Andrew Dillman
Educational Leadership (Specialist) | Class of 2024
Andrew Dillman, Educational Leadership (Specialist) at EIU

Hands-On Experience

  • Project-based coursework
  • Collaborative learning experiences
  • Opportunities for internships and applied work
Hands-On Experience, Educational Leadership (Specialist) students at EIU

What You'll Learn

The Ed.S. in Educational Leadership provides more advanced and intensive graduate study of educational leadership. It is a fit if you are a working educator who wants to deepen your leadership skills while keeping your job. Many courses are offered at night and on weekends, on campus and at off-campus sites, and you apply leadership concepts to your own school or district.

View in Catalog
$148,923
Median Salary for These CareersMedian salaryThe median is the middle value: half of the people counted earn more and half earn less. It is an estimate for a typical graduate, not a promise of what you will earn. Pay varies by employer, location, experience and the specific job.

Career OutcomesCareer outcomesThese are example careers that graduates of this program often pursue, taken from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET occupation list. They are examples, not job guarantees, and many graduates work in other fields.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

  • Education Administrators,…
  • Education Administrators,…
  • Education & Childcare Administrators,…
  • Training & Development Managers

Career Insights

Job Outlook ★ Bright Outlook Bright OutlookBright Outlook careers are ones with a promising future. They're expected to grow quickly, to have lots of job openings, or to be brand new and emerging. A career earns the label if it meets any one of these: projected growth of 5% or more, at least 75,000 projected openings, or New & Emerging status.
Grow Rapidly: Jobs in this career are expected to grow 5% or more over the next several years, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics projections.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Grow Rapidly
Preparation Needed Extensive (5/5)Job Zone 5: Extensive preparationMost of these careers require graduate school, and many also call for more than five years of experience.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Personality Fit SocialSocial interest typeYou like helping people. This work centers on supporting others by helping, teaching, advising or serving them.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

Financing Your Degree Under the 2026 Rules

Federal graduate lending changed on July 1, 2026 - Grad PLUS loans ended for new borrowers and new federal borrowing caps now apply to graduate students. Here's why the math still works at EIU:

Estimated total for this degree: ~$15,147 (tuition and fees)

  • ✓ That's only about 15% of the new $100,000 lifetime graduate borrowing limit - leaving room for whatever comes next in your career.
  • ✓ A typical full-time year here runs about $8,262 - well under the new $20,500 annual federal loan limit. Annual limits are reduced in proportion for part-time enrollment.
  • ✓ Working? If your employer offers it, they can provide up to $5,250 per year tax-free toward your education.

Estimates use 2026-2027 Illinois-resident tuition and fees and typical full-time enrollment. Your actual costs and aid depend on your program, enrollment, FAFSA, and prior borrowing. Students who borrowed for the same program before July 1, 2026 may have different limits.

Talk to EIU Financial Aid → Read about the 2026 federal aid changes
15% of lifetime limit

$15,147 total, just 15% of your $100,000 federal graduate borrowing limit

Connect With Us

Aaron Mattox
Associate Professor, Assistant Chair, Graduate Coordinator (EDL)
akmattox@eiu.edu
2328 Buzzard Hall
Aaron Mattox Message Aaron

Message Aaron

or email akmattox@eiu.edu directly
Jill Rennels-Hutti
Interim Dean, College of Education, Health & Human Services
jrrennelshutti@eiu.edu
1423
217-581-6348
Jill Rennels-Hutti Message Jill

Message Jill

or email jrrennelshutti@eiu.edu directly
Billy Panther
Head of Panther Pride
Old Main
217-581-2223
Billy the Panther Message Billy

Message Billy

or email billy@eiu.edu directly

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