Overall, 41 percent of teachers at public schools hold a master's degree, compared with 30 percent at private schools. Public and private school teachers in the Northeast are more likely to hold master's degrees than their peers in other regions. Public schools with low minority enrollments (less than 10 percent) and schools with low percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (less than 15 percent) both have higher percentages of teachers with master's degrees than those with high minority enrollments (50 percent or more) and those with high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (30 percent or more).
Teachers' degree specialization differs for elementary and secondary school teachers. Among all elementary teachers, 24 percent majored in an academic subject, 18 percent in a subject area specialization in education, 45 percent in general education, and 13 percent in some other education specialization (e.g., special education, curriculum and instruction, or educational administration) for their graduate or undergraduate degree. Among all secondary teachers, 49 percent majored in an academic subject, 38 percent in a subject area specialization in education, 7 percent in general education, and 6 percent in some other education specialization for their graduate or undergraduate degree.
