Quick Highlights
If you already work in higher education administration and are weighing a doctorate, you might consider the Arkansas State University (A-State) online Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with a Concentration in Higher Education Administration program. It is one of the practice-focused options this article compares against a research doctorate. A-State offers the Ed.D. but not a Ph.D. in education, so use the comparison below to check for the proper fit before you apply anywhere.
What’s the Difference Between an Ed.D. and a Ph.D. in Education?
An Ed.D. is a professional doctorate that trains scholarly practitioners to apply research to real problems inside their own institutions. A Ph.D. in education is a research doctorate that trains scholars to generate new theory and contribute to academic literature, typically as a step toward a tenure-track faculty career.
The dissertation usually reflects that split. Some Ed.D. programs adopt the Dissertation in Practice model defined by the Carnegie Project on Education Doctorate (CPED), in which the study is built around a persistent problem of practice at the student’s own workplace. Others keep a traditional chapter-based dissertation and apply it to a leadership question. A-State’s Ed.D. follows the chapter-based route. This supervised sequence moves from prospectus through literature review, methodology, data collection and analysis to conclusions, with dissertation work beginning early in the program.
Key Insight
An Ed.D. and a Ph.D. are both terminal degrees, and neither is a downgrade of the other; they train for different jobs. In higher education administration, the Ed.D. is the more common route into provost, academic dean and vice president roles, while the Ph.D. is the expected credential for tenure-track faculty and research posts. Institutions and hiring committees weigh credentials differently, so ask what your target employer looks for.
Career-Destination Matrix: Which Degree Fits Your Target Role?
Match the degree to where you actually want to end up, not to which one sounds more prestigious. Prestige doesn’t show up on the org chart, but the wrong degree for your target role will.
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Target Role
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Better-Fit Degree
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Why
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|---|---|---|
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Provost, dean, vice president
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Ed.D.
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Coursework in higher education finance, accountability and organizational change maps directly to the work of these roles
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Tenure-track faculty
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Ph.D.
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Research doctorate expected for most faculty hiring committees
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Policy researcher, think tank analyst
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Ph.D.
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Original research and publication record carry more weight than administrative experience
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College or university president
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Either but the Ed.D. is common
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Boards weigh leadership record heavily; either terminal degree is accepted
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Can you teach at a university with an Ed.D.? Yes, particularly in professional programs and at teaching-focused institutions, though research university tenure tracks still lean toward the Ph.D. If your target is A-State’s online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program with a Higher Education Administration Concentration, the program is a member of the Carnegie Project on Education Doctorate and is taught by current and former higher education administrators alongside leadership faculty.
Program Length and Format: What to Expect
Professional doctorates are usually built for people who keep working, so the timeline is measured in terms rather than in years away from the job. A-State’s online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program with a Concentration in Higher Education Administration is 51 credit hours and runs in as few as 40 months, and it does not require the GRE.
Ph.D. programs in education often run longer, four to six years being common, because of heavier research and publication requirements. Cost usually breaks the other way.
A-State’s Ed.D. is $487 per credit hour and $24,837 in total, at the same pay-by-the-course rate for all U.S. residents with all fees included. These figures reflect published program details as of August 2026 and are subject to change; confirm current tuition, credit hours and admission requirements directly with A-State. Funded Ph.D. programs often cover tuition through assistantships, which professional doctorates typically do not, so compare the total price and the funding offer side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an online Ed.D. respected by employers and universities?
Yes. Search committees for higher ed administration roles evaluate the degree and institution, not the delivery format. A CPED-member Ed.D. from an accredited university carries the same standing as an in-person program.
Can I teach at a university with an Ed.D.?
Yes, especially in professional or applied programs and at teaching-focused institutions. Research-intensive universities’ tenure tracks more often expect a Ph.D.
Do superintendents need a doctorate or is an Ed.S. enough?
For K-12 superintendents, many states accept an Ed.S. with superintendent licensure; a doctorate is not always required. That K-12 licensure pathway is separate from the higher ed administration track this article covers, which has no state licensure requirement at any degree level.
Ed.D. vs. Ph.D. in education: which should I choose?
Choose based on your target role, not prestige. An Ed.D. fits administrative leadership tracks such as provost or dean; a Ph.D. fits tenure-track faculty or policy-research tracks.
How long does each degree take to complete?
An Ed.D. typically takes two to three years of full-time study; a Ph.D. in education typically takes four to six years given its heavier research and publication requirements.
What is a Dissertation in Practice, and how is it different from a traditional dissertation?
A Dissertation in Practice is a research project focused on solving a real problem at the student’s own institution, developed through CPED. A traditional dissertation is a theoretical contribution to academic literature, typical of Ph.D. programs.
Key Takeaways
- An Ed.D. trains practitioners to apply research to real institutional problems; a Ph.D. trains researchers to generate new theory.
- Most higher ed administration career tracks, including provost, dean and vice president roles, are served better by an Ed.D.
- A Ph.D. fits candidates aiming for tenure-track faculty or policy-research roles instead.
- Neither degree guarantees a specific job, raise or promotion; match the degree to your target role.
The right choice comes down to the job you want next. If that job is running a department, division or institution, the Ed.D.’s practice-based model is built for that work. If it’s contributing new research to the field, the Ph.D. is the better fit.
Explore A-State’s online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a Concentration in Higher Education Administration to see how the coursework and dissertation sequence line up with the leadership path you’re aiming for.