MSE vs. Ed.S. vs. Ed.D. in Educational Leadership: Which Credential Do You Actually Need?

OnlineU ranks A-State’s Building-Level Administration Certificate No. 1 nationally among online educational leadership certificates for 2026, one signal that the fastest rung on this ladder carries real outside recognition, not just a fast timeline. Every licensure-track program above is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the field’s primary accreditor for educator preparation programs.

Aligning Your Education Journey to Your Career Goal

The table above lays out the mechanics of each credential, but the actual decision comes down to two questions: what you already hold and what role you’re aiming for next. Match your answer to one of the paths below.

• If you want a principal’s license and already hold a master’s degree, choose the Building-Level Administration Certificate.
• If you want your first leadership-focused master’s degree and licensure eligibility together, choose the MSE in Educational Leadership.
• If you already hold a master’s degree and want a specific advanced role such as superintendent, curriculum director, SPED director or GT director, choose the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership in that track.
• If you are aiming for a superintendent, president, provost or university faculty role and do not need state licensure, choose the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.

Ed.S. vs. EdD: Which Do You Need to Become a District Administrator?

This depends on which district administrator role you want. Roles tied to a specific state credential, such as curriculum director, special education director, gifted and talented director or superintendent, are built around the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, since each Ed.S. track leads to that specific role. The Ed.D. does not include a state licensure component, so it is not the credential that unlocks a licensure-bound district role by itself.

The Ed.D. becomes relevant when looking past the licensure ceiling, toward university-facing roles and senior district roles where a terminal degree and doctoral-level research training matter alongside licensure rather than instead of it. Licensure requirements vary by state, so confirm your own state’s specific rules before choosing a track.

Can You Skip the Ed.S. and Go Straight to an EdD for Administration?

Yes, structurally, but only if your goal does not require state licensure. A-State’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership requires a master’s degree with a 3.0 GPA, not an Ed.S. specifically. Applicants who have not already earned an Ed.S. or completed at least 39 hours of graduate-level coursework may be required to complete additional pre-doctoral coursework before beginning doctoral-level classes, but an Ed.S. itself is not a hard prerequisite.

Skipping the Ed.S. is a reasonable choice if your goal is a role that does not require state administrator licensure, such as a university faculty position, a higher education administration role or a superintendent search where the district values a terminal degree above a specific licensure track. Skipping the Ed.S. is not appropriate if your actual goal is a specific licensure-bound role, such as becoming a principal, curriculum director or superintendent in a state that requires that credential, since the Ed.D. does not grant that licensure on its own. Answering this only in terms of what sounds most advanced would miss the point: choose based on whether your target role legally requires a license, not based on which degree sounds bigger.

Where Does a Master’s in Higher Education Administration Fit In?

If your goal is leadership inside a college or university rather than a K-12 school or district, this MSE-to-Ed.D. ladder is not the right comparison. A-State’s Master of Science (M.S.) in Higher Education is a separate 33-credit-hour master’s degree built specifically for higher education roles such as enrollment management, student affairs and academic advising, and it does not require a teaching license for admission. Explore that program page directly rather than trying to map it onto the K-12 credential ladder above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a master’s in educational leadership and an Ed.S.?

A master’s in educational leadership is a foundational graduate degree, often a student’s first leadership credential. An Ed.S. is a post-master’s degree built around one specific administrative role, such as principal or superintendent, and it typically requires a master’s degree for admission.

Ed.S. in educational leadership vs. Ed.D.: Which do I need to become a district administrator?

For licensure-bound district roles like curriculum director, SPED director, GT director or superintendent, the Ed.S. is the credential built around that specific role. The Ed.D. does not carry state licensure and becomes relevant for the most senior searches or university-facing roles beyond the licensure ceiling.

What’s an Ed.S. degree, and how is it different from a master’s or doctorate?

An Ed.S., or Education Specialist degree, sits between a master’s and a doctorate. It requires a master’s degree for admission, focuses on one specific administrative track and typically leads to a state credential in that role, unlike a doctorate, which does not carry licensure.

Does A-State’s Ed.S. in Educational Leadership lead to licensure?

Yes, each Ed.S. track is built around a specific Arkansas administrative credential or role, including principal, superintendent, curriculum director, special education director and gifted and talented director.

How long does each credential take to complete online at A-State?

The Building-Level Administration Certificate can be completed in 12 months, the MSE in Educational Leadership in 20 months, the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership in 14 to 18 months depending on track, and the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership in 40 months.