Best Online Early Childhood Education Programs in Cleveland, OH (2026)

Cleveland, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs. Cleveland has a population of about 367,523. Median household income is $39,187 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cleveland, OH metro area, the top-earning early childhood education-related role is Kindergarten Teacher at a median $82,080 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Early Childhood Education Schools to Cleveland

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer early childhood education programs near Cleveland, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cleveland city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

No school data available.

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Ohio schools on the Ohio early childhood education page.


Early Childhood Education Wages Near Cleveland

Cleveland is part of the Cleveland, OH metro area (BLS area code 17410). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Preschool Teacher$35,520Cleveland, OH$37,827
Kindergarten Teacher$82,080Cleveland, OH$87,412
Preschool and Childcare Center Director$48,550Cleveland, OH$51,704
Teaching Assistant$37,380Cleveland, OH$39,808

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Cleveland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population367,523Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$39,187Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Cleveland-Area Cities With Early Childhood Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited early childhood education schools are near Cleveland, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs near Cleveland. The closest is Cuyahoga Community College District in Cleveland, OH (1.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Stautzenberger College-Brecksville (13.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying early childhood education roles near Cleveland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying early childhood education-related roles near Cleveland are: Kindergarten Teacher ($82,080), Preschool and Childcare Center Director ($48,550), Teaching Assistant ($37,380). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Garfield Heights instead of Cleveland?

Garfield Heights, OH is 5.6 miles from Cleveland and has its own set of local early childhood education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Cleveland an affordable place to study early childhood education?

Cleveland’s median household income of $39,187 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cleveland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Early Childhood Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Cleveland

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Cleveland:

Data verified: August 10, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.