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Best Online Early Childhood Education Programs in Eau Claire, WI (2026)
Eau Claire, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs. Eau Claire has a population of about 69,274. Median household income is $65,369 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Eau Claire, WI metro area, the top-earning early childhood education-related role is Kindergarten Teacher at a median $62,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Early Childhood Education Schools to Eau Claire
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer early childhood education programs near Eau Claire, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Eau Claire 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 Wisconsin schools on the Wisconsin early childhood education page.
Early Childhood Education Wages Near Eau Claire
Eau Claire is part of the Eau Claire, WI metro area (BLS area code 20740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teacher | $35,270 | Eau Claire, WI | $38,006 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,840 | Eau Claire, WI | $67,716 |
| Preschool and Childcare Center Director | $56,770 | Eau Claire, WI | $61,175 |
| Teaching Assistant | $38,370 | Eau Claire, WI | $41,347 |
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.
Eau Claire at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,274 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $65,369 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 35.0% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 92.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Eau Claire-Area Cities With Early Childhood Education Programs
- Winona, MN – 53.8 mi away (30,208 pop)
- Hudson, WI – 61.4 mi away (24,001 pop)
- Hastings, MN – 66.9 mi away (22,761 pop)
- La Crosse, WI – 70.1 mi away (102,427 pop)
- Woodbury, MN – 70.2 mi away (68,820 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited early childhood education schools are near Eau Claire, WI?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs near Eau Claire. The closest is Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI (1.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Wisconsin-River Falls (55.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying early childhood education roles near Eau Claire?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying early childhood education-related roles near Eau Claire are: Kindergarten Teacher ($62,840), Preschool and Childcare Center Director ($56,770), Teaching Assistant ($38,370). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Winona instead of Eau Claire?
Winona, MN is 53.8 miles from Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire an affordable place to study early childhood education?
Eau Claire’s median household income of $65,369 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Eau Claire while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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
- Is an Early Childhood Education degree worth it?
- Main Early Childhood Education degree guide
- Online Early Childhood Education programs in Wisconsin
- Early Childhood Education programs by state
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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.
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