Early Childhood Education
Associate in Arts
Program Details
The Early Childhood Education Associate in Arts Degree (ECE AA), provides students with preparation for employment working with children from birth through age 8 in early care and education programs, public and private preschools, and children's centers. The ECE AA courses meet the basic course requirements for teachers in private preschools licensed by the California State Department of Social Services. With the completion of the ECE AA degree and the required minimum number of field experience hours, the student will be able to apply for the Title V Child Development Permit at the Associate Teacher level. In many of the courses included in the ECE AA degree, student's study, observe and learn utilizing the Child Development Laboratory Instructional Classrooms. A minimum grade of C is required in each course taken. The Early Childhood Education Associate in Arts Degree requires a total of 23 units.
Early Childhood Education Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2025-2026.
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Art Therapists
Master's degree
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 38,840
- High salary: 120,050
- Average salary: 65010
Childcare Workers
High school diploma/GED, Associate's degree
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 22,900
- High salary: 44,560
- Average salary: 32050
Clinical Neuropsychologists
Post-doctoral training
- Job growth: Stable
- Low salary: 51,410
- High salary: 163,570
- Average salary: 117580
All Careers in Early Childhood Education (11)
| Clinical Neuropsychologists | Post-doctoral training | Stable | 117,580 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuropsychologists | Post-doctoral training, Doctoral degree | Stable | 117,580 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | Doctoral degree, Master's degree | Stable | 77,280 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | Doctoral degree | Stable | 72,090 |
| Art Therapists | Master's degree | Rising | 65,010 |
| Music Therapists | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Rising | 65,010 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Declining | 62,340 |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Declining | 61,430 |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | Master's degree, Bachelor's degree | Declining | 58,120 |
| Childcare Workers | High school diploma/GED, Associate's degree | Rising | 32,050 |
| Nannies | High school diploma/GED, Some college | Rising | 32,050 |
Program Pathways Mapper incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Analyze and challenge issues of bias that children, individuals and families experience.
- Analyze and think critically about the teacher’s comprehensive role in early learning and development settings.
- Design quality early childhood programs and curriculum.
- Know and understand the established as well as recent theories of child development.