Blog Updated on April 29, 2025.
For aspiring leaders, advanced education can be a pathway to achieving career goals and discovering opportunities for greater influence. Many educators, business managers, nonprofit workers and public sector employees find that earning a Doctor of Education (EdD) with a focus on leadership gives the expanded expertise and qualifications they need to move forward. This background can help them inspire innovative organizational change in an equitable, ethical manner.
Prospective educational leaders can discover whether an EdD is worth it by weighing its costs and benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Earning an EdD in Leadership?
Whether you’re looking to advance to the next level, transition to a new area or simply maximize your effectiveness in your current role, earning a doctorate in education offers distinct advantages. A Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership can also prepare you to excel in positions that directly influence an organization’s goals and trajectory. Going back to school is a big decision, though, and not one to make without carefully considering the commitments and the likelihood of achieving your desired outcomes.
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First, let’s take a look at the benefits of Spalding University’s online Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership.
1. Enhancing Knowledge
Contemporary leadership calls for new ways of understanding and relating to the world around us. Grounded in today’s leading research and practice, Spalding’s online EdD in Leadership is built around these four competency themes:
- Advanced Leadership Concepts in Practice—Applying theory to a workplace experience in the context of a global marketplace.
- Global and Cultural Perspectives—Understanding ethical leadership in today’s multicultural context.
- Organizational Innovation and Change—Learning to move organizations forward.
- Research-Informed Strategic Decision-Making—Practicing data analysis and application.
2. Sharpening Critical Skills
Effective leadership practices are far more complex in today’s workplace than in previous generations—with significant new perspectives even in recent years. Tremendous shifts in education and across workplaces in a post-pandemic world have spurred a reevaluation of how work is approached. These shifts call for forward-thinking innovation in leadership that recognizes that opportunity doesn’t equate to satisfaction.
A 2024 Gallup poll noted that employees are still struggling with engagement and well-being in the workplace compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, metrics like low unemployment and quit rates suggest that people are staying in unsatisfying jobs for longer periods. For those in leadership positions, strategies that merely retain dissatisfied employees don’t go far enough. Strong organizational leaders must have the ability to adapt their leadership style to meet the needs of the workforce as it evolves.
Spalding’s EdD curriculum includes courses that can improve leadership knowledge and application in different contexts, such as Leadership Theories and Academic Writing and Research; Leading Innovative and Creative Change Across the Organization and Within the Community; and Global Leadership in Local and Transnational Contexts.
An interdisciplinary practical approach to learning means that students in the EdD in Leadership program are preparing for real-world application. These are some of the leadership skills emphasized across the curriculum:
- Critical Thinking—Evaluating leadership approaches in a contemporary context.
- Problem-Solving—Developing solutions in actual scenarios.
- Communication—Accurately and effectively sharing information and ideas.
- Strategic Planning—Identifying goals and implementing action steps.
- Team-Building—Guiding others toward achieving goals.
- Data Analysis—Interpreting information for decision-making.
3. Attaining a Highly Respected Credential
Earning a doctoral degree demonstrates the highest level of expertise and achievement in a field. Graduates with an EdD degree attain a level of credibility that’s distinct from those with bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Society’s high regard for doctoral degrees is evident in professional accomplishment, demonstrated by earnings and employment statistics. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals holding doctoral or professional degrees typically secure the most desirable and stable jobs.
Earning a doctoral degree can also increase earning potential. The BLS reports that the median weekly earnings for those with doctoral degrees was $2,109 in 2023, compared to $1,737 for those with a master’s degree. According to Payscale, the median base salary for professionals with an EdD degree was $88,000 as of 2024, while the base salary for someone with a Master of Education (MEd) was $67,000.
4. Gaining Mission Focus
Spalding’s online EdD in Leadership is distinct in the program’s commitment to mission-driven outcomes. Content across the curriculum champions quality learning and ethical leadership. Students are challenged to cultivate qualities such as empathy, self-awareness and conscientiousness. They’re also tasked with developing a sophisticated understanding of cultural differences.
True to the mission of the university, the EdD in Leadership emphasizes service and the concept of servant leadership. Spalding is the first university to participate in the Charter for Compassion, an international interfaith coalition dedicated to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community. Graduates are prepared to lead, grounded in an understanding of ethics and compassionate values.
How Does an Education Doctorate in Leadership Compare to Other Doctoral Pathways?
For a professional considering a doctoral degree in leadership, the three leading degree options are EdD, PhD and DBA. The EdD and DBA are designed primarily for practitioners, while the PhD is typically geared for researchers and academicians.
DBA
A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree is often a natural progression from a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. The focus of a DBA is learning to solve complex problems and lead change in the marketplace. Involving high-level independent projects, the DBA equips leaders with the practical application of theory. Compared to an EdD, which has broad application to various fields, the DBA is more specifically concentrated on business leadership. Common career paths for graduates include C-level executive, consultant, entrepreneur and project manager.
PhD
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education prepares graduates for scholarly research and leadership to advance the field of education. PhD graduates often develop theory in agencies or educational institutions or hold teaching roles in postsecondary education. Compared to an EdD, the PhD typically takes longer to complete and requires more intensive academic research.
What Does an EdD Mean for My Career?
If you’re thinking about ways to advance your career as a leader in education, you’re not alone. The aftermath of the pandemic continues to influence the way we view work. This goes beyond discussions of hybrid work environments and integrating AI technologies such as ChatGPT. Employee detachment and feelings of not being supported by employers create a challenging environment for everyone, including those who are considering a change to a leadership role.
For educators and other professionals considering future leadership potential, an EdD in Leadership may open the door for higher-level jobs. It can also arm you with the skills to develop work environments that mitigate feelings of frustration and alienation among the workforce for meaningful impact.
Professional Advancement Opportunities
In the fields of education, business, government and nonprofit, where master’s degrees are commonplace among leaders, holding the EdD in Leadership credential sets job candidates apart.
According to recent data from the BLS, there will be roughly 868,000 job openings in education between 2023 and 2033. The BLS also predicts that the postsecondary teaching sector will need to fill about 114,000 openings during the same time frame. Teaching at the college level typically requires a doctoral degree, and advanced degrees may be a key to promotions for education administrators across the field.
In education and beyond, top executive leaders are in high demand. Top executives lead strategic planning and direct organizations or educational institutions toward achieving goals. The high level of responsibility required for top executives calls for extensive experience. An EdD in Leadership program equips leaders for these challenges.
Potential for Impact
For Spalding graduates, career advancement is more than an end in itself. Students in the program aspire to become organizational change agents, thought leaders and academics promoting social good. By achieving leadership roles, they’re positioned to address today’s cultural, business and educational issues with confidence.
Spalding alumna Jabani Bennett has worked in elementary schools for 10 years, helping close achievement gaps. From what she learned in the EdD program, she says she better understands “the type of leader the world needs in the future.” She says she’s eager to contribute “in a way that’s impactful.”
Alumnus John P. Malloy is an executive business leader who says the EdD has expanded his worldview. The experience of learning from others in his cohort, he says, has changed not only his view of the leadership role but also his view of his role in the community.
- Watch videos featuring Jabani Bennett and John P. Malloy in our program testimonials.
What Are the Costs of Pursuing a Doctorate in Education?
When considering if an EdD is worth it, it’s critical to count the costs. As you consider your current responsibilities to your job, family and community, it’s important to understand how starting a graduate degree may influence your life.
Time Commitment
Spalding’s online EdD in Leadership is an accelerated full-time program, delivered one course at a time. Designed for working professionals, the flexibility of the program allows you to continue in your current job as you complete the program.
The optimized design of the program combines quality and rigor in a professional-friendly format to put a quality doctoral education within reach. There are three start dates each year, allowing you to transition to the program whenever it works best with your schedule. You can complete the required 60 credit hours in two years through 10 eight-week terms.
Financial Investment
Spalding’s online EdD in Leadership is competitively priced at $840 per credit hour, totaling $50,400 for the entire program. You may also be eligible for a variety of financial aid options to support your education.
What Are My Next Steps in Considering an EdD?
If you decide an EdD is worth it, we encourage you to take the next step in exploring Spalding’s online EdD in Leadership program. No GRE is required, and the application process is streamlined for your convenience. Our dedicated enrollment advisors will guide you through the process, answering your questions about admissions requirements, tuition, financial aid, enrollment and technical support. Learn how we can help guide you toward an impactful future.
