Elementary education can be either a BA or a BS, and at many universities you get to choose which one you pursue. Both degrees lead to the same teaching license, the same salary schedule, and the same classroom jobs. The difference comes down to a handful of courses outside your education major, not the education coursework itself.
What Actually Differs Between the Two Degrees
The core education classes are identical whether you graduate with a BA or a BS. You take the same methods courses in reading, math, science, and social studies instruction. You complete the same student-teaching placement. The difference sits in your general university requirements.
A Bachelor of Arts typically requires foreign language coursework. At Oregon State University, for example, the BA track in elementary education includes a full sequence of first-year and second-year language courses, totaling 24 credits. A Bachelor of Science at the same school drops that language requirement entirely and replaces it with elective credits you can use however you like, whether that means extra science courses, a minor in another subject, or anything else that interests you.
This pattern holds at most universities that offer both options. The BA leans toward liberal arts breadth, with language study and sometimes additional humanities credits. The BS leans toward flexibility or, at some schools, additional math and science coursework. The University of Utah, for instance, offers both tracks side by side under the same elementary education program, with identical major and program requirements and only the broader university degree requirements creating a distinction.
Which One Is More Common
There is no single standard. Some universities only offer a BA in elementary education, others only a BS, and many offer both. What a school chooses to label the degree often reflects its own institutional traditions more than any meaningful difference in rigor or focus. A large research university with strong science programs might default to a BS. A liberal arts college might default to a BA. Neither label signals a stronger or weaker program.
If your school offers only one option, that is perfectly normal. If it offers both, the choice is yours, and it comes down to whether you want to study a foreign language or would rather fill those credits with something else.
Licensing Treats Them the Same
State departments of education do not distinguish between a BA and a BS when issuing teaching licenses. Requirements consistently call for “a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university,” with no mention of the degree type. Whether your diploma says Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, you meet the degree requirement for licensure. What matters for certification is completing an approved teacher preparation program, passing required exams, and fulfilling any student-teaching hours your state mandates.
Salary and Hiring Are Unaffected
Public school pay scales are built around degree level, not degree type. State salary schedules use categories like “Bachelor’s Degree,” “Master’s Degree,” and “Doctorate Degree.” A BA and a BS both fall into the bachelor’s category and place you on the exact same step of the salary schedule. Principals and hiring committees care about your certification, your student-teaching experience, and your interview performance. The letters after “Bachelor of” on your transcript will not come up.
How to Decide If You Have a Choice
If your university offers both, pick the track that fits your interests and schedule. The BA path makes sense if you enjoy language learning, want to work with English language learners someday, or are already partway through a language sequence. Foreign language skills can be genuinely useful in elementary classrooms with diverse student populations.
The BS path makes sense if you would rather use those credits on a content-area minor, additional STEM coursework, or simply have more room in your schedule for electives. Some students use BS elective space to pick up a special education endorsement or a reading specialist credential, which can make them more competitive candidates.
Either way, your degree qualifies you for the same jobs, the same licenses, and the same pay. Choose based on what you want to learn along the way, not on what you think will look better on a resume. Hiring committees will see “Elementary Education” as the major, and that is what matters.