EdD vs. PhD in Higher Education: Which Degree Is for You?

Which doctoral path is the best way to advance your higher education career—an EdD or a PhD? It’s a common question for professionals who are ready to step into leadership roles but aren’t sure which degree best aligns with their goals. Both types of programs are highly regarded, both require dedication, and both can open doors to meaningful opportunities. But they are not the same.

Understanding the difference between an EdD vs. PhD is essential for choosing a path that fits your ambitions and the impact you hope to make. Some professionals want to shape institutional policies, lead departments, or drive organizational change. Others are drawn to research, scholarship, and contributing new knowledge to the field.

Consider what sets the two degrees apart, including purpose, coursework, timelines, and career outcomes, to help you decide which best supports your future in higher education leadership.

Defining the Degrees

Before comparing an EdD with a PhD in education, it can be helpful to look broadly at each degree. 

What Is an EdD?

An EdD is a practice-focused doctoral degree centered on real-world application, designed for working educators and higher education professionals seeking leadership, administrative, or policy roles. 

This degree emphasizes applied research, organizational change, and practical solutions to meet challenges within colleges, universities, and education systems. An EdD can be a good choice for individuals who want to lead teams, improve programs, and drive impact in their institutions. 

What Is a PhD in Education?

A PhD in education is focused on generating new knowledge and advancing the academic study of education. This degree can be a good choice for pursuing careers as researchers, university faculty, or specialists in educational theory and methodology. It typically involves extensive research design, data analysis, and scholarly publication.

Key Similarities Between an EdD and a PhD

EdDs and PhDs share a strong academic foundation. Both are terminal degrees in education and students in both programs engage in advanced study focused on leadership, research methods, organizational theory, and educational policy.

Both degrees also position graduates for impactful careers. Whether in higher education administration, policy development, academic affairs, student services, or the classroom, both EdD and PhD open doors to high level positions across colleges, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Important Differences: PhD and EdD in Higher Education

While an EdD and a PhD share similarities, their goals and outcomes differ. Understanding these differences can help prospective students choose the program that best fits their career goals.

Purpose and Focus

The EdD in Higher Education is designed for practitioners who want to apply research directly to educational challenges in university-level institutions. It’s a degree for professionals who aim to lead, guide change, and improve systems. EdD degrees prepare students to:

• Center on implementing research in real higher education settings.
• Pursue roles as administrators, student affairs leaders, and higher education professionals.
• Focus on practical impact over theoretical inquiry.

The PhD, meanwhile, is tailored to scholars and researchers who want to contribute new knowledge to the field. PhDs prepare students to: 

• Center on developing and testing educational theories.
• Pursue roles as academic researchers, faculty, and policy analysts.
• Focus on advancing scholarship at the national or global level

Curriculum and Coursework

EdD programs are primarily concerned with applied learning grounded in leadership and organizational effectiveness. This can include courses on:

• Organizational leadership
• Strategic management 
• Applied research and program evaluation
• Higher education administration

PhD programs emphasize in-depth study of theoretical frameworks and research methodology. Coursework can include subjects such as:

• Advanced qualitative and quantitative methods
• Theory development
• Research design
• Education policy analysis

Career Outcomes

Because EdDs and PhDs have different areas of focus, they can lead to distinct career opportunities. 

EdD Careers

The EdD equips graduates to lead teams, implement change, and address institutional challenges directly. Careers for EdD graduates can include:

• Higher education administrator
• Dean, director, provost, or student affairs leader
• Institutional researcher or enrollment manager
• College president

PhD Careers

A PhD prepares graduates for scholarship-intensive roles within academia and policy. Career options for PhD graduates can include:

• University professor
• Research scholar
• Education policy researcher
• Academic department chair

Choosing the Right Degree

Choosing between an EdD vs. PhD ultimately depends on students’ goals, schedules, and the type of impact they want to make in higher education. Both degrees open doors to leadership roles, but they serve different professional paths.

An EdD can prepare students for administrative or leadership roles such as directing student affairs, overseeing academic programs, or guiding institutional change. PhDs can prepare graduates for roles that center on scholarly research, teaching, or policy analysis and development. 

For many professionals seeking immediate, practical impact in higher education, the EdD offers a direct path to leadership and organizational transformation. Its focus on applied practice can lead to functional roles that address real educational challenges through direct impact. 

Explore New England College’s EdD in Higher Education Administration

If you’ve decided that an EdD program is for you, learn more about New England College’s EdD in Higher Education Administration. This program has been created in the cohort model, enabling students to become experts in their targeted areas of interest. 

The program itself typically spans three years with a low-residency concentration — designed for working professionals who want to develop expertise in a chosen area. This allows you to tailor your education and make an immediate impact in a college, university, or another educational organization. The program’s practice-driven curriculum emphasizes leadership, organizational strategy, and applied research.

Reach out today to learn more about NEC’s EdD in Higher Education Administration and how it can prepare you for leadership in higher education administration.

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