EdD or PhD in Education: What’s Better for Advancing Your Career in Singapore?

When it comes to a doctoral degree in education in Singapore, the choice sometimes gets confusing. Should you select an EdD or PhD in Singapore? This is where you should focus on aligning your degree with specific career objectives. It is even more essential in Singapore’s rapidly growing research and education landscape, particularly through the SkillsFuture movement and the SG Digital Community Hubs. 

The Singapore online education market alone is worth SGD 383.03 million as of 2024, with projections of reaching SGD 2,774.68 million by 2033. This has unlocked several opportunities for future-ready professionals in the sector. Keeping an eye on in-demand skills and market trends, it is essential to understand the difference between EdD and PhD programs to advance your career.

Source: LinkedIn

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Choosing Between an EdD or PhD in Education for Career Growth in Singapore

Here are some key insights on the EdD vs PhD debate to help you choose. 

Key Feature	EdD	PhD
Focus Area	Practical leadership & innovation	Academic research & theory
Suitable For	Mid-career professionals	Aspiring professors and researchers
Duration	3-4 years	4-6 years
Dissertation	Problem of practice	Original research
Career Pathways	Education leader, consultant	Researcher, professor
Flexibility	Often part-time with online options	Mostly full-time and on-campus
Average Salary (SGD/year)	SGD87,000 per year	SGD90,000 per year

Source: PayScale 

Purpose and Focus of Each Degree

When it comes to analysing an EdD degree vs PhD, here are the key aspects: 

• EdD- Prepares you for leadership, innovation, and research application to solve practical education problems. The purpose is to build expertise in educational challenges for enabling institutional transformation. 
• PhD- The focus is on applied and original research for testing theories and expanding knowledge. The purpose is to contribute to an academic understanding of education through research.

Career Opportunities in Singapore

• EdD- Roles in educational administration, senior consulting positions in educational organisations, and leadership in schools or public/civil institutions. 
• PhD- Careers as university research scientists, professors, data scientists or Government researchers.

Also read: Will an Online Degree in Education Open Doors to EdTech Careers in Singapore?

Program Structure and Flexibility

• Structure- Both degrees are doctoral-level courses and require a considerable amount of time and educational commitment. 
• Flexibility- Flexibility varies across institutions, with EdD courses usually being more professional practice-based and PhD courses being more research-focused.

Salary and Job Market Trends

• Salary- The average EdD vs PhD salary debate is a no-starter. Both fields have roughly the same salaries, although they vary, depending on the institution and role.
• Job Market- There is high demand for both skilled researchers and educators in Singapore.

Which Degree Suits Your Career Goals?

Now, is a PhD more prestigious than an EdD? The answer is subjective and depends on your career goals. Choose an Ed.D. course if you are an educational administrator or educator who wants to transition into a leadership position and lead transformation initiatives, solving problems. You can alternatively consider a PhD if you want to advance academic research and knowledge in the education sector and contribute to theory. It also works if you want to teach at universities. 

Key Factors to Consider Before Choosing Your Doctoral Path

Some key factors to consider for your doctoral path include: 

• Career Goals- Choose whether you want to be a hands-on leader or a researcher. 
• Time Commitment- Consider whether the program length aligns with your needs.
• Research Interests – Are you more interested in applying research findings to solve problems or conducting original research and data analysis? This is what you have to check.
• Lifestyle– Evaluate whether the program’s nature aligns with your lifestyle, i.e., full-time, part-time, hybrid, or online.
• ROI (return on investment)- Consider the budget for both courses and whether they can help you land suitable jobs with decent salaries. This is where evaluating the ROI is essential. 

Accelerate Your Career with Doctoral Programs in Education through upGrad

upGrad Singapore offers access to doctoral programs in education from top universities. For example, you can consider an EdD program from Edgewood University. Choose from five options, namely emerging technologies, K-12 educational leadership, online learning and education technology, curriculum studies, and learning science and higher educational leadership. You will get HLC-accredited and WES-recognised programs along with flexible online learning formats, expert faculty, and customised career support.

upGrad also gives you access to 24/7 student support, research workshops, live office hour sessions, mentoring, and a pool of global thesis supervisors and subject matter experts.

Here are some courses to explore:

• Dual Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Master of Education (M.Ed.)
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Must read articles:

• Online Teaching Degrees in Singapore That Qualify You for International Jobs
• Dual Degree in Singapore: Pros, Cons and Career Value (2025)
• Why Are Teachers in Singapore Choosing the Master of Education Program through upGrad?
• Should You Choose an Online Master’s in Education in Singapore for 2025?
• M.Ed. vs. MA in Education

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