Wayne State College ranks No. 6 nationally and No. 1 in Nebraska for technology and industrial arts teacher education in College Raptor’s upcoming 2027 rankings.
Wayne State College has been recognized as one of the nation’s best colleges for technology and industrial arts teacher education, earning the No. 6 national ranking in College Raptor’s 2027 list of Best Colleges for Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education. Wayne State College also ranks No. 1 in Nebraska in the category.
The College Raptor ranking compares colleges offering bachelor’s degrees in technology teacher education and industrial arts teacher education. Wayne State appears alongside universities from across the country among the highest-ranked programs in the field.
At Wayne State, students prepare for these careers through the Skilled and Technical Sciences Education degree program, which combines technical training with professional teacher preparation. Graduates are prepared to teach skilled and technical sciences to students in grades 6–12 in Nebraska. Depending on the school, educators in this field may be known as industrial arts teachers, industrial technology teachers, technology education teachers, or shop teachers.
The program prepares future educators to teach across four skilled and technical sciences career clusters: architecture and construction; energy and engineering; manufacturing; and transportation, distribution, and logistics. Students build technical knowledge through coursework in areas such as robotics, engineering and technology, computer-aided design, manufacturing, construction, CNC machining, welding, electronics, and transportation systems.
Just as important, students learn how to bring those skills into the classroom. Professional education coursework covers curriculum development, instructional methods, classroom management, human learning, and other aspects of teaching. Field experiences are incorporated throughout Wayne State’s educator preparation programs, followed by a semester of clinical practice in which students work alongside experienced teachers in a school setting.
Wayne State also offers students additional opportunities to gain classroom experience before graduation. Through the Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy, eligible education students can substitute teach while completing their degree, adding paid, real-world teaching experience to their preparation.
Recent graduates of Wayne State’s Skilled and Technical Sciences Education program have gone on to work as industrial technology teachers, engineering and technology teachers, automotive teachers, and skilled and technical sciences teachers in schools throughout Nebraska and the region.
College Raptor describes Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education as a field that prepares individuals to teach technology education and industrial arts at various educational levels. Its 2027 national ranking places Wayne State College among the top institutions in the country offering bachelor’s-level preparation in the field.
Learn more about Wayne State College’s Skilled and Technical Sciences Education degree and how the program prepares students to become industrial arts and technology teachers.