When I was in college several of my friends majored in early childhood education.

Without a doubt it has to be the easiest major out there. While I was writing papers, my friends were learning how to make name tags with construction paper and crayons, and learning kiddy songs (this is not an exaggeration).

The problem is that once you get the degree and jump through the hoops, you're in. That's all there is to it

If any idiot can become a teacher, and a bad teacher makes the same a great teacher, then the pay is going to end up as the average of what you'd pay a bad teacher and great one.

Side-note: my mom, who also has a degree in early childhood education, tells me that when she was there 30 years ago it was much more academically rigorous.