As former wrestling mogul Linda McMahon assumes office as the new U.S. Secretary of Education, many people are left wondering what qualifies her for the role. Let’s take a look at all the former Secretaries of Education and the paths they took to the job.

The U.S. Secretaries of Education

The Department of Education was established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. Since then, there have been 13 official Secretaries of Education (with several acting secretaries in between). Below I will provide their backgrounds prior to taking the role and rate them on the following educational experience scale:

• Low – Little to no experience in education, whether K-12 or post-secondary
• Medium – Some experience, though it played a secondary role in their careers
• High – Extensive experience working in the educational field

Shirley Hufstedler (1979-1981)

Appointed by President Carter to serve as the first Secretary within the newly created Department of Education, Hufstedler brought a background in law. She served as a federal judge appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson prior to being appointed to the new position by President Carter.

Educational Experience Level: Low

Terrel Bell (1981-1985)

Bell did serve as a teacher, bus driver, and district superintendent in the years before being appointed as the second Secretary of Education by President Ronald Reagan. He held a PhD in education, served as Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education and held the (now defunct) title of US Commissioner of Education under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

Educational Experience Level: High

William Bennett (1985-1988)

William Bennett served in several higher education positions like assistant professor and associate dean prior to being appointed Secretary of Education by President Reagan. He completed a PhD in political philosophy at the University of Texas and a JD at Harvard Law School.

Educational Experience Level: High

Lauro Cavazos (1988-1990)

As the first Hispanic to serve in a Cabinet position, Cavazos was Secretary of Education under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Prior to this role, he served as a professor as well as the Dean of the Tufts University School of Medicine and the President of Texas Tech University.

Educational Experience Level: High

Lamar Alexander (1991-1993)

Alexander had a long political career before and after his appointment as Secretary of Education by the first President Bush. He started his career in law and successfully ran for Governor of Tennessee. After his governorship but before his time as Secretary, he did spend time as the President of the University of Tennessee.

Educational Experience Level: Medium

Richard Riley (1993-2001)

Riley started in law and had successful tenures as a member of South Carolina House of Representatives, the South Carolina Senate, and two terms as the Governor of South Carolina. He was appointed Secretary of Education by President Bill Clinton.

Educational Experience Level: Low

Rod Paige (2001-2005)

After leaving the Navy, Paige taught high school P.E. before becoming the head football coach at both Jackson State University and Texas Southern University. He served time as a professor and dean of the College of Education at Texas Southern. He was a member of the Houston Independent School District board of education and later became superintendent of the district. President George W. Bush then nominated him to become the first African American Secretary of Education.

Educational Experience Level: High

Margaret Spellings (2005-2009)

Spellings worked closely with the second President Bush during his time as Governor of Texas, leading to her nomination as Secretary of Education. In Texas, she spent time working on education reform and as an associate executive director for the Texas Association of School Boards.

Educational Experience Level: Medium

Arne Duncan (2009-2016)

Duncan played basketball professionally in Australia after being a standout player at Harvard University. After retiring from the sport he worked in a few education roles in Chicago before being named CEO of the Chicago Public Schools by Mayor Richard Daley. President Barack Obama then appointed him to be Secretary of Education.

Educational Experience Level: High

John King, Jr. (2016-2017)

A former high school social studies teacher, King. co-founded and co-directed a charter school and bounced around several education organizations before being appointed Commissioner of Education of the State of New York. He then joined Arne Duncan at the U.S. Department of Education before being named his successor by President Obama.

Educational Experience Level: High

Betsy DeVos (2017-2021)

DeVos was very active in conservative politics in Michigan and served on multiple boards that advocated for school choice. This emphasis on school choice led to her appointment by President Donald Trump as Secretary of Education during his first term.

Educational Experience Level: Low

Miguel Cardona (2021-2025)

Cardona started his career as a fourth-grade teacher before moving into the positions of principal and assistant superintendent. He then was appointed to Connecticut Commissioner of Education. He was named Secretary of Education by President Joe Biden.

Educational Experience Level: High

Linda McMahon (2025-present)

McMahon and her husband Vince founded what is now World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. where she worked as president and CEO. She left this position to run for office twice, both times unsuccessfully. She did serve on the Connecticut State Board of Education for a year after being appointed by the governor, though, upon leaving, questions arose regarding answers she provided on her vetting questionnaire about her background in the education field. During his first administration, President Trump appointed McMahon as Administrator of the Small Business Association. When Trump became president again in 2025, McMahon was named Secretary of Education.

Educational Experience Level: Medium

The Bottom Line

There is no written rule of the qualifications for the job, but public (and congressional) scrutiny does come along with a lack of knowledge and experience. Only 3 of the 13 Secretaries classify for what I would consider a “low” level of educational experience (though others might debate these decisions). Is there a direct correlation between educational experience level and the quality of their term as Secretary? Probably not (though I admittedly am not basing this on any kind of study). Part of it also depends on who they surround themselves with once they are in the job. Only time will tell if McMahon’s term will have her against the ropes.