1
                                                                    Exhibit 5.01


                     [HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P. LETTERHEAD]






                                July 15, 1996



Board of Directors
Strayer Education, Inc.
1025 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20005

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We are acting as special counsel to Strayer Education, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the "COMPANY"), in connection with its registration statement on
Form S-1, as amended (the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT") filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed public offering of up to
3,450,000 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share, all
of which shares (the "SHARES") are to be sold by the Company.  This opinion
letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the
requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. Section
229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.  

        For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of the
following documents:

        1.      An executed copy of the Registration Statement.

        2.      The Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as certified by
                the Secretary of the Company on the date hereof as then
                being complete, accurate and in effect.

        3.      The Bylaws of the Company, as certified by the Secretary of the
                Company on the date hereof as then being complete,
                accurate and in effect.
   2
HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.


        4.      The proposed form of Underwriting Agreement among the Company
                and the several Underwriters to be named therein, for
                whom Legg Mason Wood Walker Incorporated will act as
                representative, filed as Exhibit 1.01 to the Registration
                Statement (the "UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT").

        5.      Resolutions of the Sole Director of the Company adopted on May
                10, 1996, as certified by the Secretary of the Company
                on the date hereof as then being complete, accurate and in
                effect, relating to the issuance and sale of the Shares and
                arrangements in connection therewith.

        In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the
authenticity, accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, and
the conformity with the original documents of all documents submitted to us as
certified, telecopied, photostatic, or reproduced copies.  This opinion letter
is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.

        This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the General
Corporation Law of the State of Maryland.  We express no opinion herein as to
any other laws, statutes, regulations, or ordinances.

        Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the
opinion that following (i) final action of the Sole Director of the Company
approving the price of the Shares, (ii) execution and delivery by the Company
of the Underwriting Agreement, (iii) effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, (iv) issuance of the Shares pursuant to the terms of the
Underwriting Agreement and (v) receipt by the Company of the consideration for
the Shares specified in the resolutions of the Sole Director referred to above,
the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable under the
General Corporation Law of the State of Maryland.

        We assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in the foregoing
subsequent to the delivery of this opinion letter.  This opinion letter has
been prepared solely for your use in connection with the filing of the
Registration Statement on the date of this opinion letter and should not be
quoted in whole or in part or otherwise be referred to, nor filed with or
furnished to any governmental agency or other person or entity, without the
prior written consent of this firm.

   3
HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.01
to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus constituting a part of the
Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that
we are an "expert" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

                                                Very truly yours,

                                                /s/ HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.
                                                --------------------------
                                                HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.