Education Careers: 2023 Guide to Career Paths, Options & Salary | Research.com (2023)

The education sector plays a critical role in shaping the future of the world. For starters, professionals who pursue education careers are tasked with imparting knowledge, skills, and values that prepare students to enter the workforce and become productive members of society.

Those in the industry can become school administrators or faculty members once they complete a degree in education. From there, they can earn a median pay of $79,640 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). More than being paid well, however, educators get to enjoy meaningful work that allows them to have an impact on the lives of the next generation.

In this guide, the Research.com team discusses the different paths that education students can pursue to have a solid career development plan in education. Among other information we will be focusing on include the skills that one needs to have as well as how to advance one’s career in the industry.

Education Careers Table of Contents

• Why pursue a career in education?
• Education Career Outlook
• Required Skills for Education
• How to Start Your Career in Education
• How can I advance my career in education?
• Alternative Career Options for Education

Why pursue a career in education?

Education careers are varied—these can include teachers, faculty members, or school administrators. As educators, they can help students develop skills that the latter can use later in life.

For instance, they can pursue an online degree in special education and teach children with special needs. Becoming a special education teacher means creating an environment where children with special needs can receive the support and education they need to be on equal footing with regular students. The findings from a paper titled “Inclusion and Special Education” published in Education Sciences expounds on this point.

It states that “The advent of the NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act) strengthened the accountability given to schools in terms of providing appropriate education to individuals with disabilities in the general education classrooms. It is not enough that individuals with disabilities are in general education classrooms with regular students; they have to be assessed using the appropriate grade-level standards as their peers to determine their progress (Francisco, Hartman, & Wang, 2020).”

Meanwhile, there are education career paths that do not involve teaching. Instead, graduates can develop new teaching techniques to help teachers become better and more effective educators. On the other hand, becoming a school administrator also lets them execute initiatives to improve the education system.

In addition to the variety of career paths one can take, there is also no shortage of employment opportunities for professionals in the industry. Recent data reveals that the education, training, and library sector is expected to grow by 7% between 2021 and 2031 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). This can result in more than 650,000 new jobs over the decade.

Education Career Outlook

There is a prevalent teacher shortage across the United States. During the academic year 2011-2012, 20% of principals reported shortages of teachers (Government Accountability Office, 2022). This increased to 31% by the academic year 2015-2016.

No wonder 62% of public schools in the United States were concerned about filling vacant faculty positions for the academic year 2022-2023 (Institute of Education Sciences, 2022). This also indicates a growing demand for students pursuing education careers.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Education has a database of teacher shortage areas, highlighting specific staffing needs per state. This includes teacher shortages by subject areas, disciplines, and grade levels.

Required Skills for Teachers

It can be rewarding to pursue education careers. However, doing so requires developing and using essential and general skills to become effective teachers or faculty members.

Essential Skills for Teachers

• Computer Skills. Technology has changed the way schools provide education. Some students will look for good degrees to get online so they can study anywhere and at their own pace. This is where having the necessary computer skills to navigate through a learning management system can be helpful.
• Subject Knowledge. The primary role of teachers is to impart knowledge to their students. That said, they should possess immense knowledge of a subject matter. They can do this by attending conferences and pursuing a relevant master’s degree.
• Classroom Management. This skill refers to a teacher’s ability to keep students focused and attentive in class. Classroom management often includes minimizing disruptions, engaging students in the lesson, and maintaining classroom authority.
• Curriculum Planning. It is essential that teachers can plan appropriate and engaging instructions for their students. These include developing lesson plans that can make their students excited to learn.
• Effective Lecturing. Lectures are often associated with one-way communication and visual aids. However, an effective teacher should know various lecturing approaches to enrich their students’ learning experience. This can include the use of virtual reality in education.

General Skills for Teachers

• Communication. Effective communication is a crucial aspect of teaching. One reason is that teachers have to use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques when teaching and presenting students’ progress to their parents.
• Creativity. Students have varying learning styles. Hence, a teacher must be creative to effectively capture and retain a student’s attention during a lecture. This is where taking any type of graphic design degree online can be useful. Creativity can also help in allowing students to learn about a complex topic.
• Problem-solving. Having problem-solving or conflict-resolution skills can prove advantageous. Teachers may encounter situations that require managing conflicts between students, fellow teachers, or even during parent-teacher meetings. Possessing problem-solving skills enables teachers to identify a solution that can satisfy all parties involved.
• Patience. Students progress at varying degrees and paces so a teacher must have the patience to understand a student’s academic progress. Doing so can help teachers identify what hinders students from learning a topic and find ways to accommodate their learning needs.
• Project Management. Teachers need to fulfill various tasks. Aside from teaching students, they must develop a lesson plan and evaluate coursework. This is where having project management skills can be helpful.

How to Start Your Career in Education

As mentioned, it is expected that over 650,000 job openings in the education, training, and library sector will be available between 2021 and 2031 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Meanwhile, there are various ways for students to achieve their career goals in education.

What can I do with an associate’s degree in education?

Teacher Assistant

Teachers’ assistants are tasked with clerical and instructional responsibilities to help licensed teachers with their day-to-day job. Among the many tasks they may perform are taking student attendance, grading tests, and class supervision. Teacher assistants can work in schools, childcare centers, and religious organizations.

Median salary: $29,630

Childcare Worker

The primary job of a childcare worker is to take care of infants and young children on behalf of their parents and guardians. They can supervise playtime and attend to the children’s immediate needs. They often work in childcare centers, nurseries, or private households.

Median salary: $27,490

Library Technician

Library technicians are responsible for restocking bookshelves and performing clerical and administrative tasks. These include updating the library database to reflect its current book inventory. Library technicians can work in school and university libraries, corporate and special libraries, or local public libraries.

Median salary: $34,050

What can I do with a bachelor’s degree in education?

Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers nurture young learners and instruct them in basic subjects. This is where completing a childhood education degree can be helpful. Graduates can also choose whether to work in a private or public school.

Median salary: $61,350

Preschool Teacher

Preschool teachers help students develop their language skills and supervise their social development. They can work for school districts or private daycare centers, where they prepare students for the big school.

Median salary: $30,210

Middle School Teacher

Teachers who handle sixth through eighth-grade students are called middle school teachers. They teach specific subjects and prepare a state-required standardized test for K-8 students. Like other teaching jobs, a middle school teacher can choose to work in a private or public school.

Median salary: $61,320

Can you get an education job with just a certificate?

Students can apply for some education careers with just a certificate. For instance, becoming a teacher assistant requires students to complete two years of college. Meanwhile, high school graduates can start their careers as childcare workers. Lastly, library technicians only need a postsecondary certificate to jumpstart their careers.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022; Indeed, n.d.

How can I advance my career in education?

Graduate studies are an excellent way to advance a teacher’s career and improve their education salary. This explains why some opt to get accreditation or complete a master’s and doctorate degree.

What can I do with a master’s degree in education?

Postsecondary Teacher

Postsecondary teachers can choose to work in private or public colleges or universities. Their primary role is teaching college students various academic subjects, although it mainly concerns their expertise. For instance, political science professors are often lawyers or law graduates themselves.

Median salary: $79,640

Lead Teacher

Also known as a room leader, a lead teacher is responsible for how a childcare classroom runs. This is to ensure they provide a stimulating learning environment for the children. Lead teachers primarily work in a childcare institution or a preschool.

Median salary: $35,040

Librarian

Becoming a librarian is a typical career path for those who complete a master’s degree in library science. However, this job is also available to those pursuing education careers. This is because they often work as middle school teachers while completing their post-graduate degrees.

Median salary: $61,190

What kind of job can I get with a doctorate in education?

Instructional Coordinators

Instructional coordinators are responsible for overseeing school curricula and teaching standards. This includes developing and implementing instructional material and evaluating its effectiveness. Hence, completing a master’s in organizational leadership online can be helpful in this role.

Median salary: $63,740

Childcare Center Director

A childcare center director oversees the operation of a childcare center. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable online MSW programs that help students develop the skills needed to lead childcare workers and preschool teachers, design and execute program plans, prepare budgets for the center, and more. Aside from a doctorate, a childcare center director must have a nationally recognized credential such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) accreditation.

Median salary: $47,310

Archivist

Archivists often have a post-graduate degree in history or library science. Their primary role is to appraise, process, and catalog permanent records, especially those with historical value. Hence, they work in colleges or universities, museums, and historical sites.

Median salary: $50,120

Which certification is best for education?

Teacher certification is essential to a student’s career goals in education. One reason is that all 50 states use teacher certification to ensure that a graduate has met a common set of standards before teaching.

The teaching certification requirements and process vary by state. Nonetheless, graduates are required to complete a bachelor’s degree in education or higher. Aspiring teachers must also complete a state-approved teacher preparation program, a student teaching experience, and pass exams.

However, state-certified or state-licensed teachers can apply for additional certifications, such as the National Board Certification (NBPTS). A voluntary and advanced accreditation proves that a teacher has passed a rigorous certification process. Hence, one can command a higher education salary.

Alternative Career Options for Education

Education careers are not limited to becoming a teacher, faculty member, or school administrator. Depending on a student’s career development plan in education, they can pursue alternative education career paths.

What else can a teacher do?

• Academic Coach. An academic coach provides individualized assistance to help students achieve academic excellence. What they do is evaluate a student’s abilities before devising tailored strategies. For instance, they can coach English majors while working on a capstone project that demonstrates the student’s skills.
• Corporate Trainer. Corporations often hire corporate trainers to help employees upskill or get familiar with new roles. Hence, corporate trainers can choose to work full-time for a specific company or part-time teaching particular skill sets to employees of various organizations.
• Career Counselor. Career counselors help students choose a career where they can leverage their skills and strengths. They often work in secondary schools, since this is usually the time when students consider what college course to take. That is because their college degree can impact their career path.

Share the Joy of Learning by Pursuing an Education Career

Education is one of the best majors that students can pursue if they are keen on learning and sharing their knowledge. Pursuing education careers prompts graduates to always stay informed in a particular subject matter—often about the subject they teach—and educate children and young adults. Aside from teaching, students with a degree in education can be childcare workers, librarians, or coaches.

With these in mind, aspiring educators should earn a postsecondary certificate or a degree in education or a related field to start their careers. It will also help if they have the essential skills to become effective teachers. These include computer skills, effective lecturing, and communication skills.

Lastly, students must become state-licensed teachers. It is also recommended that they complete an advanced accreditation to further their careers and command higher salaries.

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Education, Training, and Library Occupations. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/home.htm
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Postsecondary Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022). Occupational Outlook Handbook: School and Career Counselors and Advisors. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm
• The Business Research Company (2023). Virtual Reality in Education Global Market Report 2023. Retrieved from https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/virtual-reality-in-education-global-market-report
• Francisco, Hartman, & Wang (2020). “Inclusion and Special Education” Education Sciences. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090238
• Government Accountability Office (2022). Education Should Assess Its Efforts to Address Teacher Shortages. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105180.pdf
• Institute of Education Sciences (2022). School Pulse Panel: Staffing. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/schoolsurvey/spp/
• National Center for Education Statistics (2022). Doctor’s degree conferred by postsecondary institutions. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_324.10.asp