Teaching is a highly rewarding career. However, it is not the only career option if you have a degree in education. You can land administrative roles and counseling jobs, depending on your inclination.
Education is a diverse field. A degree in education can open doors to various career paths, from corporate roles to non-profit work. If you managed to secure an advanced degree in education, you could choose a career option that suits you the best.
Usually, the choice of a career depends on many factors. Financial security, a sense of purpose, and job security are a few incentives. A degree in education and relevant work experience can help achieve these factors.
Here are a few options you can choose from.
Education Administrator
Administrators play a key role in running an educational institution. In any institute, the principal, directors, and managers are responsible for running the place organizationally.
There is a lot of responsibility on the principals and directors of an educational institute. For that purpose, they need highly educated and competent people for the job.
This position is for you if you are naturally assertive and possess leadership qualities. Additionally, a masters in educational administration can help you polish your leadership skills and help you gain insight into the intricacies of the job.
In this role, you get to introduce new methods and techniques to build a healthy educational environment in your organization.
Job outlook:
According to the BLS, as an educational administrator, you can earn an estimated $96,910 in the US, based on your educational background and experience.
If you consider joining the educational workforce as an administrator, the outlook looks good, with a 7% employment growth by the decade’s end.
School Teacher
Being a schoolteacher is an enormous responsibility. In this role, you are entrusted with shaping the minds of the young generation.
A career as a teacher is very fulfilling and rewarding. Aside from spiritual fulfillment, you also get financial security. If you enjoy working with children and have good teaching skills, this job is for you.
To become a schoolteacher, you need a professional degree in education. This helps you gain important skills like communication, teaching and learning models, and using and incorporating technology in the classroom. In addition to relevant education and training, you also need a state-issued certificate or license to start teaching.
Job outlook:
If you are interested in teaching, you have several options to explore. You can choose to become a kindergarten teacher, a middle school teacher, or a high-school teacher.
According to the BLS, as a kindergarten teacher, you can earn around $61,350 per year, with a 4% increase in employment by 2031.
If you are more interested in teaching middle schoolers, the yearly income is estimated at $61,320, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The projected employment growth of middle school teachers is 4% by the end of the decade.
Special Education Teacher
Working with special needs children requires a separate set of skills. A regular teacher may not be able to handle students who have special needs. Such needs may be emotional, educational, or physical.
In 1990, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed, which ensured that special needs education needs special training.
If you have lots of patience and an ability to connect with special children, you can choose to become a special education teacher. Special needs children can be on the autism spectrum, have dyslexia and ADHD, or suffer from a genetic disorder like Down’s Syndrome.
Remember, learning models of special needs children differ slightly from regular models.
Job Outlook:
You can earn a yearly income of $61,820 as a special education teacher. If you are looking forward to a career in special education, the BLS estimates a 4% employment growth by the decade’s end.
Curriculum Developer
A career in education is not limited to teaching. If you enjoy working in education but do not have the skills to become a teacher, you can still have a flourishing career.
As a curriculum developer, it will be your job to incorporate learning material into the lesson plans in an easy way to teach and learn.
Job Outlook:
You can earn a yearly salary of roughly $63,740 in curriculum development. The BLS also predicts an employment growth of 7% by 2031.
Educational Counsellor
Not all parents choose for their children to go to school. As of 2021, 3.7 million children were homeschooled in the US. Many factors can contribute to this decision by the parents; they may want a customized curriculum for their child, which is where the educational counselor comes in.
As an educational counselor, you advise the parents about the best course of action should they choose to homeschool their kids. Educational counselors hunt down common academic hurdles in organizations and plan to eradicate them.
Job Outlook:
The salary of education counselors varies according to their workplace. However, they are expected to make around $64,200 annually in the US.
Educational Researcher
Research is important for progress. If you have a degree in education and have a knack for research, you can bring about real, positive change in the industry.
To become an educational researcher, you need to have a doctorate in education. A researcher should be highly educated; the higher, the better! As an educational researcher, you can conduct surveys related to flaws in the system and propose new methods and models to eradicate them.
Job Outlook:
According to Zip Recruiter, an Educational Researcher can earn up to $67,000 annually. On the other hand, an Educational Researcher without relevant experience can earn up to $50,000 annually.
Summing it Up
A degree in education holds a high value among employers. Each career path in education requires a specific skill set.
Overall, the education industry is quite lucrative, as there are various opportunities to explore if you don’t want to be a teacher. With education mostly going online, this is your chance to explore the industry and choose a career path that guarantees steady progression.
We hope this article was helpful. If we missed anything, please tell us in the comments below.
