The potential careers in Education and training are so varied that deciding which path to take might, at first, be intimidating or simply confusing. Our intention with this article is to give you some clarity and help you individuate which education careers best suit your professional skills and aspirations.
Workers in education and training share information and knowledge through teaching. Employment in education, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is projected to grow 7%, translating to over 650,000 new jobs in the next decade and over 900,000 openings each year. While becoming a teacher is the most obvious career in education, it is also only one of the many roles in this industry.
Even though most careers in education require a bachelor’s degree or higher, it is possible to find opportunities even if you haven’t graduated college. Choosing a career in education means putting yourself, your knowledge and skills in service of others, truly making a difference in their lives. Whether you decide to become a teacher, counselor, social worker, tutor, or administrator, training and education careers are among the most rewarding there can be.
Let’s have a look at the most sought-after and highest paying careers in education and training.
Best High Paying Careers in Education and Training
Art Teacher
Art teachers are professional artists who teach students how to understand and produce arts. They can work in elementary and secondary schools, private institutions, and other settings with young and adult students. Besides a great passion and talent for the arts, an art teacher needs to have great active listening and effective communication skills, be patient, organized and creative.
The educational qualifications to be an art teacher vary from institution to institution, but most schools require at least a two-year art teacher diploma. The average salary for art teachers in the U.S. is $44,394 per year and in high-demand job locations like New York and Boston this increases to $51,768 and $54,133 respectively.
Browse all art teacher jobs available on Monster.
Childcare / Preschool Teacher
Amongst careers in early childhood education, childcare and preschool teachers are in charge of the care and education of children younger than five years old. They teach them basic skills, plan curriculums, organize activities and work in groups or one-on-one to help children learn through playing, problem solving, and experimenting.
To pursue such careers in education in most U.S. states and employment settings you must have an associate or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field. Employment for childcare and preschool teachers in the United States is projected to grow 15%, which is much faster than the average. The salary for preschool teachers in the U.S. averages $12.84 per hour and in high-demand job locations like Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA this increases to $15.19 and $15.85 respectively.
Browse all preschool teacher jobs available on Monster.
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher
Kindergarten and elementary school teachers welcome young minds into the school system and prepare them for middle school. They teach students the basics of subjects like reading, science, and math, but also how to interact, communicate with others, follow behavioral rules, and overcome learning challenges.
A bachelor’s degree in elementary education is typically required to pursue careers in education like kindergarten or elementary school teacher, however requirements vary by state and classroom setting. The median salary for elementary teachers in the U.S. is $43,039 per year and in high-demand job locations like Dallas, TX and Modesto, CA it increases to $49,337 and $57,744 respectively.
Browse all kindergarten teacher jobs and elementary school teacher jobs available on Monster.
Middle School and High School Teacher
Careers in education as a middle school or high school teacher involves planning lessons, instructing and grading students’ work in the subject you teach and supporting them in overcoming specific learning challenges. These teachers also communicate progress to the students’ caretakers, and work in synergy with other teachers and staff to provide a great school environment.
To become a middle school or high school teacher you typically need to have at least a bachelor’s degree and to acquire a teaching license. Requirements, however, vary by state and whether you decided to work in public or private schools. The national average salary of middle school and high school teachers is $44,859 per year and in cities like San Antonio, TX and Los Angeles, CA goes up to over $50,000 per year.
Browse all high school teacher jobs available on Monster.
Higher Education Professor
Post-secondary professors plan lessons, provide support and teach graduate and undergraduate students in colleges, universities, and technical schools. They can teach one or more courses, but their duties can also go beyond teaching. In this position, you can also publish research papers, conduct experiments, supervise graduate teaching assistants, and advise students.
Most college and higher education professors typically hold a doctorate or master’s degree in their field. However, exceptions exist for careers in higher education. Even celebrities nowadays serve as college professors in their field of expertise. Employment for higher education teachers is projected to grow 12% in the next decade. The median salary for college professors and instructors in the U.S. is $57,473 per year and can reach over $90,000 per year in high-demand job locations.
Browse all higher education jobs available on Monster.
Special Education Teacher
Completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree program is the main path to become a special education teacher in the United States. However, mainly due to a special education staffing shortage, in certain U.S. states there are also alternative pathways. For example, in Washington State, a temporary out-of-endorsement assignment or a pre-endorsement waiver can be enough to obtain a special education teaching position.
To be a great special education teacher, it is important to have impeccable communication and listening skills, adaptability, compassion, and patience. The national average salary for special education teachers is $20.44 per hour and in cities like Boston, MA and New York, NY this rises to over $25 per hour.
Browse all special education jobs available on Monster.
Teacher Assistant
One of the most needed and important careers in education are teacher assistants. The main role of teacher assistants is to help teachers monitor students’ progress. They are also called teacher aides or paraprofessionals and often work with special education students, but always under the guidance of a licensed teacher.
Education requirements to work as a teacher assistant vary, but to find employment in public schools you usually need to have at least an associate degree and obtain a teacher assistant license. The hourly estimated teacher assistant salary in the U.S. ranges from $10.85 to $17.63 depending on the employment location. Cities offering teacher assistants a salary above the average include Las Vegas, NV at $15.52 per hour and Boston, MA at $16.71 per hour.
Browse all teacher assistant jobs available on Monster.
Childcare / Preschool Director
Careers in education such as a childcare or preschool director require first and foremost being a passionate educator who believes in unleashing each and every child's potential. You also need to be a leader for the team of educators, motivate and support them, and make sure that every class has a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment.
While requirements to assume this role might vary, a bachelor’s degree in education is preferred and several years of working the field are required. The yearly estimated salary for childcare and preschool directors in the U.S. averages $41,635 and ranges from $27,154 to $56,457 depending on where the job is located.
Browse all preschool director jobs available on Monster.
Substitute Teacher
Substitute teachers are flexible educators, ready on an as-needed basis to fill in when regular teachers are unavailable. Substitute teaching is one of those careers in education where the requirements vary from state to state and change often.
The bare minimum education requirement to work as substitute teacher is a high school diploma or GED. However, having a bachelor’s degree is preferred and in many employment settings is in fact necessary. The average salary for a substitute teacher in the U.S. is $30,807 per year but can range from $23,710 to $49,541 per year depending on the employment location.
Browse all substitute teacher jobs available on Monster.
School Nurse
Being a school nurse is more than providing first aid care and health assessments to students. Its helping with preventative care, educating students and staff, writing health plans, having excellent organization skills, empathy, patience, and the ability to keep calm in stressful situations.
School nurses also consult with teachers and parents on how they can better care for students’ needs, symptoms, and illnesses. The average salary for school nurses in the U.S. is $58,072 per year and in high demand job locations like Pasadena and Boston increases to $72,751 and $66,923 respectively.
Browse all school nurse jobs available on Monster.
School Counselor
School counselors, also called school advisors, help students make choices regarding their academic needs. As a school counselor you might focus solely on certain groups, like new or foreign students, particular areas of need such as, academic success or post-secondary and career advice.
This is one of those careers in education where candidates need to have a master’s or doctoral degree to be considered for employment in most U.S. states and work environments. For school and career counselors and advisors, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics foresee a faster than average job growth (10%). The yearly estimated salary for school counselors in the U.S. averages $42,734 and ranges from $31,300 to $58,233 depending on where the job is located.
Browse all school counselor jobs available on Monster.
School Superintendent
School superintendents’ main job is to direct and supervise all of a school district’s matters and workforce. They work closely with the school board to implement decisions about educational programs, expenditures, staff, and facilities.
While requirements to become a school superintendent slightly vary from state to state, most individuals hold a PhD in Education and have several years of experience in the field as teacher or school principal. The average salary for school superintendents in the U.S. is $94,835 per year but can range from $49,237 to $141,420. High-demand job locations include San Antonio, TX and New York, NY.
Browse all school superintendent jobs available on Monster.
School Social Worker
School social workers are trained mental health professionals that provide services to students within the school system. Their main duty is to help students with social withdrawal, aggressive behavior, absenteeism, and other issues caused by physical, emotional, and economic problems. When working with older students, a school social worker can also educate students about substance abuse and sexuality.
While a bachelor’s degree in social work might be enough to find employment as school social worker, a master’s degree is preferred and recommended by the National Association of Social Work (NASW). The Monster salary tool reports that school social workers in U.S. earn a median salary of $51,254 per year in a range between $33,632 to $69,199 per year. High-demand job locations include Chicago, IL and Phoenix, AZ.
Browse all social work jobs available on Monster.
School Librarian
School librarians maintain and promote the school library’s collection and services and manage daily operations, like assisting students in the use of library materials. They also help plan events in the library, like story time and crafts projects.
Requirements to work as a school librarian in the U.S. vary from state to state but in most you typically need a bachelor’s degree or higher. The median salary for librarians in the U.S. is $47,937 per year and in high-demand job locations like Washington, DC and Boston, MA the average goes up to $62,572 and $56,940 per year respectively.
Browse all school librarian jobs available on Monster.
Other Administrator Careers in Education
Besides the superintendent, careers in education as school administrators include roles like principal, assistant principal, dean of students, dean of admissions, provost, and department chair. School administrators provide leadership and oversee matters relating to academic programs and students’ admissions, recruitment, retention, and success.
Monster’s salary tool reports that elementary and secondary school administrators across the country earn a median salary of $50,434 per year. School principal and assistant principal salaries average over $70,000 per year, while provosts’ salaries average more than $90,000 per year.
Browse all provost jobs and school jobs available on Monster.
Discover Plentiful Careers in Education Awaiting You on Monster
Whether you’ve already chosen or are still unsure which education career is right for you, joining Monster will help you find employment faster and easier. Creating a profile on our website is completely free and so is uploading your resume to our database. We’ll share your profile with tons of hiring professionals and companies looking for new staff. As a member, you can also activate alerts to receive updates from us when new jobs in your preferred locations and fields are available.