Education is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States, and it opens up many avenues for career advancement. However, with many opportunities available, it can often get difficult to decide what occupation to pursue with your degree in education. After all, you could teach children in a conventional classroom or get promoted to become a university lecturer. There are also many other options, such as spending time in research or working as an administrator.
With over three-quarters of states experiencing a teacher shortage, getting a degree in education can quickly secure a decent future for you. But you must consider your goals and tailor your education to meet these objectives. You must also keep an open mind and be willing to explore new options. If you have a degree in education, many lucrative opportunities are waiting for you. This article explains what you can do with a degree in education; here are some possible vocations to pursue:
10 Things You Do With A Degree In Education
1. Curriculum designer
An effective curriculum guarantees academic progress in an educational institution. Designing and implementing a carefully-crafted and well-researched curriculum is possible only when you’ve acquired relevant training in this field. So, if you’re interested in formulating a study plan for students instead of teaching it, consider pursuing an online course in the subject. You can find many online programs in education that can set you on this career path.
2. Academic advisor
Many schools hire academic advisors to help students meet their academic goals and improve their learning prowess. As an academic advisor, you will work one-on-one with different students to explain college policies to them. As one of the highest-paying jobs in education, some professionals even make over $90,000. It’s a non-instructional employment opportunity for graduates with a degree in education.
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3. Policymaking
Getting a degree in education can also help you land a career as an educational policymaker. This profession involves researching, designing, and implementing policies to improve students’ learning experiences in the system. You can find yourself working for the government, but there’s also great demand for policymakers in the private sector. Moreover, you can make your mark in this profession as a self-owned blogger. The field of educational policymaking will expand in the future after the rapid increase in online learning solutions across the United States. Jobs in this field pay between $44,000 and $88,000 based on the experience you’ve gained.
4. Corporate trainer
A degree in education prepares you to train full-time and part-time workers in the corporate sector. Many companies reskill or upskill their employees to boost their productivity. A corporate trainer is hired to lead training activities, develop educational material, give corporate-level presentations to the management, and keep them updated on the workforce’s progress. This profession is growing by 7% this decade, ZipRecruiter reports. Salaries, however, vary from employer to employer.
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5. Administration
Many graduates get managerial positions after finishing their degrees in education. Administration involves overseeing the day-to-day tasks of an academic institute, managing the staff, laying down a set of policies, directing disciplinary actions, and representing the institute in the community. As an administrator, you can make over $90,000 a year while serving as a leader in your institute. You can design and implement instructions to bolster students’ academic progress and help teachers reach their academic objectives successfully.
6. Project manager
With some business know-how, you can easily make your degree in education a passcode to enter the business industry. This degree can help you become a project manager, a job that requires you to design, refine, and implement a corporate project. It’ll be your job to ensure the project is completed in the allotted time within the approved budget. Your background in education will make you a better leader to guide your team to success. This high-paying career (pays over $80,000) is ideal for any business-oriented teacher.
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7. After-school program director
After-school programs keep children engaged and entertained. A survey shows that 90% of parents positively rate the quality of their schools’ after-school programs. You can become a program director with a degree in education. Your job will involve designing and implementing a lot of exciting activities before and after school times. This means you’ll work early in the morning and late in the evening while collaborating with the management and the teaching staff. On average, a program director can make up to $58,000 in this profession.
8. Technical writer
You can leverage your degree in education to guarantee a job in the technical writing sector. In the marketing department, technical writers help both their colleagues and consumers understand the most intricate pieces of information by breaking them down into bite-size comprehensible bits. So, your learning as an educator will help you earn around $78,000 a year as a technical writer. You will write down FAQs, how-to manuals, technical guides, and product descriptions for your clients.
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9. Technologist
The pandemic accelerated the nationwide adoption of remote education. As these trends become the new normal, educational institutions now need to hire more tech-oriented professionals, such as software developers, to design better LMSs. So, if you have a knack for technology, you can use your degree in education to become an educational technologist. With your tech skills, you shall enhance the remote-learning experience for students. Also, your job responsibilities will include making and implementing tech-based learning solutions. The mean salary of technologists lies between $55,000 and $60,000.
10. Student counseling
Different non-academic factors affect a student’s progress in college. These factors can range from family issues or financial problems to classroom bullying and relationship problems. It’s estimated that over 60% of college students have received counseling for these problems. As a counselor, it’ll be your job to help students recognize and overcome the challenges affecting their studies, thereby improving their grades without harming their mental health. A degree in education will let you start your career as a student counselor.
Also Check: Steps To Start A Career As An Educational Consultant
Conclusion
Getting a degree in education opens up career opportunities beyond traditional teaching roles for you. While teaching in K-12 schools remains a popular career choice, degree-holders can also explore diverse career paths in administration, policy making, curriculum development, educational technology, etc. So choose your career and plan your approach accordingly.
