Careers In Education
A career in the education field as a teacher or administrator can be one of the most rewarding and impactful careers a person can choose. The quality of education a child receives and the relationships they develop with their teachers can make a difference in their future success. Although teaching is hard work and requires a good deal of patience and discipline, for people who enjoy working with children or adolescents, a career in education may be a great choice.
Teachers need to earn a bachelor's degree and become licensed by their state before teaching in a public school. Administrators and librarians need to earn a master's degree and many teachers also earn a master's degree while teaching. Due to a shortage of teachers in some locations and fields, many states award teaching licenses to those who have completed specific coursework in addition to a bachelor's degree in another field. Varying types of education degrees are required for different teaching careers.
The teaching and other education jobs below are those identified by BrainTrack as commonly requiring higher education either for entry or for advancement. Hyperlinked jobs go to detailed profiles, including lists of schools with relevant programs.
| Occupation | Jobs | Growth '08-'18 | Low - Median - High | Some College | Bachelor Degree+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers | 1,544,000 | 16% | 5% | 94% | |
| Teacher Assistants | 1,275,000 | 10% | 45% | 19% | |
| Secondary School Teachers | 1,092,000 | 9% | 4% | 95% | |
| Middle School Teachers | 665,000 | 15% | 5% | 94% | |
| Preschool Teachers | 390,000 | 19% | 38% | 44% | |
| Preschool And Elementary School Special Education Teachers | 229,000 | 20% | 10% | 85% | |
| Elementary And Secondary School Administrators | 219,000 | 9% | 14% | 80% | |
| Kindergarten Teachers | 182,000 | 15% | 38% | 44% | |
| Self Enrichment Teachers | 162,000 | 32% | 27% | 59% | |
| Librarians | 151,000 | 8% | 15% | 83% | |
| Secondary School Special Education Teachers | 146,000 | 13% | 10% | 85% | |
| Postsecondary Health Specialties Teachers | 133,000 | * | * | * | |
| Instructional Coordinators | 124,000 | 23% | 16% | 78% | |
| Graduate Teaching Assistants | 122,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Vocational Education Teachers | 114,000 | * | * | * | |
| Library Technicians | 111,000 | 9% | 28% | 34% | |
| Postsecondary Administrators | 106,000 | 2% | 14% | 80% | |
| Middle School Special Education Teachers | 102,000 | 18% | 10% | 85% | |
| Secondary School Vocational Teachers | 93,000 | 10% | 4% | 95% | |
| Postsecondary Art And Music Teachers | 81,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Business Teachers | 74,000 | * | * | * | |
| Adult Literacy Instructors | 68,000 | 15% | 27% | 59% | |
| Postsecondary English Teachers | 65,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Education Teachers | 57,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Biological Science Teachers | 55,000 | * | * | * | |
| Preschool And Child Care Administrators | 51,000 | 12% | 14% | 80% | |
| Postsecondary Mathematical Science Teachers | 48,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Engineering Teachers | 34,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Psychology Teachers | 33,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Computer Science Teachers | 32,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Language Teachers | 27,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Communications Teachers | 25,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary History Teachers | 22,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Chemistry Teachers | 20,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Philosophy And Religion Teachers | 20,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Recreation And Fitness Studies Teachers | 17,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Sociology Teachers | 16,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Political Science Teachers | 15,000 | * | * | * | |
| Middle School Vocational Teachers | 14,000 | 3% | 5% | 94% | |
| Postsecondary Physics Teachers | 13,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Economics Teachers | 13,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Law Teachers | 13,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Criminal Justice | 13,000 | * | * | * | |
| Curators | 10,000 | 23% | 13% | 80% | |
| Postsecondary Agricultural Sciences Teachers | 10,000 | * | * | * | |
| Museum Technicians And Conservators | 10,000 | 26% | 13% | 80% | |
| Postsecondary Earth Space Sciences Teachers | 10,000 | * | * | * | |
| Farm And Home Management Advisors | 10,000 | 1% | 16% | 78% | |
| Postsecondary Social Work Teachers | 8,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Ethnic Studies Teachers | 8,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Architecture Teachers | 7,000 | * | * | * | |
| Audio Visual Collections Specialists | 7,000 | 10% | 16% | 78% | |
| Postsecondary Anthropology And Archeology Teachers | 6,000 | * | * | * | |
| Archivists | 5,000 | 7% | 13% | 80% | |
| Postsecondary Environmental Science Teachers | 5,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Home Economics Teachers | 5,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Library Science Teachers | 4,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Geography Teachers | 4,000 | * | * | * | |
| Postsecondary Forestry And Conservation Teachers | 2,000 | * | * | * |
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