If you have an education degree but don’t want to be a teacher — or if you’re a teacher looking for a new challenge — you’ll be happy to learn that there are a wide range of careers in education other than teaching, including some you may not have considered. Classroom teaching can be a difficult career, but if you’re passionate about education, it’s possible to find other job opportunities in the field.
Many of these careers require a master’s degree in education, and for the ones that don’t, a master’s degree can help distinguish you from other applicants. In this article, we explore some of the leading nonteaching job opportunities in the education field.
School Administrator
For educators who want to continue their careers in education, but not as a classroom teacher, pursuing the role of principal or another school administrator is a popular choice. School administrators work for school districts or boards of education, and their duties include budgeting, strategic planning and academic leadership.
Administrator positions at the school district level include superintendents and supervisors who oversee curriculum, facilities, technology, federal grants, human resources and other departments. At the school level, principals strive to support teachers and students, and they engage in building relationships with parents and the community.
Many school administrator positions require teaching experience, leadership skills, and at least a master’s degree in education.
Curriculum Developer
Developing curricula and implementing teaching standards is a key function of school districts. The curriculum developer or instructional coordinator role requires planning the coursework taught at elementary and secondary schools and testing to measure whether each curriculum results in student success. The role also involves ensuring the local curricula meet state educational standards and national and common core standards for social studies, math, science and other subjects.
A curriculum developer’s duties typically include training teachers, working collaboratively with administrators, keeping up to date on state and national standards, and reviewing student scores.
Instructional Design and EdTech
The instructional design educational technology sector includes technologies used in pre-K, K-12, higher education and labor development. It encompasses hardware, such as whiteboards, projectors and tablets; software, including adaptive learning platforms; and content, such as text, video and multimedia.
The industry offers many career opportunities for education professionals. Here are some of the leading job types in the field:
- Instructional designer. Instructional designers use education and UX/UI best practices to create content frameworks for specific grades and reading levels. To optimize instruction, an instructional designer must understand eLearning principles and be knowledgeable in specific subject areas, such as English language arts or social studies.
- Content writer: Edtech companies also need content writers to create educational content for their eLearning platforms. Educators who are skilled writers, adept at conveying information to learners, and familiar with Lexile measures are well-positioned to fill these roles.
- Customer-facing roles. Edtech companies offer many customer service positions that are a good fit for education professionals. Educators have insights into the needs and concerns of teachers, administrators and school districts, which can help you succeed in sales or customer success roles. Sales positions involve building relationships with school districts and identifying products that fulfill their instructional needs. This job requires making sales calls, discussing needs with potential customers, and demonstrating hardware, educational content, or other edtech products. Customer success managers work with customers to troubleshoot issues and provide other services to ensure that edtech products or content meet teacher and student needs.
Education Specialist at a Nonprofit Organization
For many nonprofit organizations, education is a key component of their mission. From national environmental, health and cultural organizations to zoos or museums, education specialists help nonprofits introduce children, students and adults to new information and ideas. They develop educational programs, train teachers to provide classroom instruction on specific topics, and engage in other educational outreach efforts.
Some nonprofit education positions — particularly education director positions — require a master’s degree in education, and employers may have a preference for applicants who have a background in the nonprofit’s specific field, such as ecology, history or art.
Advancing Your Education Career
Many rewarding careers in education exist beyond the four walls of a classroom. Furthering your own education is one of the best ways to increase your knowledge base and expand your skill set.
Here at Columbia Southern University, we offer online degree programs to help educators address the most pressing challenges in modern learning environments. These programs, administered by our new College of Education, equip educators with the tools to thrive in their chosen career path.
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction.
- Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
- Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology.
To learn more about all our online degree programs, visit our website.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes. CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
