School Administrator
Moving from teaching into a principal or other school administrator position is a classic education career path for good reason. Most administrators stay part of the school environment in direct contact with students and teachers, so if you enjoy working with kids you'll still have plenty of opportunity. Principals are responsible for all aspects of a school's operation, including budgets, staffing issues, scheduling, and student discipline.
Nearly all school administrators earn a master's or PhD in education to prepare for the transition from classroom teaching. According to a 2008 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the mean annual wage for an elementary or secondary education administrator is $86,060, more than $30,000 above the annual wage for a teacher. Becoming a doctoral student might be worth the effort for that kind of an increase.
Here's more good news: job prospects for principals and other education administrators are especially good right now, because a significant number of current administrators will likely retire by 2018, according to the BLS.
College Instructor
Love teaching but want to spend a little more time talking with grown-ups? Transition those classroom skills into a role as an education-focused college instructor. Education students need good teachers to teach them how to do the job. As a college instructor you'd have the ability to teach effectively and the direct experience to pass on to a new generation of educators. You can even choose to teach college classes while keeping your day job if you can't bring yourself to leave the kids.
Teaching at a four-year university nearly always requires a doctorate degree, although some colleges will hire those with a master's for part-time or temporary assignments. Available college-level teaching positions should grow much faster than other jobs. In fact, the BLS says that 382,000 new post-secondary teaching jobs will be available by 2016, among the highest number for all occupations. Compensation varies widely based on the school size, geography, classes taught, and other factors. The BLS reports a mean annual average salary of $60,080 for education teachers at the college level.
School Psychologist
Maybe you enjoy working directly with students but have grown less interested in teaching them and more interested in figuring out what makes them tick. Consider a career as a school psychologist. School psychologists work together with administrators, teachers, and parents to create a healthy atmosphere for learning and help individual students with behavior and learning challenges. The BLS anticipates faster-than-average job growth for school psychologists in coming years.
A career in school psychology requires a terminal degree, but it's slightly different than a PhD in education and lies directly between a master's and a doctorate degree. Most states require an Educational Specialist or Ed.S. degree for this role, which includes at least three years of study, one year as an intern, and classes in both psychology and education. A PhD-level degree is also available and the National Association of School Psychologists provides additional certification on a national level.
School psychologists earn an annual mean wage of $68,340, according to the BLS, and job availability should be excellent for those who've earned the appropriate degree through traditional or online grad schools.
Becoming a doctoral student while continuing to teach might be easier if you pursue online PhD programs, which typically cater to working adult learners. That said, traditional programs in education are available at most major universities if online grad schools are not your style.
About the Author
Natalie Morris is a freelance writer who loves to learn and ask questions. Her professional experience includes writing for companies focusing on everything from genealogy to health care to robotic golf caddies. Natalie holds a bachelor's degree in English from Arizona State University. |
