There are countless reasons why people pick a career in education. Some have had a great experience and want to emulate it and return what they have received. On the contrary, others have had a poor experience and want to demonstrate that the coin has two sides. It may also be because they have a family member in education or love a particular subject.  One way or the other, they all share a love for children and young people and strongly believe they can contribute to making a difference. The one reason to never appear on the list is money. 

   However, there are some options to escalate in the field to improve an income far from what should be for those who are decisive in our children’s academic and emotional development.

Top 6 best-paying jobs in education

   At school and higher education levels, you may want to consider a career path in the following positions:

School Principal - Assistant Principal

$96,400 was the average salary for Principals in 2019. Source: BLS.

   School principals manage all school operations, including but not limited to staff, setting academic goals, student counseling, and discipline, managing the school’s budget, and providing an effective learning environment. Assistant principals focus on teaching and student performance to enhance the learning environment. They also help with funding and financial issues. Both principals and assistant principals work at elementary, middle, and high school levels. In most cases, they will need a master’s degree and a license in school administration.

Superintendent

 $96,750/$94,000 (male/female) was the median base salary for the smallest school districts to $260,000/$259,892 (male/female) for the largest districts. Source: AASA

   A school superintendent is the CEO of the school district, the public face that ensures all schools' smooth functioning in the district. Superintendents represent the school community in its totality, from parents to principals, facilities. They also manage significant budgets allocating resources to improve schools operations. In general, they will need a Ph.D. in education or education management.

Postsecondary Administrator

$96,410 was the average salary for postsecondary education administrators in 2019. Source: BLS.

   Postsecondary administrators include provosts, academic deans, chief academic officers,to name a few. Their job depends on the department they work. For example, if they work in admissions, they determine what applicants should be admitted to the school. Academic deans facilitate the activities of individual schools while Chief academic officers supervise the performance of academic courses. They all perform their duties in colleges, universities, and professional schools. Employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree with experience in postsecondary administration.

Full Professor

$102,402 was the average salary in the 2016-2017 academic year. Source: AAUP

Full professors typically access tenure first, after seven to ten years teaching and researching, at around the age of forty. Their duties include teaching graduate courses, mentoring, researching, publishing articles, and writing proposals for grants, among others. They work in four-year colleges and universities. Professors willing to move up to the category of full professor need a Ph.D. and excellence in teaching and research as a start. Other requirements depend on the department and university expectations.

Training and Development Manager

$113,350 was the average salary in 2019. Source: BLS.

   Training and development managers develop, implement and supervise training programs, staff and budgets. They choose and review instructional materials and carry out assessments on the programs and instructors. They work in professional, educational, scientific, and technical services. They typically require a bachelor’s or master’s degree and related experience.

Instructional Coordinator

$66,290 was the average salary in 2019. Source: BLS.

   Instructional coordinators supervise and monitor curriculums and teaching standards. They also develop, implement and assess instructional materials. They work at schools, professional schools, colleges, and for state and local governments. They need a master’s degree or related work experience in teaching and school administration. In some cases, they will need a state license.

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