What Can You Do with a Teaching Degree?

A teacher has the responsibility of inspiring students in their education, pushing them to try new things, and helping them to build new skills. If you want to join educators in shaping the lives of future generations, a teaching degree can put you on the path to doing so.

Also known as an education degree, this qualification prepares you to become a professional educator. This career path is a rewarding one for a number of reasons. Not only does it provide the satisfaction of building confidence and knowledge in people, but it also comes with a competitive salary, benefits, and a stable job market.

Before you decide to pursue a degree in teaching, however, the following guide will reveal what you can do once you graduate – it might be more than what you initially think!

Is becoming a teaching major worth it?

Before you decide to embark on the road towards becoming a teacher, it’s important you have the right qualities to be successful in the role. You need to be a strong communicator, have patience and compassion, and be adept at solving problems.

If you feel you possess these skills, a degree will educate you on all the aspects required to be a strong teacher. It will explore how to design a curriculum, support exceptional learners, classroom management, and so much more. You’ll also learn how to utilize traditional instructional methods alongside new technology.

Your teaching program might not only prepare you for roles in the classroom, either. Certain concentrations can help you for a future career in positions such as educational administration, counselor, and curriculum development.

What can I do with a teaching degree?

As the last paragraph in the previous section highlights, there are more jobs with a teaching degree available than you may have realized. With that said, many students that graduate with a teaching degree will, naturally, move into some type of teaching role. The below examples are some of the most common career paths.

High school teacher

Along with other teaching roles at levels like preschool, elementary, and middle school, a high school teacher is responsible for the education of students. A high school teacher will usually operate within one specific field of education, although this can still cover multiple specific subjects. For example, a science teacher can cover biology, chemistry, and natural science lessons.

Based on statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a high school teaching salary is $61,660 per year on average. Between 2019 and 2029, this position is expected to see a 4% growth in job opportunities.

Special education teacher

A special education teacher works with students that have special needs. The role involves the need to determine the needs and abilities of each student and then putting together classes based on those needs and ability. To discuss progress and other school-related issues, these professionals also have to maintain a relationship with the parents of the students.

A special education teacher benefitted from a yearly $61,030 salary on average. It is expected to see a job outlook increase of 8% between 2016 and 2026.

School counselor

A school counselor is another figure that plays an important role in the development of students. They work within public and private schools as a separate entity to teachers, yet they still help pupils improve their academic and social skills. Their tasks include evaluating students via interviews and assessments, identifying issues that affect their school performance, and collaborating with teachers to create a plan to help students succeed with their career goals.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that ‘school and career counselors’ received a median annual wage of $57,040. The outlet also projects job opportunities for these roles to grow by 8% over the next decade or so.

How do I select the right college?

You’ve analyzed the different teaching careers and know what you want to do in the future. Now what? Well, you have to select a college to earn your teaching degree.

Picking a college isn’t an easy process, admittedly. Teaching programs, living costs, budget, facilities – they’re all major factors in your decision. Another should also be the actual college campus.

You want to reside at a college that provides comfortable dorms and a supportive environment for study — the only issue: knowing which colleges actually provide these elements. At least, that is if you’re not using CampusReel.

CampusReel is a platform that is focused entirely on campus life. The good and the bad, the major and the minor details, tips and tricks – they’re all covered by the 15,000+ student-created videos on our platform. If you want to start watching and become more educated about the colleges on your shortlist, register for a free CampusReel account today.