Education Degree Programs Help Students Become Teachers

The education profession has been a cornerstone of development and instruction for years. By earning an online degree in education, you can join the growing ranks of professional educators by taking your place as a teacher, instructional coordinator, counselor, and more.

Online Education: Your Ticket to a New Career

The growth of online degree programs has made learning more convenient and, for many working professionals, much easier. Studying in an education degree program, you can take the first steps to a career that impacts the lives of youth. With a degree in education, you can prepare to become a teacher, counselor, education administrator, librarian, and more.
Education degrees typically include a wide range of courses from the philosophy of education to teaching methods, the psychology of learning to educational theory. For teachers, classes may include coursework specific to your teaching area including mathematics, social science, literature, history, art, and more. Instructional coordinators may take classes in curriculum training, research design, and teacher evaluation. Education administrators may take classes in school finance and budgeting, school leadership, and politics in education.

Education: A Growing Career

Armed with an online degree in education, you should be ready to start a dynamic career. It is usually desirable to specialize in a particular area of this large field. In addition to coursework in education, many states require a student teaching internship to obtain a license to teach. Other positions in education may also require advanced training and education, such as a master's degree.
Job growth should be steady in the education field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment opportunities should increase through 2016:

• K-12 teachers: 12 percent
• Instructional coordinators: 22 percent
• Education administrators: 12 percent

In addition to solid employment prospects, earning an online degree in education may also lead to solid career earnings. In 2007, according to the BLS, these positions earned the following median salaries:

• Elementary school teacher: $45,120
• Secondary school teacher: $49,420
• Instructional coordinator: $55,270
• Elementary and secondary school education administrator: $80,580

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education Administrators
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Elementary and Secondary School Administrator, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Elementary School Teachers
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Instructional Coordinators
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Instructional Coordinators, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Kindergarten Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Middle School Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Secondary School Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Preschool Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Teachers

Andrew Freiburghouse is a writer and businessman. As a partner at Los Angeles tax preparation firm Pronto Income Tax of California, Inc., Andrew learned the fine art of growing a small business into a not-so-small business. Currently, Andrew lives in Brooklyn, NY.