4 High Paying Careers that You Can Get with a Master’s in Education

Most jobs in education require at least an associate’s degree, while a bachelor’s degree is preferred. This is a profession where education is also rewarded and an advanced degree can open up several career paths. For example, a teaching certification may be necessary to teach in a public school even if you have a bachelor’s degree. However, there are better-paying jobs than working as a teacher. Here are the 4 high paying careers you can get with a master’s in education.

School Principal

School principal is one of the highest-paying positions in education. Whether you’re a principal of an elementary school, middle school, or high school, the median pay is $95,000 a year.

This is also a very rewarding career choice. You’ll be overseeing the education of hundreds of students, setting and executing educational policies, and still be close enough to the students to have a real impact on their lives. You’ll also be responsible for hiring and training teachers and other staffers.

Assistant Principal

Assistant principals are one step below the principal. They’re often responsible for student discipline and may intervene in difficult situations. However, they also coordinate resources, monitor teacher performance, and teach professional development classes attended by teachers. They can earn as much as $90,000 a year.

While you may qualify as an assistant principal with only a bachelor’s degree, advanced coursework is frequently required. If you’re currently in the field and would like to move up without leaving your teaching job, you can always look at online courses. Something like the Merrimack College online master’s in education, for instance, could allow you to move into a principal or assistant principal position. You’ll then have a chance to influence policy and performance for an entire school.

College Professor

This is another great career choice for anyone with a master’s degree. The median pay for college professors is just under $80,000 a year. This includes professors teaching everything from engineering to history to education courses.

Don’t expect to just teach classes either. You’re expected to meet with students throughout the week, answering questions, and providing advice. Furthermore, professors are expected to advise and supervise graduate students.

College Administration

College or post-secondary administrators work in college administration. They often work in the admissions office or financial aid office. They might oversee student housing or extracurricular programs. They often create promotional materials to attract prospective students or advise current students.

Advisors may help students get financial aid or navigate their way through university life. Their jobs regularly include data collection and analysis, whether it is calculating grade point averages or college dropout rates. They manage course catalogs and student enrollment.

College administrators could be promoted to the level of dean, overseeing other college administrators. Their pay rate ranges from $50,000 to $84,000 a year and a master’s degree in education is a minimum requirement to work in this area.

While teacher pay is often considered low, there are many ways in which you can leverage an advanced degree to get a better paying job in education. Determine what career path you’d like to follow, and then earn the necessary credentials.