Teachers hold one of the most important jobs. They’re responsible for educating children, teenagers, and adults of every age in preschools, elementary and middle schools, high schools, and even colleges and universities. And their work shapes minds every single day.
And if you’d love to work in education, you too can become a teacher – you just need a teaching degree. A teaching degree is the key to becoming an educator who influences others and shares important knowledge.
While the requirements to become a teacher vary from state to state, every public school does require a bachelor’s degree. And once you’ve earned your degree, you’ll need to get certified or licensed in your state. But, when you earn a teaching degree, you aren’t limited to becoming a teacher – you can actually pursue plenty of other unique careers.
Here are a few reasons why a teaching degree is worth considering, whether you’d like to become a teacher or involved in some other area of education.
You Can Earn a Teaching Degree Online
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a teaching degree is the ease and flexibility that comes with studying for your bachelor’s degree. While many professions and education paths require you to study on-campus at a college or university for four years – or more – you can earn your teaching degree online.
Today, colleges and universities are offering online degree programs in education. This means you can earn your bachelor’s degree at your own pace and on your own schedule.
If you’re an adult who has work and family commitments, you can earn your degree easily online. If you’re a younger student who needs flexibility, an online teaching degree program can offer that.
When you choose an online degree program, you can learn at your own pace. You can attend online classes when it’s convenient for you – right from the comfort of your home, your local coffee shop, or a library. There’s no fixed schedule in many online programs, meaning you can complete assignments whenever you have free time, day or night. And you won’t have to commute to school, find parking, or sit through lectures.
Additionally, online degree programs allow you to complete your degree as quickly or slowly as you’d like. You may be able to graduate faster than in a traditional program with accelerated courses, the option to work at your own speed, or shorter degree programs.
Teachers Are Always in Demand
If you’re interested in finding a career that will always have available jobs, you can’t beat teaching.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, teaching is a job that’s only growing – over the next decade, more than 1.5 million jobs will be available for elementary, secondary, and special education teachers.
And that number doesn’t even include the many other teaching opportunities you can pursue.
Right now, teachers are even more in demand. In addition to the future growth of this profession, many states are currently experiencing teacher shortages. Schools across the country are in desperate need of teachers in a number of different subjects. And as more teachers retire and schools struggle to fill open teaching jobs, the demand only increases.
You can easily find work if you’re interested in teaching in one of the shortage areas: math, special education, science, or foreign languages in public schools.
You Can Do So Much More Than Teach in a Classroom
While becoming a teacher who works in a school and a classroom is the most common career path for those with teaching degrees, it isn’t the only option. Many people do decide to teach multiple subjects, a specific age group, or even a specialized subject in classrooms at public, private, and charter schools.
But there are other possibilities.
When you earn a teaching degree, or a bachelor’s degree in education, you aren’t limited to teaching. You can actually pursue other careers that capitalize on additional skills or interests you might have.
Here are a few examples of how you can put a teaching degree to use in different careers.
Education and Policy Research
The field of education and policy research aims to answer big questions about education. Those who pursue careers in this area discuss, develop, and implement practices and policies in education systems. For example, they might help determine standardized testing procedures, conduct education research, or even lobby for government policies.
Jobs in this field can include:
- Working for the Department of Education
- Think tank associate or consultant
- Researcher
- Lobbyist
- Textbook author or salesperson
Student Counseling
If you’d like to guide students beyond the classroom and a lesson plan, you can become a counselor. These individuals help students face personal issues. They offer guidance on topics like choosing a college or career path, making plans for their course schedules, and working through issues with peers or families. Counselors can work individually or in groups with students.
Jobs in this field can include:
- Guidance counselor
- School psychologist
- Career counselor
- Education consultant
- Admission counselor or recruiter
Education Administration
Instead of being a teacher who works with specific students or subjects, you can become a member of a school’s administration or leadership team. In this career path, you can set school policies, represent the school in the local community, and oversee important aspects of the school like discipline, resources, and day-to-day operations.
Jobs in this field can include:
- Principal
- Assistant principal
- Superintendent
- School district administrator
It’s Easy to Start Earning Your Degree
Are you ready to pursue an exciting new career in education? Your first step is to earn a degree that’ll open doors and opportunities for you – and for that, you’ll need a teaching degree.
Fortunately, earning your bachelor’s in education doesn’t have to take long or be expensive. If you choose an online degree program, you can complete your degree on your own time. And you may even find that tuition costs are lower. The flexibility and availability of these online teaching degree programs can help you achieve exactly what you want to accomplish.