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Choosing which level to teach at early in a college career can make key differences in a professional one.
Here are some important factors to consider:
Pay and Benefits
Pay and benefits for primary and secondary teachers is reported to start around $31,000 and the median salary is around $50,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 10% earn on average between $75,000 and $80,000.
Postsecondary educators do see a small hike in median salary – it’s about $58,000 – but the scale is much wider. The middle 50% ranges from about $41,000 to almost $84,000. Rank, subject, and geographic location all influence these numbers, which are also factors to think about.
Credentials
Postsecondary teaching might come with slightly higher average salaries, but that’s because there is a distinction in the college investment. Primary and secondary schools typically call for a bachelor’s degree in education and in some cases a master’s.
College professors on the other hand are typically required to hold a doctoral degree, which can take anywhere from three to eight years of additional education, dependent on course study.
The important thing to consider here is not only what you’ll be paid after college, but the amount of time (and tuition) you’re going to spend getting there.
Job Scope
While there is no list long enough to describe exactly what teachers do every day, these are a few important pieces of the nature of their work that can help you in choosing which level to teach.
Primary Teachers (Kindergarten – elementary school)
- Work each day with young children
- Play a vital role in different stages of development
- Teach many subjects
- Teach one group of students each day
Secondary Teachers (middle school – high school)
- Work each day with teenagers
- Build upon foundational concepts and introduce more ideas
- Specialize in a single subject area
- Teach many different groups of students each day
Postsecondary Teachers (college)
- Work each day with young and middle aged adults
- Specialize in a single subject area
- Teach many different groups of students each day
- Can opt to work in research in addition to, or instead of teaching
The Classroom Ages
In addition to weighing the work environment, it’s important to consider the age of your future students. For example, working with young children can be extremely rewarding, but it also requires patience. If you have a desire to stimulate the minds of youth, remember that there will be minds on occasion that don’t want to be stimulated. As a college professor you won’t face these kinds of issues necessarily, but remember, in order to become one you must put forth the biggest initial investment.
These are all important aspects to teaching that should be weighed against each other. Ask yourself questions like “Do I want to work with kids every day?” and “Would I prefer teaching one subject or many?” Write down your answers – it will make you truly focus on what you’re thinking and reveal which factors are most important to you and your quest for choosing which level to teach.
Salary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
