Instructional coordinators develop and coordinate instructional material and also use technology to facilitate the teaching process. This is an education-related job with a mix of technology that pays a better-than-average salary.
The majority of instructional coordinators work directly for schools. Elementary schools on up to universities hire coordinators. In May of 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that there were 128,780 active jobs for this profession.
Elementary and secondary schools hired the most coordinators by far. Over 54,000 worked at this educational level. Around 17,000 also worked for colleges, universities, and professional schools. Educational support services also had around 8000 jobs, while junior colleges accounted for over 6000 instructional coordinators. State government also hire coordinators to the tune of over 6000.
The salary for this profession is somewhat higher than the average for teachers. In May of 2010, the same BLS study found that the median annual salary was about $58,000.
In terms of states, jobs for this occupation are somewhat in line with the population. This makes sense simply because there are educational institutions everywhere.
Those seeking a career in this business can expect to need a master’s degree for most jobs. A master’s in education with a focus or concentration in curriculum development would be a good education and training for this job.
Keep in mind that states generally require teacher certification to become an instructional coordinator for public schools. The same is not true of colleges and universities and similar institutions. However, because most jobs are in public schools, all students should be preparing for their own state’s teacher certification eligibility and exam requirements.
Caution: You sometimes need to specialize in at least one school subject first and then proceed to your master’s degree in education or a related field. Check out your own state’s requirements for licensing as an instructional coordinator. Lesley University has published a good example of this on its website. Aspiring Wisconsin instructional technology coordinators need to take a certain degree course, get teacher certification, and then complete a master’s degree to get certified.
Resources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Instructional Coordinator Jobs and Salary Data
Lesley University: Wisconsin Degree Program for Instructional Technology Coordinators