What Can I Do with a Masters in Educational Leadership?

The Masters in Educational Leadership degree is very versatile and opens many different job opportunities for people who pursue it, but it is not widely known how the degree is practically applicable.

This being said, many of the job positions are lucrative, highly involved and offer a large potential to make positive changes in various systems.

While there are ample jobs in educational leadership, you just need to know how to find them.

In this article, we’ll cover what you can do with a masters in educational leadership and how to find the positions you want to pursue, as well as how much you can expect to earn by pursuing a certain position.

Career paths for people With a master’s degree in education leadership

Education leadership is a very diverse field. Ideal for those who want to pursue a job with the future of children, the state of the country or the world at large, a Masters in Education Leadership allows you to hold a fulfilling job in various places in the education system.

Graduates in this field can apply for positions in both teaching and administrative positions throughout the elementary, middle, secondary and postsecondary school environments.

Positions are also available as a district administrator, instructional coordinator, dean of students, university registrar and college provost. Graduates with this degree are able to work in both public and private schools as well as postsecondary schools, including universities and colleges.

In some cases, people with these degrees may opt to become principals, assistant principals or headmasters, depending on the school system. These roles will be in the K-12 system, as opposed to the university system.

Educational leadership job titles and descriptions

There are dozens of different job descriptions for people with a Masters in Educational Leadership. Here are a few of the most notable:

Principal Principals sit at the helm of a K-12 institution. They run the day-to-day operations of the school. They also establish the objectives and goals a school needs to be successful, establish academic standards, and help supply teachers with the resources they need. They may also manage a school’s budget, ensure school facilities are secure and work with teachers and parents. The median salary for principals in U.S. is about $102,200 and projected growth is 6 percent from 2012 to 2020.

District Administrator District Administrators, many times referred to as a superintendent, acts as the CEO of a given school system. They supervise school district staff, oversee educational programs, and organize educational pursuits. The median salary in the U.S. for a District Administrator is currently about $50,000, and the projected job growth between 2014 and 2024 is about 2 to 4 percent.

Instructional Coordinator Instructional coordinators coordinate school curriculums and organize teaching standards. They may coordinate the implementation of instructional material, develop it, and create standards to watch its effectiveness. The current projected salary for an Instructional Coordinator in the U.S. is about $60,050, although the top 10 percent earn about $55,871 annually. Employment is projected to grow 13 percent between 2012 and 2022.

Dean of Students A Dean of Students works with students at a college or university to respond to and address needs, plan programs and enhance college life. While duties vary depending on the size of the university and the student body therein, these Deans typically create social programs and collaborate with the various departments in a university. Deans on average earn $96,957 annually, and the projected job growth sits at 9 percent between 2014 and 2024.

University Registrar The University Registrar serves as the information desk for a university. The Registrar’s desk is the place where students go to get information, retrieve financial records and academic information, and obtain class schedules. Registrars work with a large amount of information and coordinate with many different arms of the staff. Annual salary for a University Registrar in the U.S. is about $80,516, as of 2016, and projected job growth is about 9 percent from 2014 to 2024.

College Provost The College Provost develops programs and policies at a specific University or College. They may direct or coordinate the activities of people like Deans or Chairpeople, and work to set up scheduling of courses and implementation of supplemental materials. The annual average salary of a College Provost is about $143,066 in the U.S.

Best cities in the US to work in with this degree

While there are many different job opportunities for someone with a masters in Educational Leadership, the best job opportunities will exist in places with a large public or private universities or with a high number of public schools and high schools.

Major universities, including Ivy League institutions and large state schools, tend to pay near the top tier of the annual pay scale and will offer as many job opportunities as possible for someone with such a degree. These institutions will also offer opportunities for more upward mobility and flexibility in various job positions, which is essential for anyone who wants to move forward in their career.

In many cases, proximity to a major university will also provide opportunities for ongoing education and training for people with a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership, which can help lead to better roles and more lucrative positions.

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com