Boost Your Skills, Income Potential with a Master’s in Teaching

Education for Educators Teachers know that our culture is constantly being driven — and rewritten — by innovation. Facts taught in today’s classrooms may not be relevant tomorrow, and students expect to use the same technologies in school that they use at home. Education will continue to change each year along with these trends, and […]

To Put This in Context:

Today’s tech-savvy students demand educators with evolved skill sets, which has seen schools put greater emphasis on teachers with master’s degrees. Some institutions are even funding graduate education for their current faculty, which can not only help teachers make a more positive impact in the classroom, but also boost their career potential, and more. As we’ll explore, the benefit of educating our educators can impact our school systems as a whole.

Education for Educators

Teachers know that our culture is constantly being driven — and rewritten — by innovation. Facts taught in today’s classrooms may not be relevant tomorrow, and students expect to use the same technologies in school that they use at home. Education will continue to change each year along with these trends, and the nation needs teachers who can demonstrate both the dedication and the vision to evolve at the same rate.

Did You Know?

Of the 3.5 million public K-12 teachers in 2014, 56% held a master’s degree or higher. In private schools, that figure drops to 43%

With class sizes increasing, and older educators soon retiring, it will take a new kind of teacher to help stabilize our school systems and lead the future of learning. That’s why many institutions are helping to fund higher education for their qualified teachers. The theory: Advanced education in contemporary teaching methods will promote more successful student outcomes, as well as benefit career potential for educators.

Schools agree — it’s time to educate the educators.

Master your subject. Fill a void.

When you earn a Master of Arts in Teaching, you can prepare to lead subject-specific classes. Due to technology demands, STEM education remains a particularly strong growth area for specialization. In fact, the U.S. government has expressed an increasingly urgent need for science and math teachers, creating loan forgiveness and scholarship opportunities to inspire people to fill a quota of 100,000 new STEM teachers trained by 2020.

Many modern teaching programs are also incorporating the study of advanced learning methodologies and technologies, which are designed to help teachers stimulate students through a range of classroom activities.

This is of particular importance in STEM-related courses since it’s estimated that:

Improving these negative education trends requires a superior educator armed with new methods of achieving student engagement.

Become the teacher to lead your peers.

Did You Know?

Since 2011, federal funding for K-12 education has been cut by almost 20%.

As the government continues to reduce education spending, modern teaching professionals must be more creative than ever with how they collaborate with their peers to develop new methods of instruction.

A master’s in teaching can help educators mediate between newer trends and traditional classroom requirements, and pass that knowledge forward. This strategic blend positions educators with master’s degrees as mentors for other teachers in their schools. Not only does this help foster fresh ideas for impacting students, but also it helps combat teacher turnover from the front lines.

According to EdWeek, 86% of teachers who had a mentor in the first year of their employment remained in their teaching posts. Compare that with 71% of teachers without mentors who left their positions, and you can see how teacher leaders can make a huge difference in a school system.

Classroom-College-Students-Learning-Computers-Education

Investing in educators saves money.

Higher education can also help school districts save money by encouraging retention of their workforce. An advanced degree inspires confidence in employers, since better-educated teachers are more likely to stay in their positions and help improve school offerings with more diverse, knowledgeable, and creative input.

This helps reduce costly turnover and create a more consistent student experience at schools. According to the National Math + Science Initiative, replacing a poor teacher with an average one can raise the lifetime earnings of a classroom’s worth of students by $266,000.

Did You Know?

It is estimated that schools spend $2.2 billion annually replacing teachers who change locations or leave the profession.

Schools see your potential. You see higher earnings.

Earning a master’s in teaching can help qualified educators become more competitive for jobs within their field. Although a master’s in teaching is not required for entry-level education jobs, these degrees help position teachers for greater success. Master’s-level teachers commonly earn higher starting salaries and are eligible for incremental raises above those available to bachelor’s-level teachers.

  • On average, teachers at the elementary level garner earnings of $54,550, with the highest-paid earning more than $79,960.
  • At the middle school level, teachers earn slightly higher average salaries, at $55,860, and top earnings can reach more than $87,060.
  • High school teachers earn the most on average in the public sector: $57,200 annually, with the highest 10% earning more than $91,190.

Elementary-School-Teacher-Classroom-Students-Tablets-Learning

Ready to get educated?

Did You Know?

Some of the highest-paying states for K-12 teachers including Alaska, Connecticut, and New York.

Demand for K-12 educators remains steady, growing as fast as average for most jobs in the United States. A master’s in teaching can help educators qualify to pursue higher salaries in the field, and as the profession continues to evolve alongside the demands of both students and job markets, it is more important than ever for schools to support the continuing education (and success) of their staff. It makes not only educational sense, but also financial.

Want more information? Click here to learn how Context can help connect you with the master’s program that fits your career goals as an educator.

James Gregory

Copywriter

James has been a copywriter for Context since January 2016. He previously spent 12 years working in education marketing as a copywriter and blogger for Full Sail University and three years as a news writer for the music website Pitchfork.com. His work has also been featured in publications like the Orlando Sentinel, Post Magazine, Alternative Press, Sentimentalist Magazine, and more.