Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English as a second language instructors focus on helping adult learners build core academic and language abilities. Nationally, this occupation employs about 41,000 workers, with a typical education requirement of a bachelor’s degree. The role draws heavily on communication strengths, including speaking and listening, as well as writing and reading, combined with interpersonal skills and adaptability to support diverse learners. Creativity and innovation also play an important part in designing and adjusting learning experiences. Problem solving, decision making, and critical and analytical thinking help instructors respond to learner needs and educational challenges. Mathematics, leadership capabilities, and comfort with computers and information technology further round out the skill profile. With 4,000 annual openings projected, this career continues to offer pathways for both new entrants and experienced educators considering a change, even as overall employment is expected to decline over time. Similar occupations include tutors, substitute teachers, and other teaching roles.
Nationally, adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English as a second language instructors have a median annual salary of $59,950. Pay levels vary across states and metro areas. Among the highlighted states, California shows a median salary of $102,030, and New York reports $78,010, while Washington and Massachusetts offer $69,990 and $62,290, respectively. Colorado’s median salary is $51,170. Top metro areas also show notable variation. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, has a median salary of $105,820, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, reports $96,280. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro shows $83,980, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offer median salaries of $62,940 and $62,020. These differences suggest that location decisions can significantly influence earning potential within this field.
This occupation currently has national employment of about 41,000 workers. Future projections indicate a -13.7% change in employment, signaling a decline over time. Even with this projected decrease, the field is expected to generate about 4,000 annual openings. These openings can arise from a combination of factors such as workers leaving the occupation or changing careers, as well as any shifts in program demand, although specific reasons are not detailed here. The projected decline in growth is consistent across the highlighted states and metro areas, all of which show the same -13.7% growth figure. For individuals considering this path, the data indicates that while total employment is expected to shrink, there will still be ongoing opportunities to enter or move within the occupation due to regular turnover and replacement needs captured in the annual openings figure.
Location significantly shapes both opportunity and pay for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English as a second language instructors. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California ranks highest with a score of 67.38, a median salary of $102,030, and employment of 1,660. Massachusetts (score 65.87) and New York (65.78) follow, with median salaries of $62,290 and $78,010 and employment levels of 1,420 and 2,810, respectively. Washington and Colorado also appear in the top five, with opportunity scores in the mid-50s and differing salary and employment levels. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ hold the highest opportunity scores, at 77.42 and 77.27. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, offers the highest listed metro median salary at $105,820. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH provide additional strong metro options with mid-$60,000 median salaries and substantial employment.
The typical education requirement for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English as a second language instructors is a bachelor’s degree. This educational foundation supports the broad mix of skills associated with the role. Strong speaking and listening, along with writing and reading abilities, are central to working with adult learners. Interpersonal skills and adaptability help instructors respond to varied backgrounds and learning needs. Creativity and innovation support the development of engaging approaches and materials, while problem solving and decision making assist with addressing instructional challenges. Critical and analytical thinking also contributes to evaluating learner progress and instructional strategies. Mathematics can be relevant where numeracy or related topics are part of instruction, and leadership skills are useful for guiding groups and initiatives. Comfort with computers and information technology supports the use of digital tools and resources in teaching and learning contexts.
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