Secondary School Teacher
Median wage · national
$72,040
Range: $60K – $93K
Employed
1.1M
Openings/yr
64K
Typically: bachelor's degree
Adult Education Instructors
Adult Education Instructors earn $61,540 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $49,100 and $77,690. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Adult Education Instructors
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a adult education instructors: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Teacher Education (K-12) and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Teach or instruct out-of-school youths and adults in basic education, literacy, or English as a Second Language classes, or in classes for earning a high school equivalency credential.
- Median Wage
- $61,540
- Employed Nationally
- 37K
- Openings / Year
- 3,800
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Academic Specialist
Adult Basic Education Instructor (ABE Instructor)
Adult Basic Education Teacher (ABE Teacher)
Adult Basic Studies Teacher
Adult Education Coordinator
How Much Do Adult Education Instructors Make?
Most adult education instructors take home around $61,540 a year, about what a typical college graduate makes. Half earn somewhere between $49,100 and $77,690, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$61,540
National Median (Annual)
Near the national median for college graduates.
$49K–$78K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$49,100
Entry-level
$61,540
Median
$77,690
Experienced
What Do Adult Education Instructors Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress and make suggestions for improvement.
- Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs, abilities, and interests.
- Prepare students for further education by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Instructing
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Learning Strategies
Active Listening
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
A
Artistic
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Where Do Adult Education Instructors Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Low
Low time pressure. Work pace is typically steady and self-directed.
What Is the Job Outlook for Adult Education Instructors?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by -13.9%, meaning it is shrinking, so expect more competition for fewer roles. Around 3,800 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↘ -13.9%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Declining employment projected.
3,800
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
37K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Adult Education Instructors professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $61,540 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 3,720 | $51,810 | -15.8% |
| 2 | Florida | 3,670 | $58,920 | -4.3% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 2,880 | $76,800 | +24.8% |
| 4 | New York | 2,810 | $78,010 | +26.8% |
| 5 | Illinois | 1,970 | $62,370 | +1.3% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 4 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Teaching ESL program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teacher Education (K-12) | 106,652 | $47,382 | 1,894 |
| 2 | Teaching ESL | 5,030 | $42,259 | 446 |
| 3 | Teaching Assistance | 2,942 | — | 230 |
| 4 | Bilingual Education | 1,654 | $55,140 | 176 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Adult Education Instructors
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 4 | Rice University Houston, TX | 91 | $13,370 | $89,718 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 91 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Adult Education Instructors, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Adult Education Instructors pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Adult Education Instructors Pros & Cons
Adult Education Instructors has real financial strengths, but declining employment projections deserve careful consideration. The 1 upsides and 2 concerns below are all data-sourced.
PROS
- Competitive salary $61,540 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
CONS
- Declining employment The BLS projects -13.9% employment change through 2035. This field is expected to shrink. Automation, offshoring, or structural industry change are likely factors.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $61,540 median while building the experience employers require.
Adult Education Instructors Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Adult Education Instructors professionals earn?
Around $61,540 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,100 and $77,690. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Adult Education Instructors a good career?
With realistic expectations. The BLS projects -13.9% employment change through 2035. This field is shrinking, not expanding. The $61,540 median wage is competitive, but most openings come from retirements and exits rather than new positions. If you're drawn to this work, differentiate through a specialized niche or adjacent certification that keeps you relevant as the broader field contracts.
How long does it take to work as Adult Education Instructors?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Teacher Education (K-12) are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $61,540 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Why are Adult Education Instructors jobs declining?
The BLS projects -13.9% employment change for Adult Education Instructors through 2035. Declining occupations typically face some combination of automation, industry consolidation, offshoring, or reduced consumer demand, rarely a single cause. Despite the overall decline, about 3,800 openings per year are still projected, mostly replacements for workers who retire or leave, not new positions. 37K people currently work in this field, so while it's contracting, active hiring still occurs. Specialization in high-value segments of the role gives the strongest protection.
What skills do Adult Education Instructors professionals need?
Mainly Instructing, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Learning Strategies, and Active Listening. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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