Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Instructional Coordinator

Instructional Coordinator earn $77,440 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $60,780 and $98,820. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.

About Instructional Coordinator

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a instructional coordinator: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Curriculum & Instruction and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

Develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology into instruction in order to provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. May train and coach teachers. Includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors.


Median Wage
$77,440
Employed Nationally
228K
Openings / Year
23,100
Entry Education
Master's degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Also known as:

Career Technical Supervisor Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) Course Developer Courseware Developer Curriculum and Assessment Director

How Much Do Instructional Coordinators Make?

Most instructional coordinators take home around $77,440 a year, above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $60,780 and $98,820, 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.

$77,440
National Median (Annual)

Above the national median for college graduates.

$61K–$99K
Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.


Earnings Range

What Do Instructional Coordinators 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 work of teaching staff to evaluate performance and to recommend changes that could strengthen teaching skills.
  • Plan and conduct teacher training programs and conferences dealing with new classroom procedures, instructional materials and equipment, and teaching aids.
  • Interpret and enforce provisions of state education codes and rules and regulations of state education boards.
  • Conduct or participate in workshops, committees, and conferences designed to promote the intellectual, social, and physical welfare of students.
  • Advise teaching and administrative staff in curriculum development, use of materials and equipment, and implementation of state and federal programs and procedures.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Learning Strategies Instructing Speaking Writing 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.

E
Enterprising

Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.

C
Conventional

Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.

Where Do Instructional Coordinators 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 Instructional Coordinators?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +1.6%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 23,100 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.

↗ +1.6%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

Slower than average.

23,100
Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

228K
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 Instructional Coordinator professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $77,440 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

# State Jobs Median Wage vs. National
1 Texas 31,970 $78,710 +1.6%
2 California 20,950 $97,010 +25.3%
3 New York 18,730 $80,560 +4.0%
4 Florida 18,030 $60,790 -21.5%
5 Illinois 10,330 $76,050 -1.8%

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 master's degree. The 2 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

The next most common path is an Educational Assessment program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.

Master's degree
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.


Degree Programs That Lead Here

# Program Graduates/yr 4yr Median Colleges
1 Curriculum & Instruction 20,472 $50,452 495
2 Educational Assessment 8,912 $55,308 385

Top Colleges for Aspiring Instructional Coordinators

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 Florida Gainesville, FL 93 $6,541 $71,588
2 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 91 $13,138 $83,648
3 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 90 $15,846 $91,565
4 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 90 $11,655 $72,200
5 California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA 90 $10,440 $64,403
6 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 90 $10,411 $58,308

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Instructional Coordinator, 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.

Instructional Coordinator Pros & Cons

The data on Instructional Coordinator shows 2 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.

PROS
  • Above-average pay At $77,440 median annually, this career pays meaningfully more than most college-graduate roles. Financial return on education is typically strong.
  • Wide job market 228K professionals are employed in this field, large enough to offer geographic flexibility and multiple entry paths.
CONS
  • Slow job growth At +1.6% projected growth, this career lags the national average. Limited expansion means stiffer competition for openings that do appear.
  • High education requirement Most employers require a master's degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.

Instructional Coordinator Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Instructional Coordinator professionals earn?
Around $77,440 a year for the typical worker, above the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $60,780 and $98,820. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Instructional Coordinator a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $77,440 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Research salary outcomes at specific programs, not just the national median, before committing to a graduate path.
How long does it take to work as Instructional Coordinators?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A master's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Curriculum & Instruction are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $77,440 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a master's degree worth it to become an Instructional Coordinator?
It depends heavily on program cost. At $77,440 median, expensive graduate school debt can take 20 or more years to recover. In-state public schools, employer-sponsored programs, or income-driven repayment make the strongest case. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
What is the job outlook for Instructional Coordinator?
Employment is projected to change by +1.6% through 2035, slower than average compared with other occupations. Around 23,100 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 228K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Instructional Coordinator professionals need?
Mainly Learning Strategies, Instructing, Speaking, Writing, 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.

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