Instructional Coordinators
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, implement it, and assess its effectiveness.
Work Environment: Most instructional coordinators work in elementary and secondary schools, colleges, professional schools, or educational support services or for state and local governments. They typically work year round.
How to Become One: Instructional coordinators need a master’s degree and related work experience, such as teaching or school administration. Coordinators in public schools may be required to have a state-issued license.
Salary: The median annual wage for instructional coordinators is $63,740.
Job Outlook: Employment of instructional coordinators is projected to grow 7 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of instructional coordinators with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as an instructional coordinator with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Instructional Coordinator Jobs
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STEM Instructional Specialist
- CSUDH Toro Auxiliary Partners
- Carson, CA
In this role, you'll collaborate with our Technology 4 Every 1 Coordinator to lead engaging STEAM ... instructional strategies. * Research and Innovate: Stay updated on the latest trends and ...
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Manufacturing Faculty Coordinator
- Sheridan College
- Laramie, WY
Job Title: Manufacturing Faculty Coordinator Location: Sheridan, WY Type: Full-time If you are ... This position requires a blend of instructional excellence, educational leadership, industry ...
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Benefits Coordinator
- University of Oregon
- Eugene, OR
Benefits Coordinator Job no: 534722 Work type: Officer of Administration Location: Eugene, OR ... Position open until filled Special Instructions to Applicants Please include a resume and cover ...
What Instructional Coordinators Do[About this section] [To Top]
Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, coordinate its implementation with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness.
Duties of Instructional Coordinators
Instructional coordinators typically do the following:
- Develop and coordinate the implementation of curriculums
- Plan, organize, and conduct teacher training conferences or workshops
- Analyze student test data
- Assess and discuss the implementation of curriculum standards with school staff
- Review and recommend textbooks and other educational materials
- Recommend teaching techniques and the use of different or new technologies
- Develop procedures for teachers to implement a curriculum
- Train teachers and other instructional staff in new content or programs
- Mentor or coach teachers to improve their skills
Instructional coordinators, also known as curriculum specialists, evaluate the effectiveness of curriculums and teaching techniques established by school boards, states, or federal regulations. They may observe teachers in the classroom, review student test data, and interview school staff about curriculums. Based on their research, they may recommend changes in curriculums to the school board. They may also recommend that teachers use different teaching techniques.
Instructional coordinators may conduct training for teachers related to teaching methods or the use of technology. For example, when a school district introduces new learning standards, instructional coordinators explain the new standards to teachers and demonstrate effective teaching methods to achieve them.
Instructional coordinators may specialize in particular grade levels or specific subjects. Those in elementary and secondary schools may also focus on programs in special education or English as a second language.
Work Environment for Instructional Coordinators[About this section] [To Top]
Instructional coordinators hold about 205,700 jobs. The largest employers of instructional coordinators are as follows:
| Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private | 43% |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 19% |
| Educational support services; state, local, and private | 7% |
| Government | 7% |
Most instructional coordinators work in elementary and secondary schools, colleges, professional schools, or educational support services or for state and local governments. They typically work year round.
Instructional Coordinator Work Schedules
Instructional coordinators generally work full time. They typically work year round and do not have summer breaks. Coordinators may meet with teachers and other administrators outside of classroom hours.
How to Become an Instructional Coordinator[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Instructional Coordinators near you!
Instructional coordinators need a master's degree and related work experience, such as teaching or school administration. Coordinators in public schools may be required to have a state-issued license.
Education for Instructional Coordinators
Most employers, particularly public schools, require instructional coordinators to have a master's degree in education or curriculum and instruction. Some instructional coordinators have a degree in a specialized field, such as math or history.
Master's degree programs in curriculum and instruction teach about curriculum design, instructional theory, and collecting and analyzing data. To enter these programs, candidates usually need a bachelor's degree in education.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Instructional Coordinators
Instructional coordinators in public schools may be required to have a license, such as a teaching license or an education administrator license. For information about teaching licenses, see the profiles on kindergarten and elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers. For information about education administrator licenses, see the profile on elementary, middle, and high school principals. Check with your state's Board of Education for specific license requirements.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation for Instructional Coordinators
Most instructional coordinators need several years of related work experience. Experience working as a teacher or previous leadership experience is helpful. For some positions, experience teaching a specific subject or grade level may be required.
Advancement for Instructional Coordinators
With enough experience and more education, instructional coordinators can become superintendents or work at the school district level.
Important Qualities for Instructional Coordinators
Analytical skills. Instructional coordinators examine student test data and evaluate teaching strategies. Based on their analysis, they develop recommendations for improvements in curriculums and teaching.
Communication skills. Instructional coordinators need to clearly explain changes in the curriculum and teaching standards to teachers, principals, and school staff.
Decisionmaking skills. Instructional coordinators must be able to make sound decisions when recommending changes to curriculums, teaching methods, and textbooks.
Interpersonal skills. Instructional coordinators need to be able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with teachers, principals, and other administrators.
Leadership skills. Instructional coordinators serve as mentors to teachers. They train teachers in developing useful and effective teaching techniques.
Instructional Coordinator Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for instructional coordinators is $63,740. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,390, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $101,090.
The median annual wages for instructional coordinators in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Government | $78,900 |
| Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private | $75,840 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | $62,060 |
| Educational support services; state, local, and private | $61,580 |
Instructional coordinators generally work full time. They typically work year round and do not have summer breaks. Coordinators may meet with teachers and other administrators outside of classroom hours.
Job Outlook for Instructional Coordinators[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of instructional coordinators is projected to grow 7 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 20,900 openings for instructional coordinators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of Instructional Coordinators
States and school districts will continue to be held accountable for test scores and graduation rates, putting more of an emphasis on student achievement data. Schools may increasingly turn to instructional coordinators to develop better curriculums and improve teachers’ effectiveness. The training that instructional coordinators provide for teachers in curriculum changes and teaching techniques should help schools meet their standards in student achievement. As schools seek additional training for teachers, demand for instructional coordinators is projected to grow.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Instructional coordinators | 205,700 | 220,800 | 7 | 15,000 |
More Instructional Coordinator Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information about instructional coordinators, visit
ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.