A curriculum and instructional designer creates the materials and instructions that are used to teach students at schools, from elementary through to high school (and sometimes postsecondary institutions as well). Curriculum designers work with educators and school boards to determine what a curriculum must cover. They then design the curriculum and monitor classes to assess what students are learning.
Annual salaries for curriculum and instructional designers will vary depending on your experience, education level, and expertise. In 2013, the average annual salary for curriculum and instructional designers working in the U.S. was $63,070 per year.
For more information on what parts of the country have the most opportunity for curriculum and instructional designers, click through to our Best Places to Work tab for information on the number of people employed and the average salary in each state.
California has the greatest number of employment opportunities, as well as the highest wages, with 18,080 curriculum and instructional designers making an average salary of $72,560 annually. Texas is second in the nation, with 12,260 jobs, and offering an annual mean wage of $64,220.
The metro areas employing the most curriculum and instructional designers are:
The metro areas employing the highest concentration of curriculum and instructional designers are:
The metro areas employing the best-paid curriculum and instructional designers are:
Use our interactive map below to find out which areas of the United States are currently experiencing the greatest amount of growth and job availability for graduates looking for a career as a curriculum and instructional designer. The associated information has been gathered from Bureau of Labor statistics, representing data collected in 2012.
Every school student is taught from a curriculum prepared by a designer. Assembling a curriculum is a big responsibility, having an impact on many kids. If you’re up for the challenge, though, there are plenty of advantages to being a curriculum designer:
You need a number of specialized skills to become a curriculum designer. You need to know the subject for which you’re designing the curriculum, you need an understanding of teaching, and you need to be able to measure the effectiveness of the materials you put together. Developing these skills requires higher education, but a working knowledge of these skill sets will help to set you apart from other candidates.
Feel like you’ve got a lot to learn? Get more information about curriculum and instructional designer careers, degrees, and applicable courses from one of the schools below.
Master’s degree
Most positions in curriculum and instructional design are with schools or government agencies (state or federal), and require a master’s degree. Most designers have a degree in either education or curriculum and instruction. Classes often include instructional leadership, curriculum assessment, educational diversity, education research, classroom management and educational technology.
Some designers have master’s degrees in a specialty such as history, math, science, or English.
Public schools may also require curriculum designers to have a state educator’s license.