8 Benefits of a Master's Degree for Teachers

As an educator, you are constantly looking for ways to hone your craft so you can better communicate with the students under your care. One way you can improve your skills and earn other benefits for yourself is with a master's degree. Here are some ways that a master's degree will benefit you as a teacher, both personally and professionally.

1. Be a Better Teacher

One of the best reasons to consider an online master's degree in education is to help you improve your skills as a teacher. You will learn more about the best ways to convey the knowledge to your students, learn additional leadership skills, and cover more elements about the different learning styles. Additionally, you’ll gain more insights into the challenges your students might face. And at the end of your training, you will be a better equipped teacher.

2. Increase your Earning Potential

Salary ranges for teachers can vary significantly from one district to the next, but most districts have some type of reward system in place that increases salary levels if a teacher has a master's degree. The range of pay for elementary teachers with just a bachelor's degree is $31,000 to $43,500, but that increases to $39,900 to $55,600 with a master's degree. This increase, about 25 percent, can really pay off over time.

If you use your advanced degree to open the door to postsecondary education or administration opportunities, you can increase your earning potential even more. The BLS estimates the 2019 average pay for postsecondary education administrators to be $95,410. This field requires a master's degree as a minimum degree requirement for an entry-level position, so your master's in education can open the door to even greater income potential in the future.

3. Add to Your Job Security

Teaching is a job that, historically, has been fairly stable. However, teaching on the high school and elementary level is not an occupation expected to see tremendous growth in the next few years. The BLS estimates a 3 to 4 percent growth for high school and elementary teachers from 2018 to 2028.

If you want to secure your future job options, a master's degree can help. Master's degree training is the minimum required for postsecondary educators, and that field is expected to see an 11 percent growth in the next decade. The increased demand for online education options has increased the demand for trained educators. Even if you only plan on teaching at the elementary or secondary level, your master's degree provides job security by making it possible for you to teach at the college level in the future.

4. Pursue Jobs in Administration

Career advancement in education often means pursuing a role in administration. Even if you are content in the classroom at this point in your career, you may want the option in the future to take on a leadership role. These administrative leadership roles require a master's degree. Administrators are in a position to make a huge difference in the lives of their institutions’ students, improving education from the top and supporting teachers as they strive to make learning fun and engaging. If this feels like a good fit for your skills, your master's in education, especially one with an administrative focus, is the starting point to launch that career path.

5. Pursue Specialized Teaching Roles

Sometimes you will find yourself at a point in your career where you desire to take a more specialized role. Maybe you want to work with special education students. Perhaps you have a passion for reading and want to become a reading resource teacher. Maybe you want to delve into your subject area more deeply. If you want a specialized teaching role, preparation with the right training and a master's degree in education is key.

6. Launch a New Teaching Career

Sometimes people will pursue a master's in teaching not because they want to transition away from an existing teaching career, but because they want to launch a teaching career and have an undergrad in a different field. If you have found a new passion for education, this degree can give you the training you need to be an effective educator. Often an undergrad in a different field and a master's in education actually makes you more effective in the classroom, because you have real-world training in a field that you can draw from in your teaching.

7. Increase Your Appeal as a New Hire

Though teachers are in high demand, this career path is also a popular one. That means competition for new teaching jobs can be intense. With a master's degree in education, your resume and portfolio become more impressive. When it's time to seek a new teaching position in a new location, you can have a leg up on the competition because you already have a graduate degree. You will be eligible for a wider range of jobs, and your degree demonstrates you’re a serious education professional.

8. Get more Hands-on Training

While every graduate for teachers’ program is different, most provide more hands-on training than a bachelor's level degree. You will get to spend time in the classroom, maybe even your current classroom, applying what you're learning with real students and their parents. This can be one of the most beneficial parts of your graduate training.

There are clear benefits of a master's degree for teachers. Greater income potential, increased hands-on training, and a larger pool of career possibilities are all good reasons to consider this advanced degree. If you’re ready to take your teaching career to the next level, earn your master’s degree in education or your master’s degree in teaching. You can request more info via our website or contact University of the Cumberlands directly at 800-343-1609 extension 4390.