Thanks for the Hospitality Secure Yourself: The Three Most Stable Careers Why School Psychologists Get Up in the Morning 38.4 Billion Reasons to Work in the Pet Industry The Truth about Teaching

Why Should You Work in Education?

By Clare Kaufman
Learning & Life Columnist

Michael Hoffman, head of the charitable foundation Changing Our World, has a simple explanation for his career choice: "Every night, I've got a great reason to wake up the next morning and go to work." Like Hoffman, one in 12 Americans works for something other than the bottom line. Whether it's supporting education, fighting poverty, or fostering community, a sense of purpose is the ultimate reward of working at a nonprofit.

Maureen Flynn discovered this firsthand when she left a fundraising position at her university for a job in corporate PR. "I really started to enjoy my [PR] job but at the end of the day it was lacking those 'feel good' emotions that I had at my previous work in the [university's] Development Office." She returned to education, taking a job as a program assistant for an educational philanthropy foundation. "Working to help support education is extremely rewarding," Maureen comments. "Education is something I have always been passionate about." So now, she manages funding for K-12 science and math programs nationwide.

Education: Doing Good for Others (and Yourself)

Universities and schools are ground zero for creating a better future. Besides fundraising and philanthropy, opportunities for doing good exist in teaching, administration, and other academic support functions. The qualifications for these nonprofit jobs vary by role.

• K-12 Teaching positions typically require a bachelor's degree and a specialized teacher training program.
• Community College and University Teaching requires a master's degree or Ph.D. in a specialized area.
• Education Administration typically requires a master's or Ph.D. in Education Administration or Educational Leadership.
• Higher Education Development requirements vary, but usually call for an undergraduate degree. An MBA can be an asset in financial management roles.

Doing good feels good, notes Flynn. And when it comes to education, it can also be good for your bank account. University development directors and higher education administrators, for example, command six-figure salaries, a reflection of their importance to the institution. Professors also enjoy salaries in the $60-$70,000 range. Even K-12 teachers, stereotypically seen as low-income, make an average salary of over $43,000 per year, twice the national average.

The most profound compensation, of course, is the satisfaction of seeing students and institutions benefit from your efforts.

Sources:

• Philanthropy.com, "7.2% of Americans Work for Nonprofit, Study Finds"
• Idealist.org, "Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector: The Unbeaten Path"
• Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational Outlook Handbook"
• Future Leaders in Philanthropy, "Meet a Future Leader in Philanthropy"
• Salary.com
• Future Leaders in Philanthropy, "Why Choose the Non-Profit Sector?"

About the Author
Clare Kaufman is a freelance writer specializing in education and career advice. She has a graduate degree in English.

More Career Tips Articles

Add to My Favorites

	Location: --- All Locations --- Online ------------------------ Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico ------------------------ Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory London Degree: --- All Degrees --- Associate Bachelor Master Doctoral Diploma Certificate Coursework Subject: --- All Subjects --- Architecture Arts and Design Beauty and Cosmetology Business Communication and Media Computer Culinary Education Engineering Health and Clinical Legal and Law Enforcement Liberal Arts and Humanities Other Science Social Services Travel and Hospitality Vocational/Technician Program: --- Select a Subject ---

	AA in Accounting AA in Communications More Programs Associate's (AABA) - Criminal Justice Administration Associate's (AABA) - Healthcare Administration More Programs Game Art & Design Graphic Design More Programs

	Get the training you need to succeed. Find a school in your region that can help you advance your career.