Top Education Technology Jobs for Doctorate in Education Graduates

In recent decades, technology has transformed industries around the world, and education is no exception. The emerging field of education technology features numerous careers that involve connecting educational ideals and goals with modern technology. Careers in educational technology create opportunities inside and outside the traditional classroom to help educators reach more students and to enhance the way those students learn. Educators who earn a Doctorate in Education (EdD) are well equipped to become leaders in the dynamic field of education technology and create learning experiences that go beyond the traditional approaches. By integrating new and exciting technologies into the learning environment and providing the innovative training educators need to use it, education technology specialists are setting the trends for learning in the future.

Seven Education Technology Jobs for EdDs

Due to the changing nature of technology, new careers in educational technology continue to emerge. The expertise and training of EdD candidates makes them well suited to explore new frontiers in education. Below are seven education technology jobs that EdD graduates could pursue.

Chief Learning Officer

In much of the United States, there is a well-established classical educational timeline: primary schooling, followed by secondary, and then optional postsecondary. However, there are other opportunities to teach that experts with EdDs can leverage, especially when they display leadership and communication skills. For instance, a large corporation with a developed executive staff might employ a chief learning officer (CLO) who is responsible for all the continuing education and professional development that takes place within the company. This can include training new employees, teaching management systems, staying on top of new technology and education trends that could affect the company, conducting ongoing seminars, mentoring colleagues, and sharing other valuable ongoing education information with employees.

PayScale, which sources its data directly from workers currently in the field, reports that the average salary for CLOs is over $153,000. Those earning salaries in the bottom 10 percent of the range make around $101,000, while those in the top 10 percent bring in over $215,000 per year. This number may vary depending on location, workplace environment, education level, and years of experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the job market for training and development specialists will grow 11 percent from 2016 to 2026, increasing from 282,800 jobs to 315,300 jobs, a rate that outpaces the projected overall national job market growth during that span.

Instructional Technologist

While educators may know of new technologies that could aid them in their job, they’re not always able to stay on top of technology trends or figure out how to integrate those technologies, as they’re focused on the day-to-day demands of teaching. That’s where instructional technologists come in. Their aim is to evaluate new technologies and lead decision making on which technology will best serve their school, district, organization, or institution. They’re also responsible for helping educators learn how to use those technologies, and they follow up with their colleagues to make sure the technologies they’re implementing have the desired outcomes.

According to PayScale, the average salary for an instructional technologist is $56,013. This salary can vary depending on location and the experience and expertise of the individual in the position. As technology evolves to include more expansive and effective learning tools, instructional technologists will remain vital in helping teachers and students alike access the possibilities it provides.

Training and Development Managers

Within a large organization, training and development managers are responsible for creating and coordinating programs to help employees throughout the company disseminate information and skills. Essentially, training and development managers mentor other trainers to help them become as effective and efficient as possible. They also monitor learning outcomes of employees and evaluate training programs, adjusting and updating teaching methods as needed, while also staying in-the-know about new training methods and technologies that could benefit their organization.

The BLS reports the 2018 median salary for training and development managers was $111,340. Those working in professional and technical services, who comprise 15 percent of all current training and development managers, had the highest median salary at $125,000. Those in company management, who also accounted for 15 percent of the workforce, had a median salary of $120,050. Salary depends on factors such as geographic location, employer, experience, and education. The BLS projects the job market for training and development managers will grow from 34,500 jobs in 2016 to 38,100 by 2026, a 10 percent increase that outpaces the national job market growth average.

Chief Academic Officer

The chief academic officer, sometimes called a provost, is an important leader who is responsible for the academic affairs of an entire college or university, from a large-scale perspective. The provost serves as a bridge between the financial sector of the institution and the educational components. It is vital they understand the needs of the educators as well as the goals of the organization and that they communicate with the rest of the institution so that they can provide the right resources to faculty allowing the university to be successful in its mission and vision. Increasingly, provosts can leverage technology to analyze academic and financial performance and to support faculty in their work.

The median annual salary for all postsecondary administrators in the United States is $94,340, according to the BLS. PayScale, which has a specific category for provosts, identifies their average annual salary as $149,000, with those earning salaries in the top 10 percent of the range making $246,000 per year and those in the bottom 10 percent making $93,000. Bear in mind that salary depends on many factors, including geographic location, experience, education, and workplace setting.

Postsecondary Education Administrator

The postsecondary education administrator’s role can be highly varied and can be found in any number of areas of a college or university, including athletics, student affairs, admissions, and finance. The leadership skills and educational policy background an EdD can provide could set up graduates to become provosts, deans of admissions, registrars, or college deans. Postsecondary education administrators are responsible for overseeing their entire department, including day-to-day operations such as technology integration and implementation. They also must work to ensure the area under their purview is being run in line with the overall plan and direction of the greater institution. One of their most important skills is communication, as they must keep conversations open and productive between many parties and stakeholders.

The BLS expects the job market for postsecondary education administrators to grow 10 percent between 2016 and 2026, outpacing the national average job market growth rate. The median pay for postsecondary education administrators is $94,340; those earning salaries in the bottom 10 percent of the range made less than $54,680 and those in the top 10 percent made more than $190,600 according to 2018 stats. Salary level depends on employer, location, education level, experience, and other factors.

e-Learning Developer

With the meteoric rise in e-learning, more college classes are being offered online to give students increased freedom in their schedule. However, some educators need support translating their classroom- or laboratory-based teaching material into an online-friendly curriculum. That’s where e-learning developers step in to bring their expertise in instructional design and technology to the table. They begin with the content developed by educators and collaborate with them to turn it into an online-accessible format. This involves figuring out which portions might need to be turned into videos, how to tweak assignments for a web-based format, which technologies can benefit the class, and how to design and implement the course instruction so that the educator and students alike feel comfortable in an online learning setting. These professionals don’t just work in universities and schools; in businesses, e-learning developers can turn existing training materials into online modules, relieving training managers of having to conduct all of their work in person. Other e-learning developers work as independent consultants, serving a diverse array of clients.

The BLS reports that training and development specialists had a median annual salary of $60,870 as of May 2018. Those who work in the educational field earn slightly more, with a median annual salary of $61,660. Note that salary can depend on experience, education, location, and workplace setting, but this is generally a strong career option. In fact, the BLS projects the job market for training and development specialists to grow at an above-average rate of 11 percent between 2016 and 2026, adding 32,500 jobs to the market over that span.

Director of Education Technology

Within a school district, the director of education technology is responsible for the physical technology components that support education from kindergarten through grade twelve. In the past, this role existed in the audiovisual field, and professionals were responsible for tracking and distributing projectors and televisions. Today, with many school districts filled with computers, tablets, and laptops in constant need of maintenance and updating, directors of education technology fulfill an information technology management role. With significant technological expertise and attention to detail, they remain on top of trends in new educational devices and software that can help school districts meet their instructional goals. They may also train faculty on how to leverage the education technology at their disposal.

PayScale reports the average annual salary for directors of instructional technology is $77,000, with those earning salaries in the bottom 10 percent of the range making below $51,000 and those in the top 10 percent of the range making above $109,000 per year—numbers that fluctuate depending on location, workplace environment, education level, and years of experience. The BLSprojects that the number of computer and information systems manager jobs will grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026.

Learn More about Education Technology Jobs for Doctorate in Education Graduates

If you’re passionate about both education and technology, choosing a career at the intersection of the two might be an excellent choice for you. By earning your EdD, you can set yourself up for success in education technology jobs, both inside and outside of traditional classroom settings. Consider the American University online Doctorate in Education (EdD) program to boost your career in educational technology to the next level.