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The differences between adult education instructors and literacy specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an adult education instructor and a literacy specialist. Additionally, a literacy specialist has an average salary of $59,520, which is higher than the $45,926 average annual salary of an adult education instructor.
The top three skills for an adult education instructor include math, professional development and social studies. The most important skills for a literacy specialist are instructional strategies, school administration, and assessment data.
| Adult Education Instructor | Literacy Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $45,926 | $59,520 |
| Hourly rate | $22.08 | $28.62 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 43,991 | 2,562 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Adult education instructors are teachers in continuing and adult education who are working in various settings. The instructors teach adult students a range of courses including high school equivalency, math, literacy, and art. They teach English as a secondary language to students as well as cooking, health, and technology. It is their responsibility to instruct adults in preparatory and remedial education classes. Their job may or may not be performed in a traditional educational institution.
A literacy specialist ensures accurate and correct recording reporting and document keeping. These professionals manage literacy support by organizing staff instructions and schedules. Besides providing and supporting data analysis and literacy assessment, a literacy specialist also acts as a useful resource for families, administrators, assistant teachers, and teachers. They promote professional development by supporting, coaching, and guiding teachers with instructional practices and literacy programs. Moreover, literacy specialists oversee the learning institution's literacy program.
Adult education instructors and literacy specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Adult Education Instructor | Literacy Specialist | |
| Average salary | $45,926 | $59,520 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $67,000 | Between $45,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Excel Academy Charter Schools |
| Best paying industry | Government | Retail |
There are a few differences between an adult education instructor and a literacy specialist in terms of educational background:
| Adult Education Instructor | Literacy Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between adult education instructors' and literacy specialists' demographics:
| Adult Education Instructor | Literacy Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9% | Male, 16.0% Female, 84.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |