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Job outlook for bilingual instructors in the United States
Bilingual instructor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected bilingual instructor job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 60,200 new jobs for bilingual instructors are projected over the next decade.
Bilingual instructor salaries have increased 9% for bilingual instructors in the last 5 years.
There are over 4,225 bilingual instructors currently employed in the United States.
There are 27,396 active bilingual instructor job openings in the US.
The average bilingual instructor salary is $47,550.
Are bilingual instructor jobs in demand?
Bilingual instructor job and salary trends over time
Bilingual instructor jobs over time
Bilingual instructor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,225 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,693 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 5,602 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,163 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,448 | 0.00% |
Average bilingual instructor salary over time
Bilingual instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $47,550 | $22.86 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $46,559 | $22.38 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $45,435 | $21.84 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $44,600 | $21.44 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $43,539 | $20.93 | +1.7% |
Bilingual instructor jobs by state
Most common states for bilingual instructors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 519 | 9% |
| 2 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 81 | 8% |
| 3 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 44 | 8% |
| 4 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 693 | 7% |
| 5 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 685 | 7% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 593 | 7% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 365 | 7% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 278 | 7% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 67 | 7% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 52 | 7% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 514 | 6% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 183 | 6% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,902 | 5% |
| 14 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 449 | 5% |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 339 | 5% |
| 16 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 332 | 5% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 292 | 5% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 252 | 5% |
| 19 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 154 | 5% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 98 | 5% |
Most common cities for bilingual instructors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurora | 1 | 0% | $43,912 |
| 2 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $43,899 |
| 3 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $51,120 |
Bilingual Instructor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of bilingual instructor experts
SUNY Stony Brook
University of Nevada - Reno
Northern Illinois University
What general advice would you give to a Bilingual Instructor?
Elena Davidiak: A bilingual teacher interacts with a population of ENL students sharing a first language, providing instruction in the minority language (or a combination of the majority and minority language). They need to be comfortable in the minority language, including the subject they are teaching. They will communicate daily with students who speak a variety of dialects and have varying levels of academic experience. They will be teaching their subject, adjusting the rhythm and teaching style according to their students' needs and previous experience, but also help the student navigate their environment and advocate for them. Someone entering the field should be familiar with the unique needs of bilingual children and their families, have sufficient knowledge about types of bilingual acquisition and the differences in milestones between bilingual and monolingual learners so that they can adjust their expectations accordingly.
What Bilingual Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Elena Davidiak: I don't believe that there are objective negatives about being a bilingual teacher; it is known that bilingualism is beneficial on a personal/cognitive and professional level and helps to communicate with a larger number of people. Bilingual teachers may feel frustrated when they face the lack of information about bilingualism available to the general public, the amount of conscious and unconscious bias and discrimination towards bilingualism and minority students/ENL speakers, or the uninformed decisions by school administration that disregard the needs of their students.
What will help Bilingual Instructors increase their earning potential?
Elena Davidiak: The number of bilingual/non--native English speakers is constantly growing, and with more information about the benefits of bilingualism available recently, many families choose to enroll their children in bilingual maintenance/dual language immersion programs. The presence of bilingual teachers also empowers the students by giving them better representation at the school.
Jafeth Sanchez Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Nevada - Reno
Department of Educational Studies
What skills stand out on Bilingual Instructor resumes?
Jafeth Sanchez Ph.D.: The timing of these inquiries is fascinating, as I have a child in a two-way immersion program (Mount Rose Elementary School, only one of two schools in all of Nevada with this offering) and know that the school’s principal, Ms. Krissy Brown, is regularly seeking highly-skilled bilingual instructors. She has frequently mentioned that the essentials are centered on bilingual instructors’ skills in linguistics, bilingualism, language and academic development, and the development of a cross-cultural understanding. All of these not only help to support individuals with their home language, but they can also address the ability to teach English to speakers of other languages.
What soft skills should all Bilingual Instructors possess?
Jafeth Sanchez Ph.D.: There are many soft skills that are important for bilingual instructors, and these soft skills are, arguably, important for any instructor. Effective communication skills remain critical because bilingual instructors are being sought for proficiency in more than one language, and stakeholders are expecting proficiency in both. Conflict and concerns can arise if the bilingual instructor seems to be stronger in just one language. However, demonstration of superior skills in communication across all languages will add to credibility and trustworthiness in all processes and among everyone engaged in the bilingual instructional endeavors. Though related to communication, another essential soft skill is advocacy. Bilingual education and bilingualism have long been tied to political turmoil, and bilingual instructors must be prepared to advocate for their organizations, students, families, and communities. They are part of the frontline efforts in demonstrating the need and speaking to the many research-based benefits (i.e., social-emotional, economic, and cognitive benefits) that take shape through the work of bilingual instructors. Finally, flexibility is an essential soft skill because instructional requirements, new staff members, leadership changes, and an ever-changing educational environment with an increasingly diversified population constantly call for opportunities for growth and positive changes to better support all learners.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Bilingual Instructors?
Jafeth Sanchez Ph.D.: A necessary hard skill is an attainment of the Bilingual, Cross-Cultural, Language, and Academic Development (BCLAD) certificate or equivalent requirement. Related, they need to have pedagogical content knowledge in the area(s) in which they will work, and in doing so, they need to be able to attend to these in each language of focus. Additionally, bilingual instructors’ skills should reflect in a broad range of effective technical skills that help engage all learners, including video creation, virtual meetings, lesson planning, and outcome design through learning management systems, all of which have certainly been brought to light amidst the pandemic. Given the ongoing need for a continuous cycle of improvement, bilingual instructors need strong analytical skills to attain, review, and explore data to inform ongoing practice; these skills can also allow bilingual instructors to regularly explore and implement research-based practices. Importantly, each of these reflects 21st-century skills to support educational needs.
What skills will help Bilingual Instructors earn the most?
Jafeth Sanchez Ph.D.: Skills that will help bilingual instructors earn the most are difficult to hone in on because educational systems have very specific salary scales or methods in place that determine pay. However, there are still skills that may better support a bilingual instructor’s career pathway to additional opportunities for professional growth and, ultimately, earnings. For example, these skills can include the following: (a) willingness to be risk-takers in order to be innovative in instructional efforts; (b) ability to work collaboratively with others toward a common mission/vision; (c) ability to implement culturally responsive practices in all aspects of the work in a way that promotes equity-centered instruction with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion through critical dispositions; and (c) an ability to use emotional intelligence to help in a broad range of unique settings. Altogether, these skills can position bilingual instructors to serve in a multitude of leadership capacities that, in turn, can be advantageous in seeking additional leadership roles and opportunities to help them earn the most within their careers.
Linda Saborío
Associate Professor and Assistant ChairNorthern Illinois University
World Languages and Cultures
What Bilingual Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Linda Saborío: With second language acquisition, it is of utmost importance to continue practicing that language. This means that students needing to take a gap year should consider finding ways to immerse themselves in experiences where they will be using the target language. Many students opt for volunteer work with international NGOs and non-profit organizations. Before agreeing to work for any aid organization, however, you do need to research the organization's quality and standards, their expectations of you and vice versa, and what, if any, will be your out-of-pocket expenses.