How To Become A Composition Instructor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a composition instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Mary Wood

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a composition instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $27.28 an hour? That's $56,743 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 159,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a composition instructor?

Mary Wood

Professor of English, University of Oregon

It depends on what level the teacher is at (college level or K-12 and if K-12 do you mean elementary, middle, or high school), whether they're in public or private education, etc. Those who wish to become K-12 English teachers would take some literature classes in our department but would do most of their teacher training in the School of Education.

ScoreComposition InstructorUS Average

Salary

4.4

Avg. Salary $56,743

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.31%

Black or African American 7.07%

Hispanic or Latino 10.08%

Unknown 4.92%

White 66.34%

Gender

female 56.37%

male 43.63%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a composition instructor

Explore composition instructor education requirements

Most common composition instructor degrees

Bachelor's

58.7 %

Master's

32.1 %

Doctorate

4.3 %

Start to develop specific composition instructor skills

Skills	Percentages
Composition Courses	10.52%
Course Curriculum	10.08%
Literature	8.36%
Student Learning	7.72%
Student Performance	6.48%

Research composition instructor duties and responsibilities

Develop lesson plans, teach mechanics and creativity in writing, teach reading, math and manage resource room as needed.
Teach developmental reading, ESL and English composition
Create and implement syllabus using approve texts.
Construct syllabus adhering to department standards base upon accreditation requirements.

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