How to hire a curriculum specialist

How to hire a curriculum specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step curriculum specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a curriculum specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new curriculum specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a curriculum specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your curriculum specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a curriculum specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A curriculum specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, curriculum specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents curriculum specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Curriculum Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Curriculum Specialist	Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, coordinate its implementation with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness.	$17-33
   Education Coordinator	An education coordinator is a professional who develops an educational curriculum that is efficient and in line with the latest education standards and developments. Education coordinators are required to meet parents, as well as teachers, to discuss concerns regarding the curriculum and to ensure that the curriculum is being used properly... Show more	$16-32
   Instructional Designer And Trainer	Instructional designers are in charge of redesigning the courses, developing the entire curriculum, and creating all instructional mediums, including handouts, presentation materials, participant guides, and job aids. They typically evaluate training, as well as assess what was learned and check if learning solutions led to quantifiable behavior improvements... Show more	$23-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Math
   • Curriculum Development
   • K-12
   • Mathematics
   • PowerPoint
   • State Standards
   • Student Achievement
   • Child Care
   • Instructional Materials
   • Blended Learning
   • Student Data
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • Staff Development
   • Autism

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead efforts to establish goals for foreign language department's continuous improvement.
   • Lead the virtualization of military training exercises and provide periods of instruction using virtual simulations.
   • Coordinate testing, modele lessons for teachers, and implement the language arts program.
   • Develop and implement art infuse literacy program for kindergarten classes
   • Used data analysis consistently to target identify students for sustain reading and mathematics instruction.
   • Work with grades k-8, enrichment or extension classes

   More curriculum specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the curriculum specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A curriculum specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a curriculum specialist in Oklahoma may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level curriculum specialist. Additionally, a curriculum specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average curriculum specialist salary

   $50,949yearly

   $24.49 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level curriculum specialist salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average curriculum specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$71,120	$34
   2	Massachusetts	$65,976	$32
   3	New York	$64,972	$31
   4	Washington	$58,809	$28
   5	Pennsylvania	$56,868	$27
   6	Virginia	$55,211	$27
   7	Illinois	$55,159	$27
   8	Colorado	$54,430	$26
   9	Maryland	$54,107	$26
   10	New Jersey	$53,514	$26
   11	California	$52,071	$25
   12	Texas	$51,457	$25
   13	Arizona	$47,359	$23
   14	Arkansas	$46,206	$22
   15	Utah	$45,685	$22
   16	Florida	$42,291	$20

   Average curriculum specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	AARP	$98,569	$47.39
   2	Thomson Reuters	$78,033	$37.52	1
   3	California State University	$68,098	$32.74	3
   4	Gap Inc.	$63,979	$30.76
   5	Dartmouth	$63,859	$30.70
   6	Mt. San Antonio College	$62,959	$30.27
   7	University of Washington	$62,810	$30.20
   8	Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station - State Headquarters	$62,192	$29.90
   9	McGraw Hill	$60,329	$29.00
   10	COMPTON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT	$60,284	$28.98	4
   11	Paramount High School	$59,732	$28.72
   12	Democracy Prep Public Schools	$59,495	$28.60
   13	Kidville	$59,352	$28.53
   14	Syracuse University	$59,316	$28.52
   15	Washington State University	$57,987	$27.88
   16	Denver Public Schools	$57,671	$27.73	1
   17	Suffolk University	$57,300	$27.55
   18	Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation	$56,905	$27.36
   19	University of Colorado Boulder	$55,969	$26.91
   20	Durham Public Schools	$55,523	$26.69	2

4. Writing a curriculum specialist job description

   A curriculum specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a curriculum specialist job description:

   Curriculum specialist job description example

   Job Descriptions:
   
   This position is responsible for the development and delivery of space operations lessons. This position requires familiarity in the following areas: DoD, commercial and civil space operations, ground systems, on-orbit systems, links, international capabilities, threats, cyber operations/threats/security.General duties: This position will instruct lessons in various courses and develop, implement, validate, and maintain educational and class materials for assigned lessons.
   
   Specific duties:
   
   + Analyze current commissioning curriculum and recognize where space interests need to be injected or updated
   
   + Analyze current JROTC leadership curriculum and recognize where space interests need to be injected or updated: 'Leadership Education 100', 'Communication, Awareness, and Leadership', 'Leadership Education', and 'Fundamentals of Management'
   
   + Write engaging curriculum for different audiences, high school/college/post-college.
   
   Additional duties as may be assigned.
   
   Required Experience:
   
   Required Skills/Experience
   
   + Knowledge of adult learning theory, instructional systems design, instructional methodologies, principles of systematic instructional evaluation theory and techniques to include statistical analysis and interpretation.
   
   + Knowledge of structure, programs and work methods of enlisted professional military education organizations and programs.
   
   + Knowledge of optimizing the use of distance learning instructional technology, course design, and delivery methods, academic program evaluation, educational analysis, curriculum design, lesson development and institutional effectiveness.
   
   + Skill in using a variety of sophisticated evaluation, statistical and survey techniques to determine both institutional and educational program effectiveness.
   
   + Skill in development and application of analytical methods and techniques to assess educational processes and program effectiveness.
   
   + Skill in oral and written communication and skill in using computer systems and ability to create and foster harmonious working environments and development of professional relationships. Working knowledge of USSF Space Competencies
   
   + Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook)
   
   + Ability to hold a Secret Clearance
   
   Desired Skills/Experience
   
   + Completion of Air Force Instructor Course or equivalent Joint Service or civilian course/degree
   
   + Experience with DoD training/education, including planning and delivering instruction in accordance with the ISD model, training records keeping and documentation
   
   Required Education
   
   Master's degree from an accredited institution in relevant field (8 years of experience in a relevant field may be substituted for the education requirement)
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran
   
   Keyword: Curriculum Specialist
   
   From: Sigmatech, Inc.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find curriculum specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any curriculum specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level curriculum specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your curriculum specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit curriculum specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit curriculum specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new curriculum specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the curriculum specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a curriculum specialist?