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Job outlook for developmental specialists in the United States
Are developmental specialist jobs in demand?
Developmental specialist job and salary trends over time
Developmental specialist jobs over time
Developmental specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 461 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 463 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 468 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 454 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 444 | 0.00% |
Average developmental specialist salary over time
Developmental specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,829 | $20.59 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $41,757 | $20.08 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $40,197 | $19.33 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $39,447 | $18.96 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $37,887 | $18.21 | +3.2% |
Developmental specialist jobs by state
Most common states for developmental specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 97 | 14% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 742 | 11% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 300 | 10% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 104 | 10% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 93 | 10% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 172 | 9% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 65 | 9% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 57 | 8% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 48 | 8% |
| 10 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 421 | 7% |
| 11 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 43 | 7% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 508 | 6% |
| 13 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 85 | 6% |
| 14 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 84 | 6% |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 80 | 6% |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 61 | 6% |
| 17 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 52 | 6% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 622 | 5% |
| 19 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 361 | 5% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 216 | 5% |
Most common cities for developmental specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coeur dAlene | 1 | 2% | $44,512 |
| 2 | Leominster | 1 | 2% | $37,605 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids | 2 | 1% | $33,491 |
| 4 | Brockton | 1 | 1% | $38,035 |
| 5 | Murrieta | 1 | 1% | $47,162 |
| 6 | Oceanside | 1 | 1% | $47,137 |
| 7 | Saint Louis | 1 | 0% | $41,338 |
| 8 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $47,041 |
Developmental Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of developmental specialist experts
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Brown University
Assumption University
East Tennessee State University
University of Oregon
Rowan University
North Carolina Central University
Forsyth County, Georgia
Szu-Ping Lee PT, PhD
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Nevada - Las Vegas
Rehabilitation And Therapeutic Professions
What general advice would you give to a Developmental Specialist?
Szu-Ping Lee PT, PhD: Most people like the job because they enjoy working with people and helping them. There is a high level of satisfaction that comes from improving other people's lives. In fact, healthcare workers consistently report some of the highest levels of career satisfaction. However, caring for people is hard work. Doing a good job as a rehabilitation specialist takes a lot of mental and physical energy. Therefore, burnout is fairly common.
J. Brian Atwood
Visiting Scholar in International and Public AffairsBrown University
International and Public Affairs
What skills stand out on Developmental Specialist resumes?
J. Brian Atwood: A good policy analyst uses empirical data and understands how to utilize modern software systems to summarize and compare data sets. An analyst would be familiar with cultural and historical factors that influence the actors in a diplomatic setting in international relations. Language skills are essential in understanding the nuances of the protagonists' positions in a conflict situation. Objective analysis will lead to the capacity to make strong judgments.
What soft skills should all Developmental Specialists possess?
J. Brian Atwood: The most important "soft" skills are empathy, listening carefully, and interpreting what is presented accurately.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Developmental Specialists?
J. Brian Atwood: In this day and age, computer software programs and language skills are most important.
What skills will help Developmental Specialists earn the most?
J. Brian Atwood: Focusing on the job at hand and doing it as well as one can. Money should never be the most important motivator. Do the job well, and you will be well compensated.
Susan Scully-Hill Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies and Director of the School Counseling program at Assumption UniversityAssumption University
Department of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Developmental Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Susan Scully-Hill Ph.D.: What I am seeing now is that schools are increasing the number of "school support personnel" by hiring additional school counselors, school adjustment counselors, learning coaches, student engagement officers, instructional aides, and para-professionals. Student engagement in remote learning is, overall, very low and schools are seeing more students failing multiple subjects than they have ever before. Currently schools are working hard to increase student engagement and academic outcomes by increasing support personnel. I think this trend will continue even as students transition back to in-person learning. Transitioning back to in- person learning will create challenges for many students-not just academic challenges but social, and emotional as well. Making up for lost classroom and learning time will be a priority and therefore additional school personnel will be required.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Developmental Specialists?
Susan Scully-Hill Ph.D.: -Being licensed as a school counselor and/or a school adjustment counselor will have the biggest impact on our graduates. Licensed counselors will be sought after to fill student support personnel positions.
-Coursework focused on academic, learning, social, emotional, and behavioral interventions will be essential for counselors who wish to work in the schools and have a positive impact on student learning outcomes.
Jamie Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorEast Tennessee State University
Department of Counseling and Human Services
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Developmental Specialists?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: We know that many of our graduates are drawn to the field of Human Services due to the issues they have faced in their own lives. We have seen an uptick in students sharing the fact they have struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences during our remote teaching and advising. We need to be aware of Trauma-Informed teaching and outreach as a program and as a university.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Developmental Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: With so much uncertainty about the future, many school districts and institutes of higher education imposed hiring freezes in the spring of 2020 and started the 2020-2021 academic year without the influx of new hires that we would typically see at the start of a new school year. The approval of vaccines with demonstrated efficacy against COVID-19 should, hopefully, prompt a return to a more normal job market in the coming spring. The job market will likely be quite competitive, with new graduates vying for open positions with those who were not offered positions in education last spring.
Given the challenges that schools have faced during the pandemic, I believe we will see an increasing need for culturally-competent, highly-skilled educators who can think critically and allocate limited resources creatively. Schools across the country are likely to struggle with budget shortfalls, as high unemployment rates reduce states' tax bases and as other high-priority needs compete for the limited money available. Thus, finding jobs might be more challenging than in the past.
In terms of the skills that will be needed to be competitive in the job market, the pandemic and resulting move to remote instruction for many in education will increase the demand for educators with expertise in developing literacy and numeracy, particularly in the early grades (K-5). Those with an understanding of how to use student performance data to screen for students at risk, to identify their areas of need, to provide instructional supports to meet those needs, and to monitor the progress being made so that instruction can be adjusted on a regular basis will be in high demand.
In addition, disparities in access to educational technology and the resulting disproportionality in "learning loss" as a result of the move to remote instruction for students from different demographic backgrounds will increase the demand for educators who have experience working with students from low-income families and those experiencing homelessness, as well as demand for educators who have demonstrated their ability to work effectively with students from different ethnicities.
With the continued focus on increasing the diversity of the educator workforce to better match demographics in the United States, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Southeast Asian educators will continue to be in high demand.
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural education
How would you rate the starting salaries for Developmental Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.: Educators are not paid nearly enough. However, working in a state with strong teachers' unions helps to ensure a starting salary that recent graduates can live off of and growth opportunities, albeit modest, over their careers.
Elisha Blankson
Program Director NCCU, Assistant ProfessorNorth Carolina Central University
Communication Disorders Department
What type of skills will young Developmental Specialists need?
Elisha Blankson: Graduates will need a skill set about the field in which they received training and additional skills useful to the job market. For example, with the changing demographics in the United States, extra skills in information technology and foreign languages will be a plus when entering the job market.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Developmental Specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola: This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.