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Job outlook for developmental writing instructors in the United States
Are developmental writing instructor jobs in demand?
Developmental writing instructor job and salary trends over time
Developmental writing instructor jobs over time
Developmental writing instructor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 336 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 372 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 390 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 392 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 397 | 0.00% |
Average developmental writing instructor salary over time
Developmental writing instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,164 | $28.93 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | $59,719 | $28.71 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $58,063 | $27.91 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | $56,598 | $27.21 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $55,569 | $26.72 | +2.8% |
Developmental writing instructor jobs by state
Most common states for developmental writing instructors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 502 | 9% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 50 | 9% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 73 | 8% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 60 | 8% |
| 5 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 681 | 7% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 591 | 7% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 363 | 7% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 72 | 7% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 643 | 6% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 255 | 6% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 36 | 6% |
| 12 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 436 | 5% |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 347 | 5% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 283 | 5% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 170 | 5% |
| 16 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 137 | 5% |
| 17 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 40 | 5% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 39 | 5% |
| 19 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,718 | 4% |
| 20 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 428 | 4% |
Most common cities for developmental writing instructors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elgin | 1 | 1% | $63,699 |
Developmental Writing Instructor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of developmental writing instructor experts
SUNY Buffalo State
Wilson College
Hope College
University of Houston - Downtown
Louisiana State University
University of Virginia
Concordia University
Arizona State University
Southwestern College
Pennsylvania State University Altoona
Dr. Mark Fulk Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSUNY Buffalo State
Department of English
What skills stand out on Developmental Writing Instructor resumes?
Dr. Mark Fulk Ph.D.: Their involvement in many kinds of experience through the English major, including the study of literature/culture and their experiences as writers and thinkers. Through involvement in opportunities such as writing tutoring, which is done via the department, publishing, and internships, our majors can be leaders in the work in which they are invested, helping to manage and guide others.
What skills will help Developmental Writing Instructors earn the most?
Dr. Mark Fulk Ph.D.: I believe that the critical thinking skills that can only be developed through intensive, deep reading are their most valuable asset. It makes them thinkers, intellectually and emotionally strong--something we desperately need in America today. They are active and engaged citizens who really excel at being self-motivated and engaged, and that is a valuable skill set to bring to any workplace.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Developmental Writing Instructors?
Dr. Mark Fulk Ph.D.: Most of these have to do with their ability to write and think. Their critical thinking skills and self-motivation make them valuable contributors to the workplaces they join. Because they are trained to be self-motivated, they tend to need less oversight to ensure the success of the project(s) they are completing, making for less direct administrative need. They have been trained to break apart a problem and see (and solve) the problem's component parts through the process of critical thinking. Trained in a meta-discourse, they do not become outdated when one formal system in their field becomes obsolete, but they see beyond systems to larger issues.
Michael Cornelius Ph.D.
Professor of English, Program Director MAHUMWilson College
English Department
What soft skills should all Developmental Writing Instructors possess?
Michael Cornelius Ph.D.: Communication and care. Communication in all of its forms-written, oral, public speaking, and interpersonal, one-on-one communication abilities are all vital. A confident communicator can work wonders in many fields.
Add to that care. The study of English is not just the study of language; it is the study of those narratives that shape and dominate humanity and the means through which we make and understand them. I can't think of a better way to learn and know people. But that should come through as an ethos of care. If you want to teach, you must care for your students. No matter the field an English major may find themselves in, an ethos of care will serve them well.
What skills stand out on Developmental Writing Instructor resumes?
Michael Cornelius Ph.D.: In the academy, we often talk about English majors teaching students vital skills in critical thinking, communication, research, and analysis. An English major can be handed a project and know how to research the necessary components, compile them together in a clear and consistent format, and present that material to a client or supervisor with confidence. And I think the skill that really unites all of these aspects of the English major is independence. In our field, we ask students to articulate the rudiments of pragmatics, identify the meaning inherent to a seventeenth-century poem, and punch back at the masterpieces of the canon. No student can tackle such a diverse learning platform without a streak of independence that teaches them that, yes, scholars have been analyzing and deconstructing Shakespeare for 500 years, but no one has quite seen the text the way you have, and that's why you need to write about it. Heck, in a national conversation about higher education that strongly suggests that any major without a specific job title in its name should not even be considered, it takes someone who is a bit of a maverick to choose a major in English. But that independent streak serves our students really well in their careers and lives beyond college.
On a resume, I look for independence in that projection completion mode: acting as editor for student media; presenting a paper at a conference; writing a theatrical work; publishing; internships; etc. Anything that shows me that the applicant can tackle a project and get it done is what I am looking for.
What skills stand out on Developmental Writing Instructor resumes?
Dawn DeWitt-Brinks: When I look at a resume, I am not just looking for a list of skills. I am looking for the application of skills. I am looking for internship experiences or past job experiences that demonstrate hard and soft skill development and application. I believe that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. If you want to be a Communication Skills Instructor, I would recommend starting as an intern - which will help build your skill set under the guidance of someone already working in the profession.
What soft skills should all Developmental Writing Instructors possess?
Dawn DeWitt-Brinks: The most important soft skill that a Communication Skills Instructor can possess is the skill of coaching. A Communication Skills Instructor is basically a skills coach. You need to walk alongside your students/clients to help them grow their communication skill set. You need to be able to assess where their skills are currently, set a plan in place, and put that plan into action - while encouraging your student/client every step of the way.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Developmental Writing Instructors?
Dawn DeWitt-Brinks: One growing area within the profession is teaching students/clients how to communicate effectively using technology. Presenting live and pre-recorded webinars and leading effective online meetings requires technical skills and knowledge of computers and software. As a communication skills instructor, you need to teach them soft skills of presenting effectively online, the technical skills of using the equipment and software, and how to troubleshoot when problems with technology arise.
Adam Ellwanger Ph.D.
Professor of EnglishUniversity of Houston - Downtown
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
What skills will help Developmental Writing Instructors earn the most?
Adam Ellwanger Ph.D.: If you can document training in technical communication, professional writing, or rhetoric (as opposed to simply literature and/or creative writing), skills related to those sub-fields are highly valued by the corporate world and employers in the private sector -- the places that tend to pay people with backgrounds in English the most.
What skills stand out on Developmental Writing Instructor resumes?
Adam Ellwanger Ph.D.: When applying to be an instructor of English, your resume itself must be clean and totally without error. If you can't produce impeccable writing, why should your prospective employers believe that you can teach others to do so? A clean, complete, well-formatted resume reflects that you are a strong writer and editor, and these are critical skills. Of course, if you want to be an English instructor, some experience as a teacher is strongly preferred -- even if that is in informal contexts (e.g., leading training sessions at a previous place of employment or serving as a teaching assistant in graduate school).
What hard/technical skills are most important for Developmental Writing Instructors?
Adam Ellwanger Ph.D.: Writing, Editing, Teaching, Reading.
Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of RhetoricLouisiana State University
English Department
What soft skills should all Developmental Writing Instructors possess?
Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.: The ability to clearly communicate ideas, theories, expectations, assignments, etc., stands as a paramount soft skill needed for writing instructors. Students already come into the classroom with high expectations concerning the level of attention they will receive in terms of instruction, so writing instructors need to develop methods to deliver information to students in a clear and easily understood manner. Clear communication also contributes to better engagement with course material. When students know what the instructor expects and what they must do, they typically engage more fully in their work. Additionally, listening to students is a second crucial soft skill writing instructors should develop. Including students in the learning process by listening to their perspectives and making small adjustments to accommodate their learning needs shows an attention to detail necessary in the modern writing classroom.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Developmental Writing Instructors?
Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.: Writing instructors must know how to use multiple computer programs proficiently and at times use them simultaneously. Long gone are the days where all you needed to know were the basics of Microsoft Word and Excel. In addition to the learning platform used by the university (Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, Google Classroom, etc.), writing instructors must know how to use Zoom or other online video conference platforms to ensure smooth experiences for students who cannot come to the physical classroom.
What skills will help Developmental Writing Instructors earn the most?
Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.: Considering the competitive state of the job market, writing instructor applicants need to exhibit as many soft and hard skills as possible to make themselves more visible to the places they apply.
M. Rachel Tighe Ph.D.
Department ChairUniversity of Virginia
Department of Communication Studies
What skills stand out on Developmental Writing Instructor resumes?
M. Rachel Tighe Ph.D.: -Teaching experience
-Generalist knowledge - public speaking, interpersonal, business and professional, argumentation
What soft skills should all Developmental Writing Instructors possess?
M. Rachel Tighe Ph.D.: -Interest in working with undergraduates
-Willing to be available to students
-Positive student evaluations
What hard/technical skills are most important for Developmental Writing Instructors?
M. Rachel Tighe Ph.D.: -Ability to use an online platform (Moodle, Google Classroom, etc.
-Ability to use video for virtual instruction
What skills will help Developmental Writing Instructors earn the most?
M. Rachel Tighe Ph.D.: -Online teaching skills
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Developmental Writing Instructor job market given the pandemic?
John Norton Ph.D.: A need to communicate clearly and creatively through different medium
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Developmental Writing Instructors?
Jessica Early Ph.D.: Teachers who receive their reading endorsement as well as training in the teaching of writing through local sites of the National Writing Project, like the Central Arizona Writing Project at ASU put themselves at an advantage. Also, courses that prepare teachers in culturally sustaining teaching practices and digital literacies will help them meet the needs of diverse student populations and ever-evolving communication tools.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Developmental Writing Instructor job market given the pandemic?
Jessica Early Ph.D.: In the coming years, there will be more need than ever for well-trained teachers in all levels and aspects of schools. There will also be a need to support partnerships with community organizations, family outreach, libraries, and extra-curricular kinds of support to support the academic and social emotion needs of children and their families. There will also be great need for highly skilled teachers in supporting students in digital forms of literacy, writing, and reading practices.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Developmental Writing Instructor job market given the pandemic?
John Rieder: I can only speak to the California community colleges, but we have seen a dramatic drop in enrollments this year, particularly this current spring. I believe as a system, the CCCs are down 10% compared to a year ago. My campus is a couple of points worse than that. This has impacted the English job market significantly. Ours is a field in which our fulltime faculty hires always come from the adjunct/part-time ranks in the region. Right now, with the drop in enrollment and a compression of offerings, it was very hard for any instructors with newly minted M.A.s to get a foot in the door. Several newer part-time instructors (hired in the last couple of years) who managed to secure an assignment in Fall 2019 did not get an offer for the current spring, which is lighter in terms of total sections offered. Obviously, another trend is the necessity of distance-education training. Every college district in my region is handling this a bit differently. My college is particularly strict; those who want a fully online/asynchronous teaching assignment must complete our in-house certification. Some other campuses do accept DE training completed elsewhere. As far as fulltime, tenure-track positions go, we have been fortunate to recruit four new fulltime faculty members since 2019, and we will likely be able to recruit one more in a year who would begin in Fall 2022. Since the short-term economic outlook is going to be okay, our district has committed to replacing all faculty who retire this year.
What technical skills for a Developmental Writing Instructor stand out to employers?
John Rieder: In English, we look for applicants with a demonstrated commitment to the populations we serve in the community college (not just lip service, but proven commitment). Former community-college students and those with peer tutoring experience are always wonderful. We also look for an interest in ongoing professional development, particularly professional development related to "high challenge, high support" classroom instruction, to anti-racist and culturally responsive pedagogy/andragogy, and to overall advancing a culture of care, guidance, equity, and community.
How have salaries changed over time for Developmental Writing Instructors?
John Rieder: I can't speak to this with any kind of certainty. It really does vary district by district. In the last few years prior to the pandemic, our union routinely negotiated small but notable salary increases above COLA for all fulltime and part-time faculty.
What Developmental Writing Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Roselyn Costantino Ph.D.: Most important advice: Take initiative and be productive.
Find practical ways to use skills even if unpaid. Volunteer work is good. Use language skills. Technology skills. Exploit technology skills around the area of interest. If you want to be a teacher find out what software they are using today; what research skills are they utilize. Make sure you log your activities during the gap year especially those that relate to the area in which you want to work. If you want to go into finance, and you're working at a lawn service, understand and learn the business model and the accounting. If you're working at Starbucks (or in any commercial environment), get a chance to do inventories, learn about the ordering process and sources and suppliers for those orders; and how people are scheduled for work. All of that is relevant experience for business.
The CFO and recruiter for Keystone Staffing Solutions emphasized having evidence in your resume of of being productive during the gap time, no matter if it's one, two or three years. Evidence of being productive is what recruiters want to see on your resume: He stresses: "What did you do to expand your knowledge and skills not only in your selected area but beyond. BEING PRODUCTIVE for yourself proves to be an indicator of how productive you will be for me."
Still on gap year. How to go about it? Use teachers, friends, family, anyone in the field or related to it to provide guidance, insight, suggestions. This can lead to projects or experience that will help in learning and growth.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Developmental Writing Instructors in the next 3-5 years?
Roselyn Costantino Ph.D.: New Technologies:
Be on top of all sharing apps; by the time someone claims which to know, new ones will be available so you must be current. Find out what businesses or fields of interest are using. Linkedin is broadly used. Keystone Staffing Solutions CFO stresses: "No matter what you are doing--gap year or full-time job, spend 2 to 3 hours a day on-line, expanding your knowledge of apps major organizations in your field and beyond are using."
Communication Skills:
English Degree: Your degree enables development/expertise in the what are the essential skills in so many professions and businesses: the ability to write critically, be persuasive, and communicate with clarity. Write papers or articles and submit to publications. Start blogs and share ideas with people in your similar situation. Encourage professionals to participate and add advice.
If speaking in public is difficult, take courses. Afraid? Practice starting with children by volunteering or offering free classes for kids. Work up to older children then adults. Build confidence and skill. But importantly, don't underestimate the value of this ability.