How To Become An English Composition Teacher: What It Is and Career Path

What is an english composition teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Peter Alter Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an english composition teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $25.65 an hour? That's $53,348 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 an english composition teacher?

Peter Alter Ph.D.

Professor of Teacher Education, Saint Mary's College of California

Public school salary systems are determined by years of teaching (sometimes called Steps) and level of education. Get a Master's degree. Add an authorization via coursework. Anything that will move you over a column on the salary schedule. Then figure out your side hustle- coaching, tutoring, doing something completely away from education. This may be challenging in your first year but as you get acclimated, you are going to have more time that you will be able to monetize.

ScoreEnglish Composition TeacherUS Average

Salary

4.2

Avg. Salary $53,348

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 11.30%

Black or African American 7.10%

Hispanic or Latino 10.12%

Unknown 4.93%

White 66.28%

Gender

female 60.84%

male 39.16%

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 an english composition teacher

Explore english composition teacher education requirements

Most common english composition teacher degrees

Bachelor's

63.1 %

Master's

29.2 %

Associate

2.3 %

Start to develop specific english composition teacher skills

Skills	Percentages
Course Curriculum	43.40%
Freshman	20.75%
Syllabus	12.62%
State Standards	8.37%
ESL	8.23%

Research english composition teacher duties and responsibilities

Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
Develop curriculum and syllabus to introduce native and non-native English speaking undergraduates to the foundations of academic writing.
Challenge students to master basic math concepts through implementation of manipulative graphing, and charting exercises that develop problem-solving skills.
Learned and teach IELTS preparation.

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