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Job outlook for instructional designers in the United States
Instructional designer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected instructional designer job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 15,000 new jobs for instructional designers are projected over the next decade.
Instructional designer salaries have increased 7% for instructional designers in the last 5 years.
There are over 99,114 instructional designers currently employed in the United States.
There are 50,321 active instructional designer job openings in the US.
The average instructional designer salary is $57,534.
Are instructional designer jobs in demand?
Instructional designer job and salary trends over time
Instructional designer jobs over time
Instructional designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 99,114 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 93,834 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 94,764 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 87,910 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 84,473 | 0.03% |
Average instructional designer salary over time
Instructional designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $57,534 | $27.66 | +1.0% |
| 2025 | $56,950 | $27.38 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $55,369 | $26.62 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $54,768 | $26.33 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $53,659 | $25.80 | +0.3% |
Instructional designer jobs by state
Most common states for instructional designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 245 | 35% |
| 2 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 480 | 12% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 770 | 10% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 656 | 10% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 777 | 9% |
| 6 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,040 | 8% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 253 | 8% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 111 | 8% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 756 | 7% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 418 | 7% |
| 11 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 376 | 7% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 77 | 7% |
| 13 | Vermont | 623,657 | 45 | 7% |
| 14 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,169 | 6% |
| 15 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 755 | 6% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 389 | 6% |
| 17 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 215 | 6% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 108 | 6% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 97 | 6% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 43 | 6% |
Most common cities for instructional designers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 15 | 38% | $64,051 |
| 2 | Frankfort | 3 | 11% | $42,814 |
| 3 | Bethesda | 3 | 5% | $63,370 |
| 4 | Lansing | 3 | 3% | $61,804 |
| 5 | Atlanta | 9 | 2% | $52,974 |
| 6 | Irvine | 6 | 2% | $62,749 |
| 7 | Hartford | 3 | 2% | $77,179 |
| 8 | Little Rock | 3 | 2% | $50,343 |
| 9 | Boston | 8 | 1% | $65,245 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge | 3 | 1% | $47,153 |
| 11 | Des Moines | 3 | 1% | $42,673 |
| 12 | Philadelphia | 7 | 0% | $58,035 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 7 | 0% | $50,655 |
| 14 | Chicago | 5 | 0% | $54,870 |
| 15 | New York | 5 | 0% | $66,067 |
| 16 | Houston | 4 | 0% | $53,273 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 4 | 0% | $42,473 |
| 18 | Denver | 3 | 0% | $54,640 |
Instructional Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of instructional designer experts
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Indiana University Bloomington
Robert Morris University
Armstrong State University
Illinois State University
Edgewood College
Nyack College
Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
University of Central Missouri
The Catholic University of America
Rocky Mountain College
Central Connecticut State University
University of Puget Sound
Tarleton State University
Indiana University Bloomington
University of West Georgia
University of Mary Washington
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Dr. Michael Menchaca: While it is important to have specialized knowledge of industry-standard tools such as Articulate, AI, etc., it is more important to understand design-thinking and possess strong problem-solving skills. Understanding and utilizing a design framework is key to the creation of contemporary learning systems.
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Michael Menchaca: Possess a health balance of general design skills and specific tool knowledge. Understand which tools are prevalent by reviewing job descriptions (AI does a great job of this) and augment your skill set. Don't wait for your graduate program to cover every tool; sometimes you have to learn some on your own. Practice presentation and interview skills and look for practicums and internships in your program.
What will help Instructional Designers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Michael Menchaca: Funny you should ask. Artificial Intelligence is not over-hyped even though it may feel that way from the barrage of media and articles about it. If graduates don't at least have a working understanding of AI, especially as it relates to education, then they are behind. I especially advise that ed tech graduates practice prompt engineering and research AI as it relates to their specific areas of interest and expertise. In addition, complex problem-solving and understanding of cognition and neurosciences will be key.
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.
Department Chair of Learning, Design, and Adult Education, LDAE, Associate Professor of Instructional Systems Technology, ISTIndiana University Bloomington
Educational/Instructional Media Design
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.: Experience may help with maximizing salary potential as one enters the career in my field. Generally, degree programs offer various options for that, e.g., Indiana University has a studio-based option for a residential MS program, or course projects with clients (both in online and residential programs), internships, service learning, being involved in research projects. If a starting job candidate can show evidence from various experiences in their graduation portfolio (website), it may help them maximize the salary potential as they start their career.
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.: Adaptability, flexibility, and being open to continuously learning (after the degree completion). Technology, learning environments, learning needs, and content to be mastered by the learners are constantly changing. The educational technologist has to be open to learn continuously and change and adapt to the changes happening in these areas. Additionally, soft skills such as being a team member and clear communication are very important, as educational technologists work in a team or lead a team.
What will help Instructional Designers increase their earning potential?
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.: Everyone needs to start somewhere. Learn most from each experience in the field and build your resume, experiences, and skills.
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Dr. Richard Fuller: AI is growing and becoming more and more part of the lexicon of teaching and learning in all areas of prek-12, higher education, and corporate training and development. This will need to be understood on both the offensive side, which is using AI as pedagogy as well as the defensive side to combat academic integrity issues. Online teaching and learning, in both synchronous and asynchronous modalities in addition to more traditional f2f methodologies and pedagogies, will become more and more important as Universities look for more sustainable tools. Much was learned during the pandemic lock-down and this knowledge and skill are being used in a post-pandemic world. Keep an open mind to new innovations in curriculum design and different theories and methods to map, align, and develop curriculum. This ever-changing dynamic is grounded, however, in the fundamentals that were learned through your degree. Additionally, stay up on all the technology that is advancing. This is key in the C&I; and the instructional design world. Tech moves very fast and what you know today is outmoded tomorrow. C&I; must stay current and active to assist others through teaching and design. Knowing how to use tech and different software is tantamount to success as an instructional designer or teacher.
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Richard Fuller: Be open to opportunities that will present themselves in Prek-12, higher education or corporate training and development. Many places will see the value in hiring employees with the knowledge and skills that come with a Curriculum and Instruction (C&I;) degree and will create positions accordingly. Most organizations see the value of a training and development department with specific uses. Hospitals, k-12 schools, for profit organizations and nonprofit organization incorporate instructional designers with a curriculum and instruction degree. Even higher education (HE) hire instructional designers to work with faculty. HE faculty are subject matter experts but don’t know about instruction or curriculum or how to teach online or in person f2f. They also don’t understand the value or how to design and develop curriculum and transfer that to the classroom. PreK-12 utilize C&I; grads as both trainers and as coordinators of curriculum. This may require an advanced degree (graduate or doctoral), but nonetheless, it is an opportunity and something to think about as you progress through your career. Training and Development is an obvious opportunity in many corporations and organizations as C&I; prepared graduates have a body of knowledge and skills that align with training needs in designing and delivering training for corporate and organizational initiatives in all areas. There are those with a C&I; degree who also hold teaching certificates in some area of Prek-12. This may open other doors for them in teaching in the classroom but with the degree may present additional opportunities in an organization’s administrative capacity or training.
What will help Instructional Designers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Richard Fuller: First, know your value going into an interview. What are you really worth? Do your homework on what the salary range for the role is and the going rate with comparable jobs. Second, maximize your experiences and don’t undersell them on your resume/cv. Without embellishing, state your roles and experience in the best light utilizing wording that truly represents what you have done. Build on the experiences that you had during your undergraduate and graduate degrees (if appropriate). Third, be willing to walk away if they don’t meet your needs not only in salary but also in the role of the job and what you will be doing on a daily basis, with and for whom. If they want you they will come to your needs. Remember, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You have power in that this is your life and your job and you need to decide if they are going to meet your needs. Don’t just settle if it is not right. Vet the job out completely and then decide.
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Dr. Kymberly Harris PhD: New graduates entering the field of Curriculum & Instruction should prioritize building a diverse skill set, staying current with educational trends, and actively seeking opportunities for professional development. Cultivating strong verbal and written communication skills will enhance collaboration with colleagues, parents, and students. Adapting to evolving educational methodologies, such as culturally relevant pedagogies, will contribute to long-term success.
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kymberly Harris PhD: In the coming years, proficiency in educational technology is expected to become increasingly important. Graduates should focus on honing their skills in integrating digital tools into the curriculum, leveraging data for informed decision-making, and staying abreast of advancements in online and blended learning environments. Additionally, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in education will be crucial for educators to create inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments.
What will help Instructional Designers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kymberly Harris PhD: In the coming years, proficiency in educational technology is expected to become increasingly important. Graduates should focus on honing their skills in integrating digital tools into the curriculum, leveraging data for informed decision-making, and staying abreast of advancements in online and blended learning environments. Additionally, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in education will be crucial for educators to create inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments.
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Anthony Piña Ed.D.: If you have not done so already, become active in professional associations that align to your career interests. Attend (and consider presenting at) their professional conferences. This will be a source of professional development, networking, and future employment opportunities. Look for opportunities to gain practical experience-even as a volunteer. For example, if you have an interest in instructional design, you may check out Designers for Learning (designersforlearning.org), which can match you with service-learning opportunities. You should become familiar with the instructional designer competencies from the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (ibstpi.org) and work on those in which you might have less training or experience.
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Anthony Piña Ed.D.: Educational Technology is a very broad field with practitioners in various work settings and with differing emphases and responsibilities. Ultimately, potential employers of both full-timers and consultants will want to now 1) what you can do and 2) what you have done. Depending upon your career emphasis, you can: 1) spend some time with trial software and tutorials to gain expertise in specific applications; 2) co-author articles and co-present at conferences to build up your name recognition and credentials; 3) see if colleagues will allow you to participate in their projects: 4) do not pass up opportunities to work-even if it is low-paid or volunteer with non-profits, civic groups, etc. to build your experience and resume--so many of these lead to future jobs.
What will help Instructional Designers increase their earning potential?
Anthony Piña Ed.D.: Working with and leading people-including managing conflict-is undertaught in our current ed tech programs. Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning will continue to rise in importance. Those going into industry (and increasingly in academe) are expected to have skills in multimedia/video production and interactive authoring, e.g., Articulate, Adobe Captivate. Of course, an ed tech professional will be expected to be up-to-speed in the use and affordances of AI.
Dr. Tom Holub Ph.D.
Director of Curriculum & InstructionEdgewood College
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Designer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Tom Holub Ph.D.: From my vantage point, and the research we are engaging in, it is clear that emotional wellness has been, and will continue to become, a major issue in society. The wide-ranging concerns for emotional and mental health cross lines of all demographics. Specialist, interventionists and therapists will be needed for children and adults post-pandemic. The specialization of needs, for example in adolescent interaction with the pandemic, will further complicate our nation's critical needs in this area. To this end, the opportunities for employment will grow in our field and the benfits of high quality training programs will become a priority.
How have salaries changed over time for Instructional Designers?
Dr. Tom Holub Ph.D.: There has been great stability in the field, with salaries increasing over time. The new and improved alliances with insurance companies have eased some pressure that families have felt. Previously, in many cases, families did not seek out the assistance of a certified RPSE because of the hourly fees. More contemporarily insurance coverage has made this access much better. The efficacy of our interventions is increased when families do not have deep-seated worries about paying for these necessary services.
What technical skills for an Instructional Designer stand out to employers?
David Emanuel Ph.D.: I think employers are especially looking out for students that have acquired strong technical skills along with their major. Graduates with knowledge of Zoom, GoogleMeets, social media, etc., are more likely to impress employers. Here, it is not just the ability to use existing technological platforms, but also the willingness to learn and adapt to new technological changes in the workplace. Along with the newer applications, a sound knowledge of basic programs such as MS Word and Excel also helps to distinguish students.
What's a good job out of college for Instructional Designers?
David Emanuel Ph.D.: With a degree in biblical studies, especially at Nyack College, graduate students have at least two options. Either the academic route, furthering their education at a seminary or secular institution. Many of our students have taken this route, and have continued to doctoral studies at a variety of institutions, both in the US and abroad. Alternatively, students have entered the job market serving in a variety of different roles. Most commonly students work for local churches, specifically in the area of teaching. Outside of the church, however, a good option is teaching at private Christian schools. A third great option, if the student possesses strong writing skills, is to enter the world of editing, specifically for books centered around Bible and Theology.
Anonymous Professor
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Anonymous Professor : Getting a degree in Africana Studies or any other similar major (e.g., Ethnic Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, etc.), is no different from getting a degree in any other Arts & Sciences department, in the sense that it provides a strong liberal arts education, but in an interdisciplinary field, that provides an additional lens for studying the same things students study in "traditional" academic disciplines.
Students with these degrees graduate college with the same career options available to them as those graduating from any other Arts and Science degree. Some go to graduate or professional school, others enter the labor market across a variety of fields, including finance.
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Abby Guido: We've all heard the buzz about networking, and there is so much buzz because it works. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is both up to date and active. Connect with all of your past professors, classmates, and anyone and everyone you meet in a professional setting. I often tell students to get into the habit of searching for any classroom guests, or guest lecturers, to connect, thank them for their time, and build their network. Share content. Write articles, or reshare those you find interesting.
Every job I have ever received in my career has been through someone else I know. I share this with students to help them see the value in relationships. I always remember the students that took the time to write a handwritten thank-you note. And I think of them when I get an email asking if I know any students are looking for work.
Lea Porta
InstructorUniversity of Central Missouri
Early Childhood Education Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Designers?
Lea Porta: Endure, yes, we must endure. The students I've encountered are facing these challenges head on and then overcoming these new obstacles. These students are thinking on their feet! Learning and even adapting to real time change. Although, I wish none of us were in this position, it has moved the bar and standards up. I think our students are achieving lifelong skills.
Agnes Cave Ph.D.
Chair, Director of Teacher Education, Coordinator, Master's in Learning and Instruction, Coordinator, Elementary Education, Associate Professor of EducationThe Catholic University of America
Department of Education
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Agnes Cave Ph.D.: a. Students in general need more support in a virtual classroom. Those students who have exceptionalities or other needs, such as English Language Learners, need even more scaffolding and assistance. Differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all students including those with special needs or ELL learners is one of the most important and also most difficult skills to learn to implement with real students in a real classroom. Differentiating instruction for all learners in a virtual environment is probably the most challenging task that the majority of teachers have not been prepared for intentionally.
b. Teachers must use assessment data to inform their instruction. Today, we have access to more and more data, so the new skill that teachers have to learn is working with, managing, and analyzing big data in order to understand trends in their students' learning.
c. As I mentioned before, becoming a proficient end user of technology platforms is now a basic skill, the foundation upon which differentiation and all other aspects of teaching rest. Thus, learning more technology including apps, programs, and platforms has become an essential skill that teachers can learn about in their formal and informal professional development. For example, it's not enough to be able to use Zoom and allow all parties to be able to share their screens, the teacher will have to be very good at using the Zoom breakout room feature without a glitch. It's also important to learn to troubleshoot technical glitches.
d. In our ever-evolving, exponentially growing technological society, new technology appears daily. It's important to explore, identify, evaluate, and adopt new digital resources and tools for learning and instruction. I recommend reading useful sources of educational technology and its use in the classroom. It's not enough though to learn about learning apps. Teachers must also learn how to use these learning apps (e.g., Duolingo), programs (e.g., Literably for reading levels), and platforms (e.g. Kahn Academy) to their advantage in the classroom; for instance, for flipping the classroom to create more time for meaningful learning in person and on the screen.
e. Ethical and legal questions have always abound in the field of education, but recently more and more topics require ethical decision making and legal knowledge. Teachers and educator preparation candidates should make sure that they familiarize themselves with topics, such as privacy in online instruction; safe, ethical and legal practice of digital media and tools; protection of intellectual rights and property; management of personal data and digital identity; and protection of student data privacy.
f. Teachers and educator preparation candidates looking for employment will also have to learn how to present themselves virtually to employers, so I recommend practicing interviewing skills by themselves on HandShake, an interviewing platform offered by universities or practice with a career expert at their University Career Center.
g. Good teachers are life-long learners. They continue upskilling and learning more about their content by reading textbooks, primary sources, and literature - but it's not sufficient to read only research literature, it's essential to read high-quality literature! Teachers should also stay current with research that supports improved student learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences. In order to keep up with the latest research findings, I recommend that teachers read research articles of effective teaching strategies in their content area.
h. How and where can future teachers practice if they are not in the classroom? They can always find students who need help. Students can be family members, friends' children, neighbors, or school children whose parents look for paid or unpaid additional support. Thus I recommend tutoring students in the age group educator preparation candidates are learning to teach. Even after multiple field experiences in practica and student teaching, more practice is always useful, especially in a virtual environment. Practice teaching online (especially alternative ways of delivering hands-on activities for students of all ages) and implementing behavior management techniques for young online learners.
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Agnes Cave Ph.D.: a. Start professional networking now (e.g., on LinkedIn).
b. Reach out to principals to introduce yourself and inquire about job opportunities. If you are able to, offer to tutor a few students to be able to learn more about the school and give them the opportunity to learn about you.
c. Think strategically about your teaching career
-Do you first want to go to grad school? If yes, in what area?
-Do you want to start teaching? In what type of school? Reach out to alumni of your program to establish relationships and ask professional questions. Introduce yourself and see if they can also put in a good word for you or help you get an interview.
-Until you are hired, are you interested in teaching students in pods during the pandemic or in the summer? Teaching in pods provides great practice and a decent income until you can get a full-time job.
d. Important skills for teachers in the classroom (besides all aspects of teaching)
-Flexibility, adaptability to change
-Time management and prioritization
-Collaboration with others
-Effective oral and written communication
-Interest in innovation and creativity
-Ethics and legal matters, moral code in teaching
Precious McKenzie Ph.D.
Associate Professor of EnglishRocky Mountain College
Division Chair for Humanities & Fine Arts
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Designer job market given the pandemic?
Precious McKenzie Ph.D.: The pandemic has brought many new and unexpected challenges. The job market seems to be evolving. As companies have shifted to virtual meetings and remote work, employers will continue to need employees with time management and communication skills. They will need employees who are team builders. These are essential qualities especially when teams are unable to meet face-to-face because of COVID-19.
What skills stand out on Instructional Designer resumes?
Precious McKenzie Ph.D.: Employers in the United States and in Europe look for tech skills (database skills, Excel, Adobe and such), but they also acknowledge that they can train employees on how to use technology. What employers cannot teach are skills such as critical thinking and communication, including writing and public speaking. I firmly believe that if a college student majors or minors in English, this will set them apart from the competition in the job market. I have talked with scientists, engineers, and business people who bemoan the fact that professionals in their fields have difficulty with writing, researching, and public speaking. My advice: pick up a minor in English. It will serve you well. In the interest of full disclosure, I am an English professor.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Designers to find work opportunities?
Precious McKenzie Ph.D.: The larger cities seem to have more opportunities available, places such as Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis; yet, there are opportunities in smaller towns across the U.S. The questions then become personal: do you want to work for a large corporation or a smaller one? Are you willing to relocate? Regarding specific industries, engineering seems to remain strong as does healthcare, software engineering, and digital media. Education is seeing massive changes because of COVID-19. Quite a few of my undergraduate students in the field of English go on to law school.
Mary Collins
Professor, Creative Writing/Nonfiction, Program Coordinator, Writing Minors, Career/Internship AdvisorCentral Connecticut State University
English Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Designer job market given the pandemic?
Mary Collins: Those in the performing arts have been decimated by the pandemic, having lost jobs at a rate unseen in nearly any other category. Those in the writing/editing fields have had more luck because their skills translate better to virtual work. Indeed, many big companies must build a much better platform online and in virtual meetings etc. They rely heavily on good writers/editors to help them pull that off. Instead of in-person meetings, maybe they have a newsletter now, for example, to sustain a sense of community among employees.
The writing market for places like Buzzfeed, Bitch, Vice, and other media is glutted with young writers out of work who think they can freelance good pieces. The end result is overwhelmed editors going through huge slush piles to find the good work and then offering less money for it. The best answer: find a company or organization and to hire you on as a steady employee or consistent contractor. Again, these types of organizations are looking for workers.
What Instructional Designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mary Collins: The pandemic has altered the gap-year entirely. In general, I encourage students to travel overseas if they can since many Americans remain very provincial in their education and we live in a global economy. But that's not possible now. Given that we must be in a virtual market, I recommend skill-building. Do they know Chromecast, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Zoom? Can they advance their writing skills and also add other communication skills such as audio and video editing or In-Design?
What general advice would you give to an Instructional Designer?
Mary Collins: The main point: your career STARTS IN COLLEGE. The one best place to secure good skills is at the university itself. You can take on tasks at the Student Center that no company would hire you for because you are so inexperienced. So edit the literary journal, write for the newspaper, work for the radio station. Take an internship for course credit. Those that do these things and secure a good faculty mentor do much better when they get out than students who do not. Indeed, national studies show that these factors are more important than the school you go to by far.
Sue Dahlin
Associate Director of Career and Employer EngagementUniversity of Puget Sound
Career and Employment Services
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Designer job market given the pandemic?
Sue Dahlin: Virtual isn't going anywhere for a while, so get comfortable with going through an entirely virtual hiring process.
What skills stand out on Instructional Designer resumes?
Sue Dahlin: The resume should be tailored specifically to the role you're applying for. When required or preferred skills that were mentioned in the job description are included in your resume, they'll be excited to talk to you. If the job requires familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite, I would expect to see how you've used those tools over the course of your experiences, not just buried in a laundry list of skills at the bottom of the resume.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Instructional Designers to find work opportunities?
Sue Dahlin: As History majors can go a lot of different directions with their degree, that's harder to pinpoint, but I can say this: when job markets tighten, it really helps for a candidate to be flexible about as much as possible, including where (geographically and by type of organization) they'll consider working. Starting in locations where you have a good network can be a good strategy. Always look at that first role out of school as a learning opportunity and a chance to build new skills. You don't have to be tied to it forever.
Amber Diaz
Assistant Professor, Department HeadTarleton State University
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Instructional Designer job market given the pandemic?
Amber Diaz: When we think about the education landscape, a significant change will be the preparation of teachers who will teach in a variety of platforms. Many school districts across the nation had to teach in ways they had never done so before. What the pandemic taught us is how we can actually be more effective in our jobs as educators. We learned the importance and need to stay current and learn technology applications that support rich learning. This will create a larger and more diverse educational community in which families may want to continue to opt for students learning from home.
Krista Glazewski
Professor & Department ChairIndiana University Bloomington
Department of Instructional Systems Technology
What experience really stands out on Instructional Designer resumes?
Krista Glazewski: These positions might be called instructional designers, learning designers, learning specialists, educational technologists, course designers, training developers, or learning engineers. But they all have one thing in common - people in these positions are skilled in developing creative solutions that meet a wide range of instructional and training needs. Employers generally like well-rounded and flexible individuals - someone who can work individually or on a diverse team. Something that stands out on resumes is when people show range. This might be a range of skill or format or technical expertise or any combination.
For example, it is excellent if someone can showcase that they have designed everything from webinars through entire curricular progressions and anything in between. It also helps when applicants can show that they can prepare for instructor-led or self-paced experiences. And it's valuable if applicants show that they can reason about complex issues to enhance learning and performance for a wide range of diverse learners. So I also think it's essential for applicants to show the content of inclusive and culturally relevant strategies. More specifically, I think employers are looking to see how applicants can visit the complexities of learning issues and meet those with practical, on-the-ground solutions.
Furthermore, designers have to be good communicators, making sure that everything in the application, resume, and portfolio showcases strong communication skills. I also think employers also want to see technical skills, but I mean this broadly. If you have visual design skills or media expertise, or programming competence, find a way to showcase it.
What type of skills will young Instructional Designers need?
Ye Chen Ph.D.: Graduates with educational technology (Ed Tech) degrees commonly work as instructional designers, technology/media specialists, trainers, e-learning developers in k12 school, university, military, company, or government. The skills employers usually want in Ed Tech graduates include:
- Instructional design skills for analyzing instructional needs and designing & developing effective instructional solutions.
- Technical skills in utilizing technology to develop and implement instruction. At the same time, they are expected to understand how to integrate technology into instructional settings in a pedagogically meaningful way.
- Communication skills are essential as their work roles heavily rely on effective communication with content experts, clients, trainees/students, etc. throughout the instructional design process
Janine Davis Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Mary Washington
College of Education
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Instructional Designers?
Janine Davis Ph.D.: For our teacher education graduates, the impact of the pandemic will most likely work in their favor when it comes to finding jobs-the pandemic has led to many retirements, which will mean that we will need even more teachers to fill those empty positions. At the same time, the advent of increased virtual learning means that it will no longer be an option that teachers know and use technology, including teaching online and using learning management and data analysis systems-those skills will almost certainly be a non-negotiable for future teaching positions. Finally, I think that this event has highlighted the importance of working as part of a team of teachers and other school leaders.