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Job outlook for literacy specialists in the United States
Literacy specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected literacy specialist job growth rate is -6% from 2018-2028.
About -2,800 new jobs for literacy specialists are projected over the next decade.
Literacy specialist salaries have increased 9% for literacy specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 10,954 literacy specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 2,562 active literacy specialist job openings in the US.
The average literacy specialist salary is $59,520.
Are literacy specialist jobs in demand?
Literacy specialist job and salary trends over time
Literacy specialist jobs over time
Literacy specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,954 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 11,402 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 12,071 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 12,023 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 12,162 | 0.00% |
Average literacy specialist salary over time
Literacy specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $59,520 | $28.62 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $58,445 | $28.10 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | $57,670 | $27.73 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $56,025 | $26.94 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $54,466 | $26.19 | +0.7% |
Literacy specialist jobs by state
Most common states for literacy specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 610 | 11% |
| 2 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 302 | 10% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 66 | 10% |
| 4 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 224 | 7% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 38 | 7% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 122 | 6% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 62 | 6% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 46 | 6% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 43 | 6% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 37 | 6% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 471 | 5% |
| 12 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 347 | 5% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 276 | 5% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 72 | 5% |
| 15 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 67 | 5% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 55 | 5% |
| 17 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 47 | 5% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 478 | 4% |
| 19 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 125 | 4% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 65 | 4% |
Most common cities for literacy specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester | 1 | 1% | $57,584 |
| 2 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $52,674 |
Literacy Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of literacy specialist experts
Boise State University
Tennessee Tech University
University of Guam
Wayne State University
Concordia University, St. Paul
Alverno College
University of Idaho
Ross Perkins Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Educational TechnologyBoise State University
Educational/Instructional Media Design
What will help Literacy Specialists increase their earning potential?
Ross Perkins Ph.D.: The job attracts people who are curious and who are problem-solvers. Those who tend not to stay in the profession are those who are relegated to doing routine maintenance or only getting to implement devices in a context where all decisions are made at the top and passed down.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Literacy Specialists?
Jeremy Wendt: The tech skills needed in any curricular environment vary by industry. Within a K-12 school system, educational technologies are widely applied and help manage assignments, grades, attendance, and engage students. Instructional designers will find more technical software that is specific to the organization but will be designed to help employees build curriculum efficiently and effectively. In either case, foundational technology courses are ideal for baseline knowledge, and professional development through conferences and networking will enhance the skillset for a career.
Matthew Limtiaco
Assistant Professor of Elementary EducationUniversity of Guam
School of Education
What skills stand out on Literacy Specialist resumes?
Matthew Limtiaco: An appreciation for the diversity in any given classroom is critical, along with the skills and commitment toward meeting the needs of students who come from a myriad of family backgrounds, social settings, belief systems, economic statuses', and histories of access and familiarity with our education system.
Each student brings with them a completely different set of skills, interests, fears, and struggles. Our capacity for empathy, honesty, and resourcefulness directly translates to student and classroom experience. Teachers reach students when they have the tools to connect with each student, show them that they are caring adults, and help each student realize their potential through measurable development in content areas as well as soft skills.
This is true online or in face-to-face settings. Online classrooms teachers are maximizing the reduced window of interaction with students by streamlining the delivery and assessment of content. No doubt, this priority is influenced by a culture of results-oriented teaching based on narrow measures. This compromise is made with a cost. Efforts toward social-emotional support should be increased in online classes, while content expectations should be relaxed during perhaps the most stressful time our young ones and their families have faced in their lives. Any absence of empathy and soft skill development in online settings is a product of decades-old priorities placed on high-stakes tests based on national standards.
Teachers entering the field should have a strong understanding of the need for social-emotional support and an ability to meet the needs of diverse students.
Dr. Leah Ketcheson
Assistant Professor, Health and Physical Education Teaching (H-PET)Wayne State University
Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies
What hard/technical skills are most important for Literacy Specialists?
Dr. Leah Ketcheson: Keeping the delivery of content up to date with multiple forms of representation. Students must digest content in various ways, such as through presentations, videos, discussion boards, etc.
What skills will help Literacy Specialists earn the most?
Dr. Leah Ketcheson: Hard work, resiliency, and creativity.
What skills stand out on Literacy Specialist resumes?
Dr. Leah Ketcheson: Flexibility with the delivery of course content. We like to feel confident our instructors are ready to teach online, in person, or in a hybrid model.
Dr. Barbara Wissink
Associate Professor of Education, Program Chair: Master of Education: with an Emphasis in Literacy with the additional MN K-12 Reading EndorsementConcordia University, St. Paul
Graduate Teacher Education
What skills stand out on Literacy Specialist resumes?
Dr. Barbara Wissink: First and foremost, the candidate needs to have the required credentials in the specific curriculum area they seek to become specialized in. For example, if a candidate was interested in becoming a literacy coach or reading specialist, they would need to highlight the specific license, endorsement, or certificate required in their state. This means that the candidate needs to research their state's specialist requirements before committing to a graduate program, ensuring that they will have the correct credentials when they complete the program.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Literacy Specialists?
Dr. Barbara Wissink: For curriculum and instructional specialists, having the right credentials is essential. For example, a literacy specialist needs to have a strong foundation in K-12 literacy provided by an accredited graduate school program. After completing the graduate program, most states require testing to add the specialist license or endorsement to the candidate's initial teaching license.
In addition, a strong understanding of assessment and experience in data analysis will ensure that the candidate can utilize the testing results to discern the best instructional plan for the students they are serving. Curriculum and instruction specialists often mentor and coach K-12 teachers on utilizing their students' assessment data to improve their teaching.
Desiree Pointer Mac Ph.D.
Professor of Education, Director of Graduate Education ProgramsAlverno College
School of Professional Studies, Education Division
What soft skills should all Literacy Specialists possess?
Desiree Pointer Mac Ph.D.: For example, an international curriculum specialist should have the ability to conceptualize, which is to say, they deeply understand the relevant content and learning theory required. In this case, an international curriculum specialist should be widely and deeply read in curriculum theory, current research, and the key debates across contexts. But if we are merely knowledgeable or adept in conceptualization ability alone, we lack other essential abilities. Educators must also have the ability to communicate, that is, to speak clearly, listen effectively, be attentive to subtle non-verbal cues, be responsive to cultural nuance, and be adept in the use of technology to facilitate all of the above.
Taylor Raney Ph.D.
Director of Teacher Education, Associate Chair, Associate ProfessorUniversity of Idaho
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Literacy Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Taylor Raney Ph.D.: I don't see any technology becoming more important, aside from perhaps expanded access to high-quality Internet, in the next 3-5 years. As long as technology can connect the people behind it to each other, that's what's going to be necessary to get through the world's current state.