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Job outlook for parent educators in the United States
Parent educator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected parent educator job growth rate is 8% from 2018-2028.
About 6,200 new jobs for parent educators are projected over the next decade.
Parent educator salaries have increased 7% for parent educators in the last 5 years.
There are over 5,639 parent educators currently employed in the United States.
There are 7,183 active parent educator job openings in the US.
The average parent educator salary is $38,992.
Are parent educator jobs in demand?
Parent educator job and salary trends over time
Parent educator jobs over time
Parent educator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,639 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,638 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 5,233 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 5,062 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,910 | 0.00% |
Average parent educator salary over time
Parent educator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,992 | $18.75 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $38,239 | $18.38 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $38,025 | $18.28 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $37,192 | $17.88 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $36,319 | $17.46 | +0.3% |
Parent educator jobs by state
Most common states for parent educators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 61 | 5% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 25 | 4% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 38 | 3% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 32 | 3% |
| 5 | Alaska | 739,795 | 19 | 3% |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 18 | 3% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 17 | 3% |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 206 | 2% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 153 | 2% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 127 | 2% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 120 | 2% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 113 | 2% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 77 | 2% |
| 14 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 52 | 2% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 50 | 2% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 38 | 2% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 38 | 2% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 21 | 2% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 19 | 2% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 18 | 2% |
Most common cities for parent educators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Cajon | 1 | 1% | $40,267 |
| 2 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $37,702 |
| 3 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $38,421 |
| 4 | New Orleans | 1 | 0% | $35,266 |
| 5 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $40,329 |
Parent Educator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of parent educator experts
University of Maine
University of California - San Diego
The University of Vermont
King's College
Aultman College
Business Specialist
Washington University in St. Louis
Bethel University
Cabrini University
Ashland University
The College of New Jersey
Michigan State University
Rocky Mountain College
DePauw University
Clemson University
University of Arizona
University of Missouri
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.
Professor, Literacy, Language and CultureUniversity of Maine
Education
What will help Parent Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.: Future graduating education majors can expect to immediately enter the 'survival phase of teaching.' Up to this point, they have had university faculty, university mentors, collaborating teacher mentors, and their peer candidates all supporting their development into excellent professionals in the field of education. However, upon the first minute of the first day of teaching, they will enter the survival phase and, in many cases, they will fight for personal and professional existence.
What general advice would you give to a Parent Educator?
Chris Halter: Like any field, education is changing and adapting to the needs of today. Anyone in education must have strong digital literacy and be able to fluidly integrate the use of technology into their work. Along with that we need data literacy. The ability to understand data and to make decisions based on the data will help guide our decisions. Cultural literacy and competency is also crucial in any social, community-based field. To truly serve others, we must understand the strengths that come from each community.
Ellen Baker
Director of Educator Licensure ProgramsThe University of Vermont
Education Department
What soft skills should all Parent Educators possess?
Ellen Baker: There are many soft skills that we encourage and measure through our Professional Attributes and Dispositions assessment. These are skills like communication (ability to articulate their teaching philosophy and experiences), initiative, collaborative skills, and independence. They also look for candidates who truly enjoy working with ALL students and have a growth mindset and a strengths-based perspective. They believe that all students can learn if the instruction is appropriate to the needs of the students. These often come through in interviews.
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.
Associate Dean of EducationKing's College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Parent Educator resumes?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: I find compassion, communication, collaboration, and accountability stand out the most for me on educator resumes.
What skills stand out on Parent Educator resumes?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: When reviewing resumes, it is always important to view clinical experiences, specialty areas, technical skills (including educational platforms), online teaching, and various course content delivery methods.
What soft skills should all Parent Educators possess?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: Soft skills are important in every professional career. The soft skills that I find most important and look for are enthusiasm to keep listeners' attention, approachability to help answer questions, confidence, and integrity in their work.
Thomas Matula Ph.D.
Professor of Business AdministrationBusiness Specialist
Business Administration Department
What skills stand out on Parent Educator resumes?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The ability to handle the technology and software for remote work. Students who have taken multiple courses online will have an advantage as successful remote learning requires the same skills as successful remote work.
What skills will help Parent Educators earn the most?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The skills to be a successful remote worker and to manage a team remotely. This means having familiarity with both the technology and the habits of successful remote workers.
Andrew Sobel Ph.D.
Director and Professor of Global StudiesWashington University in St. Louis
Global Studies
What hard/technical skills are most important for Parent Educators?
Andrew Sobel Ph.D.: Demonstrable, marketable skills: critical thinking furthered by interdisciplinary study, intercultural sensitivity and awareness, adaptability and flexibility, etc.
Our grads land in a wide variety of settings such as grad school, many head to policy-oriented jobs in DC or in NGOs here and abroad, consultancies, corporate positions, etc.
What skills will help Parent Educators earn the most?
Andrew Sobel Ph.D.: Specific hard skills such as data analysis and computer science will initially produce the largest jump in incomes. Over time, the analytical and intercultural skills often provide our students with the greatest ability to adapt, be flexible, and respond to changing circumstances.
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What experience really stands out on Parent Educator resumes?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: Resume advice can be challenging because a resume review and hiring committee evaluation can be so subjective. Experience in grant writing is always considered valuable, as is (evidenced) ability to analyze data and research and develop data-driven recommendations critically. However, documenting this experience in a compelling and interpretable way is also necessary, which reiterates the importance of researching the hiring organization, role, stakeholders, and perhaps even the search committee members - so that the applicant is best able to translate their experiences into a relevant context.
Further, stand-out experiences will significantly differ, based on their role and context. For example, Dr. Ayrn Baxter, a professor in our program and also an administrator from the University of Idaho and Arizona State University, reminds us about the importance of understanding the shared challenges and contributions/potential synergies between domestic equity and diversity work in higher education and the creation of international educators facilitating internationalization and global engagement.
Amber Gentile
Graduate Secondary Education Program Coordinator, Middle Level Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Teacher EducationCabrini University
Teacher Education Program
What Parent Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Amber Gentile: It is recommended that graduates continuously look to enhance their inter and intrapersonal skill sets. It is when we "push ourselves" beyond our "comfort zones" that growth is maximized. Graduates should get involved in something that matters to them and challenges them. Being passionate about something experienced and of interest helps a teacher candidate to stand out. Volunteering in schools and organizations that are mission-oriented in improving children's lives is very beneficial for both personal and professional growth.
Being involved in experiences interacting with and supporting children's holistic development can help build a skill set to guide future work. Social, emotional, and relationship-building skills are critical in the classroom. The key is knowing how to help students develop these skills. It is also an excellent idea to enhance one's comfort with, and knowledge of, technology and how it can increase engagement and student learning. This enhanced skillset can be accomplished through formal courses, webinars, and personal exploration.
Essential skills include data-driven decision-making, lessons to support kids' social and emotional needs, community building, culturally relevant and sustaining education practices, understanding of trauma-informed practices and instruction, and current best practices in literacy and math instruction are essential.
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian
Assistant Professor of Leadership StudiesAshland University
Dwight Schar College of Education
What soft skills should all Parent Educators possess?
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian: Communication skills are the key soft skills for educators. The ability to communicate ensures that ideas and information are effectively presented during instruction. It also helps regulate the social tone of the learning environment and resolve classroom management issues. Of increasing importance is the ability of educators to effectively engage with their students' families. They need to demonstrate that they are ready and able to initiate contact, establish good relationships, and build trust.
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Parent Educators in the next 5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: I think an increase, though not dramatic. WGSS majors graduate with a capacity to analyze and strategize about a wide range of social justice issues, including racial justice, LGBTQ rights, immigration rights, and disability rights, in addition to gender equity. Very few employers require a degree specifically in WGSS. Still, many employers value the skills students gain through their major, and I would expect social justice skills to be increasingly in demand, across employment sectors, in the coming years. Most WGSS majors take second majors as well, and their combined majors give them an edge in a broad range of fields--including mental health, public health, law, education, politics, business, and government.
Jason Merrill Ph.D.
Professor of RussianMichigan State University
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Parent Educators in the next 5 years?
Jason Merrill Ph.D.: Increases in demand for graduates with Russian knowledge have been forecast for a while, making sense. Russia is the largest country globally and has a massive presence in world affairs, becoming increasingly active.
Elizabeth McNamer
Assistant ProfessorRocky Mountain College
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Parent Educators to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth McNamer: Every state.
What type of skills will young Parent Educators need?
Rachel Goldberg Ph.D.: We consistently hear from employers that they need employees who have strong communication skills, written and oral, problem-solving and collaboration, the ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances, and the ability to work through difficulties collectively. Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) majors are taught to excel in all these areas. The world will continue to change, so our ability to analyze, adapt, problem-solve, and collectively solve problems is what will help us all continue to survive and thrive. All the DePauw PACS majors graduate as trained mediators, and I consistently hear from them once they enter the work world that they were told they rose to the top of the pile of applicants because they had that skill set.
What experience really stands out on Parent Educator resumes?
Pamela Stecker Ph.D.: Because I am not hiring teachers, I am not sure how resumes always are perceived. However, I know that our particular education majors are highly sought after, particularly in our state/region. School district personnel know that they can count on our graduates' knowledge and field-based experience in evidence-based methods.
District personnel often tell our faculty that our grads were impressive when they interviewed because they could discuss practices in academic progress monitoring, data-based decision making, explicit instructional strategies, behavior and classroom management, and functional behavior assessments. Many of our students list these practices on their resumes as part of the brief descriptions of activities they engaged in during particular field placements or student teaching.
Most of our students have been able to list various extracurricular experiences with individuals with disabilities on their resumes as well. Clemson faculty and student groups provide multiple opportunities for engagement with individuals with disabilities. For example, ClemsonLIFE is a postsecondary program for young adults with disabilities seeking a university experience. Our majors (and others) work as teachers of life-skills classes, as resident assistants in apartments, and as buddies when working out or going to movies.
A faculty member organized TOPSoccer and Challenger Baseball as sports activities for youth in the local counties. Our student chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children hosts Special Olympics games on Clemson's campus for area youth. Additionally, many of our majors volunteer at summer camps or as assistants with behavior therapy.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Parent Educators, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Bryan Carter Ph.D.: Starting salaries for assistant professors are decent. Not great, but will be above the poverty line. It will depend on the type of academic position one receives. Salary prospects for those with digital skillsets will be higher over the years.
Dr. Stephen Graves Ph.D
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Missouri
Department of Black Studies
What Parent Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Stephen Graves Ph.D: If they plan on taking a gap year before going back to grad/law school or work, it would be wise for those students to stay current. A lot can happen in a year so students would be smart to stay current in their field's professional trends. You don't want to be left behind or out of the loop with current trends in your industry. Identify the most critical skill in your field and work hard on it. Stay relevant, stay in tune with the trends, and work on your personal development.