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What is a personal finance instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Rodney Foster

Personal finance instructors teach students financial literacy skills, such as making a budget, balancing a checkbook, and basic investing. Sometimes, a personal finance instructor may even teach students about general economic topics so that they can understand what is going on in the news and follow trends in the markets. They can work with high school students taking their first step in financial independence, with undergraduates, or with adults in need of extra support as they navigate the real world. Many of a personal finance instructor's daily duties are just like that of any other teacher. They need to plan lessons, lead engaging classroom discussions, and grade student assignments to make sure that they are grasping the material.

Helping other people manage their money can definitely pay off for your own wallet. A personal finance instructor earns on average $47,121 a year.

Most personal finance instructors have bachelor's degrees in finance or a related field. Any additional qualifications they need depend on where they teach. Personal finance instructors that teach in public schools need a teaching license, while many who teach privately only need their bachelor's degree, maybe a certificate, and a lot of financial know-how.

What general advice would you give to a personal finance instructor?

Rodney FosterRodney Foster LinkedIn profile

Instructor - Aviation Maintenance Technology Instructor - Airframe & Powerplant Technology, Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College (OCC) teaches Aircraft Maintenance Technology (AMT) and Avionics. Although the Government has dampened air travel by putting up restrictions to prevent a Covid-19 spread, there is still a certified mechanic/skilled labor shortage. I believe all our students will have permanent jobs within a six-month search. OCC AMT is listed as an essential workforce by the state of California and is back in classes full-time, Face-to-face labs, and online lectures. Our next semester registration maximum filled in two days and still has over 35 additional students per class on the waiting list.
ScorePersonal Finance InstructorUS Average
Salary
7.5

Avg. Salary $95,892

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.9

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.59%

Asian 8.16%

Black or African American 12.73%

Hispanic or Latino 13.44%

Unknown 5.70%

White 59.39%

Gender

female 54.78%

male 45.22%

Age - 43
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 - 43
Stress level
4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Personal finance instructor career paths

Key steps to become a personal finance instructor

  1. Explore personal finance instructor education requirements

    Most common personal finance instructor degrees

    Bachelor's

    56.5 %

    Master's

    24.0 %

    Associate

    7.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific personal finance instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    PowerPoint28.05%
    Derivative19.18%
    Syllabus13.41%
    Economics6.84%
    Financial Management6.28%
  3. Complete relevant personal finance instructor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New personal finance instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a personal finance instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real personal finance instructor resumes.
  4. Research personal finance instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage groups of kids on a daily basis in the field to ensure safety while participating in activities.
    • Execute professional instructional clubs for 7th grade students in finance and economics.
    • Perform on-the-job training on GCSS-Army and GFEBS showing customers how to analyze funding and execution pertaining to their assign budgets.
    • Certify CPR training and distribute patient medication.
  5. Prepare your personal finance instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your personal finance instructor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a personal finance instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable personal finance instructor resume templates

    Build a professional personal finance instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your personal finance instructor resume.
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
    Personal Finance Instructor Resume
  6. Apply for personal finance instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a personal finance instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first personal finance instructor job

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Average personal finance instructor salary

The average personal finance instructor salary in the United States is $95,892 per year or $46 per hour. Personal finance instructor salaries range between $31,000 and $291,000 per year.

Average personal finance instructor salary
$95,892 Yearly
$46.10 hourly

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How do personal finance instructors rate their job?

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Personal finance instructor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

The transfer of knowledge and the joy on the student's face when they understand

Cons

The low pay which is often offered


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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