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Job outlook for school curriculum developers in the United States
Are school curriculum developer jobs in demand?
School curriculum developer job and salary trends over time
School curriculum developer jobs over time
School curriculum developer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 126 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 119 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 120 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 111 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 107 | 0.00% |
Average school curriculum developer salary over time
School curriculum developer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,285 | $23.69 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $48,785 | $23.45 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $47,431 | $22.80 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $46,915 | $22.56 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $45,966 | $22.10 | +0.3% |
School curriculum developer jobs by state
Most common states for school curriculum developers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,119 | 20% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 118 | 20% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 367 | 19% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 991 | 18% |
| 5 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 372 | 18% |
| 6 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 509 | 17% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 130 | 17% |
| 8 | Alaska | 739,795 | 127 | 17% |
| 9 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,102 | 15% |
| 10 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 942 | 15% |
| 11 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 207 | 15% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 952 | 14% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 453 | 14% |
| 14 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 122 | 14% |
| 15 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,535 | 13% |
| 16 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,404 | 13% |
| 17 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,193 | 12% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 686 | 12% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 354 | 12% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 352 | 12% |
Most common cities for school curriculum developers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | 1 | 4% | $48,153 |
| 2 | Cheltenham | 1 | 3% | $48,221 |
| 3 | Abington | 1 | 2% | $48,230 |
| 4 | Fishers | 1 | 1% | $39,969 |
| 5 | Philadelphia | 1 | 0% | $48,215 |
School Curriculum Developer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of school curriculum developer experts
Lamar University
Tennessee Tech University
East Carolina University
Wayne State University
Concordia University, St. Paul
Alverno College
University of Denver
William & Mary
University of Idaho
Shippensburg University
What School Curriculum Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Debbie Azevedo Ed.D.: Graduates can pursue additional certifications, such as special education or bilingual authorizations. Another idea would be to seek opportunities in the private sector such as working with an edtech company or as an educational specialist, supporting school districts with curriculum and instructional practices.
What will help School Curriculum Developers increase their earning potential?
Debbie Azevedo Ed.D.: 1. Collaboration with Colleagues and the Community - Graduates will need skills in teamwork and collaborating on curriculum design to create educational experiences supportive and inclusive of all students. 2. Digital Integration - Graduates will integrate digital tools, including artificial intelligence, into their curriculum to enhance student learning. 3. Data Analysis - The skill of collecting and analyzing student data to inform instruction will be essential in improving student outcomes. 4. Personalized Learning Design - The skill of designing curricula to fit students' needs, including adaptive learning technologies and individualized learning paths, will be critical in the next 3-5 years as learning becomes more student-centered.
Dr. Johnny O'Connor Ph.D.
Iinterim Department Chair and Assistant professorLamar University
Department of Education Leadership
What soft skills should all School Curriculum Developers possess?
Dr. Johnny O'Connor Ph.D.: Curriculum and Instruction professionals in PK - 12 settings consistently interact with various stakeholders (i.e., students, teachers, and staff). Given this, soft skills are a vital part of their success. Successful C&I professionals often present with the following soft skills:
-Ability to effectively communicate
-Strong desire to support student success
-Ability to effectively plan, organize and execute timely
-Inherent capacity to develop and work with interdisciplinary teams
Given the everchanging demand of this role and its direct effect on student achievement, C&I professionals must also be equipped with an unwavering work ethic.
What hard/technical skills are most important for School Curriculum Developers?
Dr. Johnny O'Connor Ph.D.: Over the last two years, the role of a Curriculum and Instruction professional in PK - 12 settings has quickly evolved. While technology continues to be a fundamental part of curriculum and instructional practices, the emergence of COVID-19 has further solidified the relevance of technology in education, as virtual learning environments have been added to the academic offerings of many schools. Furthermore, in addition to having a deep knowledge of research-based curriculum and instructional strategies and the ability to utilize data to inform curriculum and instructional decisions, C&I professionals should now be prepared to demonstrate contemporary knowledge and understanding of instructional tools and practices within a virtual environment. This skill will become even more important as schools adapt to what has been termed as the "new normal" in education.
What skills will help School Curriculum Developers earn the most?
Dr. Johnny O'Connor Ph.D.: In most professions, those that offer the most value to an organization earn more. Careers in curriculum and instruction are no exception. The skill level and experience of C&I professionals can vary widely. Nonetheless, only the most well qualified can demand top pay. C&I professionals with the following qualifications can expect to earn more than their less qualified peers:
-Advanced degrees in Curriculum/Instruction and/or Educational Leadership (i.e., M.Ed., Ed.D., Ph.D.)
-Experience with online instructional tools and learning platforms
-Experience developing and facilitating large scale professional development
-Knowledge and experience with curriculum and instruction in multiple content areas
-Experience as an instructional coach
-Ability to design, interpret and implement various models of response to intervention
-Previous leadership role in curriculum and instruction
-Ability to create and design customized curriculum
-Expertise in supporting the curriculum and instruction needs of multiple student groups
-5+ years successful teaching experience in a core subject area
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer resumes?
Dr. Johnny O'Connor Ph.D.: During my career in PK - 12 public education, I was fortunate to serve in various executive positions. Specifically, as it relates to answering this question, my role as Executive Director of Human Resources offers the best perspective. As an HR executive, my department was often tasked with screening and identifying top candidates for campus and district-level curriculum and instruction positions. Through this experience, as well as my experience as an educational consultant, I found the following skills to stand out on the resumes of top curriculum and instruction candidates:
-Exceptional communication skills
-Strong background and knowledge in pedagogy
-Successful teaching experience
-Advanced degrees and certifications
-Ability to effectively collect and utilize instructional data
-Robust theoretical and practical knowledge of best practices in curriculum and instruction
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer resumes?
Jeremy Wendt: Currently, an in-depth understanding of hybrid and online learning is the most valuable skill set for curriculum or instructional design positions. There are always baseline expectations for curricular development that any qualified candidate will learn through coursework or hands-on experience. However, layering in the ever-changing and evolving online learning environment creates a void in the skillset of the typical curriculum designer or educator.
What soft skills should all School Curriculum Developers possess?
Jeremy Wendt: Job candidates must always consider their impact and role on a team. Communication and interaction with a team and organizational hierarchy will continue to be vital regardless of the in-person or online nature of a job. Software and hardware advances have enabled workers to continue as productive employees, but positive human interaction is still the most important soft skill. All companies have routines, expectations, and identities that are unique to the company. Understanding your skills, personality, and expertise in the context of the organization will contribute to the success of the company and your career.
What hard/technical skills are most important for School Curriculum Developers?
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.
What skills will help School Curriculum Developers earn the most?
Jeremy Wendt: Flexible, adaptable, and confident job candidates are the most desirable. These abilities will create agility in a workplace, especially if the employees are always willing to grow, refine, and rebuild their skillset. Setting goals for the future, but adapting to change when it takes place, will always create unique opportunities for advancement and progress.
What skills will help School Curriculum Developers earn the most?
Todd Finley Ph.D.: As in any profession, the skill most useful for earning more is the ability to enhance the effectiveness and bolster the emotions of everyone around you. This often involves positively reframing sticky situations. Given that teaching is an emotionally intensive profession, that last skill is super important.
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer resumes?
Todd Finley Ph.D.: Curriculum specialists should be fluent in appraising and conducting research, both qualitative and quantitative. This is because classroom professionals are often tasked with making data-informed instructional decisions. They should also be up-to-date in reading new research on the brain and high-impact practices.
What soft skills should all School Curriculum Developers possess?
Todd Finley Ph.D.: Being able to read the social contexts of different schools and classrooms is critical for curriculum specialists. With strong interpersonal skills, they should be able to critique classroom instruction without causing the teacher to feel threatened. They should also be able to read when students are simply being compliant instead of actually engaged by a rich curriculum. Finally, a spirit of generosity needs to be the curriculum specialist's ethos instead of applying a deficit mindset to a teacher's abilities.
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 School Curriculum Developers?
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 School Curriculum Developers earn the most?
Dr. Leah Ketcheson: Hard work, resiliency, and creativity.
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer 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.
What soft skills should all School Curriculum Developers possess?
Dr. Leah Ketcheson: Listening to feedback from students and building relationships with community partners.
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 soft skills should all School Curriculum Developers possess?
Dr. Barbara Wissink: Two soft skills really stand out at this time in the school settings: adaptability and coachability. By adaptability, curriculum and instruction specialists must modify the curriculum and instruction based on the students' needs and the instructional delivery model. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialists had to learn to adapt their instruction and curricula to ensure that distance learning was relevant and meaningful for their students. In addition, many specialists also were charged with mentoring teachers who were facing the same challenges of creating a meaningful distance learning experience for their students.
Secondly, curriculum and instruction specialists need to be coachable. This soft skill proved necessary during the pandemic, as specialists needed to expand their existing instructional style and learn new ways of delivering content to the students and teachers they interact with in the in-person, distance learning, and hybrid modalities.
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer 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 skills will help School Curriculum Developers earn the most?
Dr. Barbara Wissink: A candidate's resume must demonstrate that they have the correct credentials (master's degree and an endorsement/license in a specialized field) for a curriculum and instructional specialist position. Without the correct credentials, the candidate may be considered for a lower-paying "instructional support" position within a school district.
Desiree Pointer Mac Ph.D.
Professor of Education, Director of Graduate Education ProgramsAlverno College
School of Professional Studies, Education Division
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer resumes?
Desiree Pointer Mac Ph.D.: Based on my experience creating and advising others in creating educator preparation programs in the United States, Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru, I believe that the skills that stand out on International Curriculum Specialist resumes highlight outcomes that are not context-specific, but that transcend country- or culture-bound educational contexts. The model of Alverno College (http://alverno.edu) provides one internationally-renowned example of how to do this - it highlights that well-prepared educators, including those charged with developing curricula, should be adept in five advanced educational abilities, which incorporate soft skills and hard/technical skills within the knowledge, skills, and dispositions therein.
What soft skills should all School Curriculum Developers 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.
What skills will help School Curriculum Developers earn the most?
Desiree Pointer Mac Ph.D.: In terms of having the greatest impact on others' learning, working most deeply within one's purpose and leveraging one's strengths toward the greater good may result in increased earnings. However, most servant leaders do not prioritize financial rewards over benefits to greater humanity.
What hard/technical skills are most important for School Curriculum Developers?
Desiree Pointer Mac Ph.D.: They also must have the ability to diagnose, which indicates that they are observant, inquiring, creating assessments and reflecting on their data, and posing new questions as part of a reflective practitioner cycle of inquiry. They must have the ability to coordinate, which means that they can arrange time, space, personal resources, digital environments, and processes effectively so that people can learn most effectively. And lastly, they must have the ability of inclusive interaction, through which they convey passion for their professional work, advocacy for the people they serve, humility in their own learning, curiosity about what they have yet to learn, and the desire to collaborate with communities of practice. Related to all of these, specific technical skills can come into play, especially as identified first by Punya Mishra in conceptualizing "technological pedagogical content knowledge." The technical skills are in service to the pedagogical purposes.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on School Curriculum Developers?
Maria Salazar Ph.D.: Our graduates will experience positive and negative impacts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Our graduates, like many other across the world, are facing a changing work force that must adapt in real time. Our graduates must be flexible, open, and innovative in order to thrive in the current work force. Our graduates are also dealing with looking after their physical and mental well-being, and that of their loved ones. This puts added pressure on graduates to navigate a changing world, while maintaining mental and physical health. Our graduates have learned how to use technology in new ways for online teaching and learning. They have learned from the challenges and successes they have experienced navigating online environments, and they will use this knowledge to make teaching and learning more powerful. Last, our graduates have become more aware of inequities, such as education and health disparities, that have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. They emerge as relentless advocates for marginalized communities.
What will help School Curriculum Developers increase their earning potential?
Maria Salazar Ph.D.: Graduates in Curriculum and Instruction will increase their earning potential by demonstrating that they are innovative and they are able to adapt to changing environments. Moreover, demonstrating an interdisciplinary approach is vital in order to understand the intertwined perspectives and approaches that are necessary to solve community challenges.
What's a day at work look like for a School Curriculum Developer?
Maria Salazar Ph.D.: This is a great unknown. Their experience will be dependent on the ever-changing work force and their ability to adapt and innovate.
What skills stand out on School Curriculum Developer resumes?
Meredith Kier Ph.D.: I think moving forward administrators will look for applicants to demonstrate evidence of adaptability, creativity, and flexibility. Further, teacher candidates will need to show how they are able to use educational technologies to foster connectedness and community building among students. The pandemic has made it evident that teachers are able to flourish amidst countless hurdles to meet the needs of diverse students. It can only be hoped for that this unprecedented event will elevate the profession to show the essential need for teachers in the field.
I think that we will continue to need talented candidates in the field who are prepared in culturally-responsive teaching strategies to promote equitable learning outcomes for students. This being said, it is important for teachers to be supported by their administrators and community to cultivate a network of care for students.
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 School Curriculum Developers 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.
What School Curriculum Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lynn Baynum Ph.D.: A gap year is typically seen as an opportunity to expand a worldview, yet many teacher candidates do not have the opportunity to study abroad. This should not preclude a future teacher from taking time to expand his/her knowledge and skills in relation to cultural and economic constructs that influence teaching and learning. One way to do so is to enroll in language courses or to work/volunteer in socio-culturally sponsored initiatives. Emersion is key to optimizing the gap year so that the teacher candidates can examine a cultural landscape. Perspective-taking can also break down biased beliefs.
For example, a teacher candidate who volunteers to work in a homeless shelter would begin to understand the factors that impact academic success. Also, teacher candidates can volunteer or work in urban settings with English Language Learners to better understand language acquisition. Fluency in a second language is not required in teacher training, yet conversational understanding of a second language helps a teacher candidate to not only communicate in that language, but also to empathize with English Language Learners. Knowledge of these factors (language acquisition, poverty, equity) enables teacher candidates to not only reflect on learners' needs but also to learn how to advocate for support. In addition, teacher candidates can become well versed in the service agencies aligned with community wellness and safety. In fact, teacher candidates can enroll in such programs as Youth First Aid Mental Health Training and QPR Training (Question, Persuade, Refer) to better recognize links between cognitive and social-emotional development.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for School Curriculum Developers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Lynn Baynum Ph.D.: STEM-related fields are expanding, and all teacher candidates need to be able to address STEM-related connections in the classroom. Teachers do not necessarily need STEM certification to be effective STEM leaders in the classroom, but they need expansive skills that integrate science, technology, engineering, and math into an integrated curriculum approach in the humanities.
Our world is ever-changing, so to be sure that educators are optimizing instruction in K-12 classrooms, teachers need to be able to adapt the curriculum to reflect STEM topics within a multi-cultural landscape. For example, math teachers can profile black mathematicians when discussing a math concept. Students can emerge in inquiry or problem-based learning, specific situations that use data to investigate and solve real-world problems. School-age learners, even young children, can learn to computer code, and teacher candidates must be able to not only adapt instruction using digital tools to construct knowledge within a STEM mindset.