14 types of jobs in education (duties and responsibilities)

Careers in education make up a significant volume of jobs and opportunities that professionals can pursue. With an education degree, you have multiple options to choose from to inspire both children and young adults. Knowing and understanding the different options available to you is crucial to selecting the right career path. In this article, we discuss the types of jobs in education, including their duties and responsibilities.

14 types of jobs in education

Some examples of different types of jobs in education include:

1. Teacher

National average salary: £15,811 per year

Primary duties: Teachers are responsible for educating students at all levels and in various subjects. Their duties include preparing lesson plans, assigning homework, grading exams and documenting progress. Teachers also research, develop and implement new teaching methods and materials and encourage student participation. They can teach anything from maths and reading basics to speciality courses, such as coding and programming in higher education. Teachers normally specialise in specific fields, like special education, early childhood and secondary education, and can choose to teach in a traditional setting or online. Other sub-specialisations in this group include history, chemistry, technical, anthropology and architecture.

Related: What is the responsibility of teachers? (With skills info)

2. Academic mentor

National average salary: £20,323 per year

Primary duties: Academic mentors are educational supporters who offer guidance to children, young people and adults experiencing difficulties with their learning. They're also known as learning mentors and work with teachers to provide support and motivation to learners. They help these students overcome obstacles that prevent them from achieving their full potential. Academic mentors liaise with staff to identify students who can benefit from mentoring. They determine how to address learners' needs and implement various strategies to ensure academic success. They also help solve a range of issues, such as self-esteem and confidence.

Related: Helpful mentor feedback examples (with definition and tips)

3. School social worker

National average salary: £23,130 per year

Primary duties: A school social worker offers guidance and support to students struggling in school. They help students with behavioural issues and ultimately aid in their educational success. School social workers liaise with teachers, parents and administrators to identify student problem areas and create plans that help fix the issue. Their responsibilities include providing information to parents and school staff and counselling students with personal and psychological issues. Some school social workers also develop strategies that improve a student's academic performance and social adjustment issues.

4. School counsellor

National average salary: £23,756 per year

Primary duties: School counsellors are educators who improve student success by implementing a comprehensive school counselling programme. They play a key role in student development and help them reach their full potential outside of school by listening to their concerns in an academic and emotional sense. They aid students in processing problems by offering solutions to issues. A school counsellor can also develop treatment plans to help promote the emotional health and well-being of a student. They mediate problems between students and teachers. School counsellors can work either in an office or a classroom setting, assisting various students.

Related: What does a counsellor do? (With responsibilities)

5. Education administrator

National average salary: £25,642 per year

Primary duties: An education administrator helps fellow teachers align their lesson plans and design standalone programmes, such as school safety. They're responsible for overseeing day-to-day functions in primary schools, colleges and secondary schools. They manage routine activities, lay out future visions and provide instructional leadership. Education administrators determine the allocation of funds for staff, supplies and materials and authorise purchases. Teachers looking for an opportunity for growth within their school community can pursue an advanced degree to become an educational administrator. Potential job opportunities to explore in this field include:

• headteacher

• vice-chancellor

• chancellor

• advanced curriculum planning

• professional development

Related: How to become an education administrator in 6 steps

6. Librarian

National average salary: £26,434 per year

Primary duties: Librarians are in charge of the day-to-day running of a school's resource centre. They organise, acquire and maintain resources that support the learning needs of students and the wider school community. Librarians typically guide learners and teachers on the most appropriate reading materials that reflect the curriculum. This way, all users can access library resources. Librarians catalogue and keep track of library materials. They promote library resources by managing budgets and projects. Librarians work in universities and academic departments, research institutes, higher and further education colleges and professional and learned societies.

Related: What does a librarian do (with different types and salaries)

7. Fitness and wellness coordinators

National average salary: £27,803 per year

Primary duties: Fitness and wellness coordinators are professionals who help individuals in educational institutions stay fit and healthy. They're responsible for organising and overseeing events, such as runs and walks in schools, and holding various health screenings, including blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. Fitness and wellness coaches at times perform administrative tasks, such as ensuring the safety and enjoyment of everyone during sports events. They also track and analyse cost containment strategies for fitness equipment and programmes to evaluate their effectiveness. They then prepare and implement budgets and strategic maintenance plans that ensure equipment longevity.

8. Archivists

National average salary: £28,314 per year

Primary duties: Archivists preserve perishable materials and historical documents and help people obtain them. They're responsible for organising and documenting the content of groups of records to make them usable. Archivists normally organise public events, such as talks and exhibitions, in schools to educate people on historical materials. They also make the archives available for public use and participate in research activities based on archival materials. Some archival positions require professionals to evaluate, select, retrieve, arrange and produce teaching materials for learning.

Related: Discover how to become an archivist: a step-by-step guide

9. Chief academic officer

National average salary: £29,046 per year

Primary duties: Chief academic officers are highly skilled professionals who manage educational programmes and policies for organisations. They liaise with educators to develop curricula and manage budgets to ensure students receive an education that meets or exceeds the standards set by national governments. Chief academic officers also develop new strategies to improve student performance, helping increase enrolment numbers. This includes creating partnerships with organisations in the community, implementing new technologies or creating new curricula that better meet the needs of students.

10. Media specialists

National average salary: £29,164 per year

Primary duties: Media specialists manage an institute's technology resources, such as computers and multimedia. They evaluate new technology to ensure technological equipment is functional and seamless. Media specialists usually train personnel on the usage of equipment and recommend the purchase of new technological devices. They can set up, adjust and operate audio-visual and recording equipment for meetings, events, seminars and video conferences. Media specialists also develop manuals or related materials in conjunction with production materials to help students, teachers and faculty members effectively use technology. They plan and prepare media teaching aids and methods for school systems.

11. Curators

National average salary: £30,633 per year

Primary duties: A curator acts as a link between the administration, teachers and students. They develop and maintain an institution's registration by cataloguing and keeping records using a computer database. Curators are responsible for the fiscal oversight of educational programmes, such as annual budget planning, and regularly monitor expenditures. They also inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and eliminate climate and pest control issues in institutions. They attend meetings, conventions and civic events to seek financial aid while maintaining community alliances.

12. Distance learning coordinators

National average salary: £32,593 per year

Primary duties: Distance learning coordinators develop long-distance learning programmes and schedule courses for students. They oversee staff and teach them how to use various course management software and programmes used in distance education. The primary role of a distance learning coordinator is to ensure learners can take classes anywhere and anytime by making class materials accessible online. They achieve this by supervising the development and implementation of multimedia into online education platforms.

Related: A guide to distance learning (plus benefits and tips)

13. Lecturers

National average salary: £33,954 per year

Primary duties: Lecturers plan, prepare and teach their subjects to university students. They encourage personal development via tutorial or pastoral work by checking and assessing students' work. Lecturers are also in charge of supporting the design, development and production of study and teaching materials in a subject area. They work with librarians to ensure students have access to these resources for effective learning. Some lecturers can work in research to conduct studies in their fields and manage and prepare bids for funding for departmental research projects. They can attend conferences and write articles and books to share their knowledge.

Related: How much does a university lecturer make?

14. Curriculum consultants and designers

National average salary: £35,380 per year

Primary duties: Curriculum consultants use their experience in learning, teaching and assessment to develop an institution's curriculum. They work with organisations and learners to create and implement educational programmes. Their focus is on creating overall course blueprints and mapping content to learning objectives. Curriculum designers and consultants develop detailed and engaging curriculums with quality resources. They work with subject experts to outline goals and provide feasible time frames.

Salary figures reflect data listed on the quoted websites at time of writing. Salaries‌ ‌may‌ ‌‌vary‌‌ ‌depending‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌hiring‌ ‌organisation‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌candidate's‌ ‌experience,‌ ‌academic‌ background‌ ‌and‌ ‌location.