Should I Pursue an Education Degree? Answering All Your Questions

Pursuing an education degree is a big decision that requires careful thought and planning. An education degree qualifies you to work in schools and opens doors to impacting students’ lives. However teaching also involves challenges like long hours, stressful work environments and low pay compared to other fields. This article weighs the pros and cons to help you decide if an education degree is right for your career goals and lifestyle.

The Benefits of an Education Degree

Here are some of the biggest advantages of earning an education degree:

Make a Difference

For many the chance to make a meaningful impact is the biggest draw of a career in education. As a teacher you have the ability to change students’ lives by inspiring them and helping them develop critical thinking skills. Teachers build the foundation for their students’ future success and open doors to new opportunities. If you want a career where you can directly see the fruits of your labor, teaching allows you to witness students’ growth and achievement.

Job Security

Teaching offers relatively strong job security compared to careers in fast-changing industries. Teachers will always be needed—there will always be students who need educating. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, student enrollment is expected to increase over the next decade, driving an ongoing need for teachers. Job security gives you peace of mind and the ability to plan for the long term.

Good Benefits

The benefits offered to teachers are another advantage over many other fields. Most full-time teaching jobs come with health insurance, retirement accounts, paid time off, and other attractive benefits. Strong health insurance plans are especially valuable given the rising costs of healthcare. Retirement plans help you prepare for the future. And vacation time gives you a chance to recharge from a demanding job.

Variety and Creativity

Teaching allows for a good amount of creativity and variety day-to-day. While teaching involves lesson planning and preparation, no two school days are ever exactly the same. You get to try new teaching techniques, create engaging lesson plans, and interact with students from all walks of life For those who value a degree of variety and getting to exercise creativity, teaching delivers

Give Back to Your Community

As a teacher, you have the chance to give back to the community where you live. Teaching allows you to help mold local youth and set them up for success. Educating and guiding students enables them to reach their potential and positively contribute to society. Making a difference locally can be highly rewarding.

The Challenges of an Education Degree

While teaching careers offer many advantages, there are also some significant challenges to consider:

Demanding Work Environment

Teaching can be extremely demanding, especially starting out. Expect long hours, including nights and weekends for grading papers and planning lessons. The school day itself is busy with back-to-back classes. Stress is common dealing with disruptive student behavior, meeting administrative demands, and ensuring students meet standardized testing goals. Juggling many responsibilities at once takes strong multi-tasking abilities.

Repetitive Tasks

While teaching involves creativity, it also requires its share of repetitive tasks that some may find boring. Grading stacks of papers, for example, involves repetitively evaluating students’ work. Creating lesson plans, tests, and assignments semester after semester also lacks variety. Delivering the same lessons multiple times to different classes day after day can get monotonous over time.

Lower Salaries

Teacher salaries are lower than many other fields requiring a bachelor’s degree. Average pay is around $61,000 per year for elementary and high school teachers. While certainly a livable wage, teachers earn notably less than nurses, accountants, software developers, and other professions. Those motivated primarily by earning potential may want to look at higher paying fields.

Stressful Student Interactions

For some, constantly interacting with students can prove draining. Teachers must manage classrooms of kids with varying motivations and behavior. Disruptive students that lack discipline create a stressful environment. Dealing with disrespectful students who don’t want to learn takes patience and perseverance. Those who prefer more independent work may find the constant student interactions exhausting.

Ongoing Training Requirements

In education, the learning never stops. Expect ongoing professional development and regular training requirements as a teacher. Continuing education enables teachers to stay up-to-date on new teaching approaches and subject matter knowledge. However, those who dislike classroom-style learning may find the constant development burdensome.

Work Doesn’t Stay at Work

Teachers often have to bring work home with them at night or on the weekends. With so many tasks to complete during the standard workday, work inevitably spills over into personal time. Between grading assignments, developing lesson plans, and communicating with parents, teachers usually have to put in time outside of work hours. Setting clear work-life boundaries can prove tricky.

Key Questions to Ask Yourself

Before committing to an education degree, take time to reflect on the following questions:

• Do I find the idea of shaping students’ futures exciting and gratifying? Is making a difference in children’s lives appealing?
• Do I like interacting with large groups of energetic kids day in and day out?
• Am I okay with lower pay relative to other college majors? Will I feel valued and appreciated despite lower salaries?
• Does a busy, high-stress work environment overwhelm me or energize me?
• Do I mind bringing work home with me frequently? Am I good at setting work-life boundaries?
• How do I feel about ongoing training and professional development? Is being a lifelong learner appealing?
• Do I have the patience and perseverance to handle disruptive, unmotivated students?
• Am I comfortable teaching the same lessons multiple times back-to-back? How repetitive am I okay with my work being?

Being honest with yourself about your motivations, preferences, and tolerances for challenges will clarify if an education degree aligns with your ideal career. Teaching can be tremendously rewarding but also intensely demanding. Make sure you undertake an education degree with full awareness of the realities of this career path.

Alternative Education Careers

Pursuing an education degree does not necessarily mean you have to work as a classroom teacher. Some alternatives include:

School Counselor

School counselors help students navigate academic, career, and personal/social issues. They meet with students one-on-one and in groups, consult with teachers, and advise on college applications. This role allows you to work closely with students without having to manage an entire classroom.

Curriculum Director

As a curriculum director, you oversee the development of lesson plans and materials for an entire school district. You ensure learning standards are met, provide teacher training, and implement new education programs. This administrative role allows you to shape curriculum without daily teaching duties.

Special Education Teacher

Special education teachers work with students that have learning disabilities, autism, emotional issues, or other special needs. You get to provide specialized instruction tailored to each student’s challenges. If you want to work closely with students who need extra help, special education can be very fulfilling.

Education Administrator

As a principal, vice principal, dean or other education administrator, you oversee the operation of a school. You handle budgets, enforce policies, address parent concerns, evaluate teachers, and ensure state standards are met. Administration provides leadership opportunities beyond classroom teaching.

Corporate Trainer

Many companies hire trainers to educate employees on new skills, compliance topics, leadership, and more. You get to develop and deliver impactful learning programs without the demands of teaching children. Corporate training allows you to apply your expertise in the business world.

Key Takeaways

• An education degree offers meaningful work making a difference in students’ lives and communities. But the job also involves challenges like stressful work environments, lower pay, and repetitive tasks.
• Take time to reflect on your motivations and what types of work environments you thrive in before committing to an education degree. Be realistic about the negatives before pursuing this path.
• Teaching provides variety and creativity but also requires repetitive grading and lesson planning. Make sure you are comfortable with the mix of novelty and monotony.
• If being a classroom teacher seems unappealing, research alternative education careers in administration, counseling, training, and more. An education degree has versatility.
• Get first-hand exposure to teaching by talking to educators, volunteering in schools, and substitute teaching. Hands-on experience is the best way to determine if this career suits you.

While teaching is not for everyone, an education degree can lead to highly rewarding careers for those drawn to shaping students’ development. Take time to weigh the pros and cons and explore if alternative education roles might be a better fit. Listen to your gut when deciding whether or not to commit to this degree path.