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Being able to pass on knowledge to students in a certain subject is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching. When you have your bachelor’s degree in education or when you’re thinking of pursuing this career path, keep in mind the option for online teaching. An online teaching career can open up a lot of opportunities that lead to an exciting and fulfilling career.

What Is Online Teaching?

Online teaching involves educating students in a certain field in a virtual learning environment. When you’re an online teacher, you’ll be providing lectures, assigning projects, and testing students online rather than in a classroom. This type of teaching offers greater flexibility since you can work from anywhere. You might also be able to set your own hours, providing you with a more flexible schedule. Plus, as an online teacher, you might work with students from all over the U.S. or all over the world.

What can you expect to make as an online teacher? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide specific information for online educators. To give you an idea of what an online teacher salary might be, consider that the median pay for post-secondary teachers is $80,790 per year. This salary can range from $40,960 to more than $180,360, depending on years of experience, the type of institution you teach for, and the field you’re teaching in. For example, post-secondary teachers in law, economics, and engineering tend to have higher salaries compared to teachers in other fields. Those who work for universities often make more than those working for community colleges. The salary you make will also depend on whether you’re doing online teaching on a full-time or part-time basis.

If you’re planning to become an online teacher, you can expect to have many opportunities available. According to BLS, the job outlook for post-secondary teachers is projected to grow 9 percent by 2029. This is more than double the job outlook for all careers in the U.S., which is 4 percent. The job outlook for teachers in specific fields, such as computer science and business, is expected to be higher than online teaching jobs in other fields.

Is an Online Teaching Certificate a Good Fit for Me?

An online teaching certificate isn’t typically required for doing this type of work. However, it can provide you with additional skills needed for achieving greater success in an online learning environment. Better learning outcomes for your students; better professional success for you.

You might also have a chance to further develop the skills you learned while earning your bachelor’s degree when you take an online teaching certificate program. For example, you might take courses in creating and delivering instruction in an online environment, performing online evaluations, and developing online curriculum. You might also learn about the latest trends in online teaching, which you can use in your own online classroom, as needed. These courses can help ensure that you’re able to provide your online students with an effective learning experience.

The online learning environment is not the same as an in-person environment. The challenges are different. While students can succeed in both situations, these different challenges must be addressed to achieve that success. Earning an online teaching certificate can help prepare you for teaching careers in a virtual environment. The skills you gain during this certification program can help ensure that you’re fully ready to face the challenges that come with online teaching compared to teaching in a more traditional setting. This can help you thrive as an online educator and take pride in your success in a virtual environment.

Keep in mind that online teaching certification programs are not the same as degree programs. These programs are also not intended to help you fulfill requirements for state certification and licensing. You’ll need to get detailed information on the requirements for earning teaching licensing and certification from your state. With an online teaching certificate, you can focus on building skills or improving skills that you’ll be using for providing education in an online learning environment.

How to Become an Online Teacher

Becoming an online teacher in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary environments all starts with earning a bachelor’s degree. From there, especially for those wishing to teach at a college or university level, students will need to earn a graduate degree.

At any level, with a master’s degree, you’re likely to find several online teaching opportunities available that require this advanced degree. To open up even more opportunities and gain access to a higher online teacher salary, consider earning a doctoral degree in your field. Having a Ph.D. in your field can provide you with more advanced teaching opportunities that typically pay higher than online teaching jobs with a master’s degree.

When you’re working on becoming an online teacher, keep in mind that you’ll also need to check the licensing and certification requirements in your state. These requirements vary from state to state, so it’s important to get the most up-to-date information about them before you begin applying for teaching positions.

As you work toward earning your degree and certification for online teaching, you might have opportunities to gain first-hand experience as a teaching assistant. This can help you learn more about what to expect from a career as an online teacher.

If you have your bachelor’s degree and want to enhance your education, please contact Post University today. We offer an graduate certificate in online teaching that can help you gain and develop the skills needed for a successful career.

 

Thank you for reading! The views and information provided in this post do not reflect Post University programs and/or outcomes directly. If you are interested in learning more about our programs, you can find a complete list of our programs on our website or reach out directly! 

Please note jobs, career outcomes, and/or salaries highlighted in this blog do not reflect jobs, career outcomes, and/or salaries expected from any Post program. To learn more about Post’s program and their outcomes, please fill out a form to speak with an admissions representative.