State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Instructional Coordinator Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Instructional Coordinators earn a median of $77,440 per year ($37.23/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 1.3% through 2034, with about 21,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
SOC 25-9031Educational Instruction and LibraryLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $77,440
- Projected growth
- +1.3%
- Openings a year
- 21,900
- Typical education
- Master's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Curriculum and Instruction Director, Curriculum Coordinator, Curriculum Director, Curriculum Specialist, Education Specialist, Instructional Designer.
How much do Instructional Coordinators make?
10th percentile$47,980
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$60,780
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$77,440
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$98,820
Upper quartile
90th percentile$121,670
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $77,440 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $37.23/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $80,920 |
| People employed | 227,760 |
Versus all US occupations
At $77,440, Instructional Coordinators earn 52% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $26,460 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
The median is typical for the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $77,355.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $121,670 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,980, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 62% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($105,990), but once local prices are taken into account Maryland leads at $97,390 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Instructional Coordinators the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $105,990 | $96,441 | 1,220 |
| Maryland | $102,220 | $97,390 | 4,350 |
| Washington | $97,250 | $90,877 | 4,720 |
| California | $97,010 | $87,617 | 20,950 |
| Connecticut | $96,170 | $92,819 | 1,780 |
| New Jersey | $96,090 | $88,314 | 3,770 |
| Hawaii | $96,080 | $87,384 | 1,130 |
| Massachusetts | $95,320 | $90,131 | 6,170 |
| Oregon | $84,620 | $81,868 | 2,940 |
| Virginia | $83,230 | $82,321 | 5,830 |
Is Instructional Coordinator a growing career?
Instructional Coordinators1.3%
All US occupations3.1%
+1.3% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Instructional Coordinators to change 1.3% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 2,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 21,900 openings are projected each year, 9.4% of the 232,600 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Despite limited employment growth, about 21,900 openings for instructional coordinators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
States and school districts will continue to be held accountable for test scores and graduation rates, putting more of an emphasis on student achievement data. As a result, schools may increasingly turn to instructional coordinators to help develop better curriculums and improve teachers’ effectiveness. However, state and local government budget constraints may limit demand for these workers.
How to become an Instructional Coordinator
Instructional coordinators typically need a master’s degree and related work experience, such as in teaching or school administration, to enter the occupation. Coordinators in public schools may be required to have a state-issued license.
| Typical entry-level education | Master's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Considerable preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | 5 years or more |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as instructional coordinators.
- Master's Degree59.8%
- Bachelor's Degree24.8%
- Post-Master's Certificate10.9%
- First Professional Degree4.2%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate0.1%
What does an Instructional Coordinator do?
Develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology into instruction in order to provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. May train and coach teachers. Includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors.
Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop educational material, implement it with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness.
Day-to-day tasks
- Conduct or participate in workshops, committees, and conferences designed to promote the intellectual, social, and physical welfare of students.
- Plan and conduct teacher training programs and conferences dealing with new classroom procedures, instructional materials and equipment, and teaching aids.
- Address public audiences to explain program objectives and to elicit support.
- Observe work of teaching staff to evaluate performance and to recommend changes that could strengthen teaching skills.
- Recommend, order, or authorize purchase of instructional materials, supplies, equipment, and visual aids designed to meet student educational needs and district standards.
- Advise and teach students.
- Advise teaching and administrative staff in curriculum development, use of materials and equipment, and implementation of state and federal programs and procedures.
- Research, evaluate, and prepare recommendations on curricula, instructional methods, and materials for school systems.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where instructional coordinators work
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | 36% |
|---|---|
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state | 9% |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; private | 8% |
| Educational support services; private | 7% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 7% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Learning Strategies4.3/5
- Writing4.1/5
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Monitoring4.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
Transferable skills
- Instructing4.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Coordination3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8/5
- Service Orientation3.6/5
- Time Management3.6/5
- Persuasion3.3/5
Tools and software
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits an Instructional Coordinator?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.6
Investigativeprimary4.0
Artistic3.6
Socialprimary6.2
Enterprisingprimary4.3
Conventional4.0
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Instructional Coordinator: frequently asked questions
How much do Instructional Coordinators make?
Instructional Coordinators earn a median of $77,440 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 52% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $37.23/hr. The middle half earn between $60,780 and $98,820. The top 10% earn $121,670 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Instructional Coordinator?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Instructional Coordinators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 59.8% hold master's degree.
Is Instructional Coordinator a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.3% over 2024–2034 against 3.1% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 21,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Instructional Coordinator do?
Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. A core O*NET task: conduct or participate in workshops, committees, and conferences designed to promote the intellectual, social, and physical welfare of students. Employers most often ask for Data base management system software, Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software.
Which states pay Instructional Coordinators the most?
The highest state medians for Instructional Coordinators are District of Columbia ($105,990), Maryland ($102,220), Washington ($97,250) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Maryland moves to the top at $97,390.
What personality type suits an Instructional Coordinator?
O*NET scores Instructional Coordinators highest on the Social, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ENFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.