The median pay for Self-Enrichment Teachers is $46,800 a year ($22.50/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.5% through 2035, with about 50,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 25-3021
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Self-Enrichment Teacher in four numbers
- Median pay
- $46,800a year, or $22.50/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $30KTop 10% $93K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.5%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 50,000419,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025419.1K
- Projected 2035433.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 419.1K Projected 2035 433.7K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school13.5%
- Certificate18.5%
- Associate's13.5%
- Bachelor's18.1%
- Master's34.7%
- Post-doctoral training0.8%
Highest education held by self-enrichment teachers Segment Value High school 13.5% Certificate 18.5% Associate's 13.5% Bachelor's 18.1% Master's 34.7% Post-doctoral training 0.8%
Also advertised as: Art Teacher, Dance Instructor, Dance Teacher, Driving Instructor, Flight Instructor, Instructor.
Pay
How much do Self-Enrichment Teachers make?
Every self-enrichment teacher in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$46,800
Middle half earn $36,380 to $63,210
- 10th
- $30,050
- 25th
- $36,380
- 75th
- $63,210
- 90th
- $92,840
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $30,050 |
| 25th | $36,380 |
| Median | $46,800 |
| 75th | $63,210 |
| 90th | $92,840 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $46,800
- Median hourly wage
- $22.50/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $54,740
- People employed
- 332,110
Versus all US occupations
At $46,800, Self-Enrichment Teachers earn 8% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $4,180 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 31% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $92,840 or more while the bottom 10% earn $30,050, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 15% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $66,430, and still leads at $60,445 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Self-Enrichment Teachers the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $66,430 | $60,445 | 600 |
| 2New Hampshire | $59,880 | $57,486 | 1,820 |
| 3New York | $57,790 | $53,548 | 31,120 |
| 4Connecticut | $55,240 | $53,315 | 5,080 |
| 5Oregon | $53,790 | $52,041 | 5,580 |
| 6New Jersey | $53,780 | $49,428 | 13,380 |
| 7Vermont | $53,190 | $54,299 | 1,190 |
| 8Georgia | $52,320 | $54,334 | 10,030 |
| 9Hawaii | $51,960 | $47,257 | 1,730 |
| 10Maryland | $51,630 | $49,191 | 6,570 |
Job outlook
Is Self-Enrichment Teacher a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Self-Enrichment Teachers | +3.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Self-Enrichment Teachers to change 3.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 14,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 50,000 openings are projected each year, 11.9% of the 419,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Self-Enrichment Teacher
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as self-enrichment teachers.
- Master's Degree34.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate18.5%
- Bachelor's Degree18.1%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)13.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree13.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | 34.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 18.5% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 18.1% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 13.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 13.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Self-Enrichment Teacher do?
Teach or instruct individuals or groups for the primary purpose of self-enrichment or recreation, rather than for an occupational objective, educational attainment, competition, or fitness.
Day-to-day tasks
- Monitor students' performance to make suggestions for improvement and to ensure that they satisfy course standards, training requirements, and objectives.
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics.
- Prepare students for further development by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Review instructional content, methods, and student evaluations to assess strengths and weaknesses, and to develop recommendations for course revision, development, or elimination.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking3.6
- Active Listening3.4
- Learning Strategies3.4
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Writing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing3.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Persuasion2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 3.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Electronic mail software
- Internet browser software
- Multi-media educational software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Self-Enrichment Teacher?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Self-Enrichment Teacher |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
- Social7.0
- Artistic4.2
- Enterprising3.2
- Conventional3.1
- Investigative3.0
- Realistic2.5
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Self-Enrichment Teacher
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor
$61,540median a year
Most earn $42K to $98K
−13.9%Bachelor's - Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten
$67,170median a year
Most earn $49K to $105K
−0.1%Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with self-enrichment teachers highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Self-Enrichment Teacher$46,800
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Self-Enrichment Teacher | $46,800 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Self-Enrichment Teacher appears on
Questions
Self-Enrichment Teacher: frequently asked questions
How much do Self-Enrichment Teachers make?
Self-Enrichment Teachers earn a median of $46,800 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 8% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $22.50/hr. The middle half earn between $36,380 and $63,210. The top 10% earn $92,840 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Self-Enrichment Teacher?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Self-Enrichment Teachers. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 34.7% hold master's degree.
Is Self-Enrichment Teacher a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.5% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 50,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Self-Enrichment Teacher do?
Teach or instruct individuals or groups for the primary purpose of self-enrichment or recreation, rather than for an occupational objective, educational attainment, competition, or fitness. A core O*NET task: monitor students' performance to make suggestions for improvement and to ensure that they satisfy course standards, training requirements, and objectives. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Document management software, Graphics or photo imaging software.
Which states pay Self-Enrichment Teachers the most?
The highest state medians for Self-Enrichment Teachers are District of Columbia ($66,430), New Hampshire ($59,880), New York ($57,790) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Self-Enrichment Teacher?
O*NET scores Self-Enrichment Teachers highest on the Social, Artistic and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ENFP, ESFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.