A person earning a degree in elementary or high school education may want to know, “How is the job outlook for teachers?” The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) compiles employment statistics and makes predictions for each occupation in the United States. Knowing the job outlook for teaching occupations could help a person decide on a major of study or a career path within their major.
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Current Employment Statistics for Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Teachers
According to the BLS, about 134,500 people were employed as kindergarten teachers in 2018. There were another 1,434,400 people employed as elementary school teachers and 1,072,500 employed as high school teachers in the United States. Special education teachers numbered about 437,200 in 2018.
Job Growth Estimates for Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Teachers
All employment projections for teachers suggest a slower than average rate of growth for jobs between 2018 and 2028. For kindergarten and high school teachers, the expected rate of growth is 4 percent. For special education and elementary school teachers, the expected rate of job growth is 3 percent. The average growth rate for all occupations tracked by the BLS is expected to be 5 percent between 2018 and 2028, which means that all types of teaching occupations will have a slower than average rate of growth for this period of time.
Locations With the Most Jobs for Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Teachers
There is a lot of variability in the job growth rate for teachers by location in the United States. In general, rural areas will have negative rates of growth for all teaching jobs. Suburban communities are likely to have slightly higher than average rates of growth for teaching occupations, and metropolitan areas should have average rates of growth for all teaching jobs. The states with the most teaching jobs for kindergarten include Texas, California, Florida, Washington, and New York. The states with the most elementary teacher jobs include California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Illinois, explains the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The states with the most high school teaching jobs are California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The states with the most special education teacher jobs are New York, California, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois. The cities with the most kindergarten teacher jobs include New York, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Cities with the most elementary teacher jobs are New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta. Metropolitan areas with the most high school teaching jobs include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. The cities with the most special education teacher jobs are New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Boston.
Factors That Could Affect the Job Outlook for Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Teachers
Most teaching jobs are funded from state budgets. An economic downturn in a state could lower its number of available jobs. Changes in state laws about class size or teacher licensing, pay or benefits could also affect the growth in teaching jobs.
Familiarity with the career outlook issued by the BLS could make a difference in which career path a person chooses. Knowing where the greatest number of jobs are likely to be located and in which industry could also help a person focus their job search. Understanding, “How is the job outlook for teachers?” is essential for any undergraduate student or graduate student studying education.
