Job
Outlook:
Employment is projected to grow about as fast as the average for
all occupations. Job opportunities should be excellent due to a
large number of expected retirements and fewer applicants for some
positions.
Employment
change:
Employment of education administrators is expected to grow by about
8 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is about as fast as the average
for all occupations. Expected growth is primarily the result of
growth in enrollments of school-aged children. Enrollment of students
in elementary and secondary schools is expected to grow relatively
slowly over the next decade, limiting the growth of principals and
other administrators in these schools. However, the number of administrative
positions will continue to increase as more administrative responsibilities
are placed on individual schools, particularly with regard to monitoring
student achievement. Preschool and child care center administrators
are expected to experience substantial growth because of increasing
enrollments in formal child care programs as fewer young children
are cared for in private homes. In addition, as more States implement
or expand public preschool programs, more preschool directors will
be needed.
The
number of students at the postsecondary level is projected to grow
more rapidly than other student populations. Many of these schools
cater to working adults who might not ordinarily participate in
postsecondary education. Such schools allow students to earn a degree,
receive job-specific training, or update their skills in a convenient
manner, such as through part-time programs or distance learning.
As the number of these schools continues to grow, more administrators
will be needed to oversee them.
Job
prospects:
Job opportunities should be excellent due to a large number of expected
retirements and fewer applicants for some positions. Principals
and assistant principals should have excellent job prospects because
a sharp increase in responsibilities in recent years has made the
job more stressful and has discouraged some teachers from taking
positions in administration. Principals are now being held more
accountable for the performance of students and teachers, while
at the same time they are required to adhere to a growing number
of government regulations. In addition, overcrowded classrooms,
safety issues, budgetary concerns, and teacher shortages in some
areas are creating additional stress for administrators. Many teachers
feel that the increase in pay for becoming an administrator is not
high enough to compensate for the greater responsibilities.
Opportunities
may vary by region of the country. Enrollments are expected to increase
the fastest in the West and South, where the population is growing
faster, and to decline or remain stable in the Northeast and the
Midwest. School administrators also are in greater demand in rural
and urban areas, where pay is generally lower than in the suburbs.
Fewer
applicants are expected for nonacademic administrative jobs, such
as director of admissions or director of student affairs. Furthermore,
many people are discouraged from seeking administrator jobs by the
requirement that they have a master’s or doctoral degree in
education administration—as well as by the opportunity to
earn higher salaries in other occupations.
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