Career comparison
Education Professor vs. Instructional Coordinator
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Instructional coordinators earn more at the median ($77,440 vs. $75,350), while education professors usually get to work faster (8+ years including teaching of training). Education professors prepare future teachers and research how people learn. Instructional coordinators improve teaching and learning by developing curriculum and coaching teachers.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Education Professor | Instructional Coordinator | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $75,350 | $77,440 ($37.23/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,530 – $126,860 | $47,980 – $121,670 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.5% (about as fast as average) | +1.6% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 5,300 | 23,100 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 8+ years including teaching | Master’s plus 5+ years of teaching |
| Key credential | Ed.D. or Ph.D. | State administrator or curriculum license |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, K–12 schools and offices.. | Coordinators work in school district offices and schools, visiting classrooms and leading meetings.. |
What each job does
Education Professor
- Teach teacher preparation courses
- Supervise student teachers
- Conduct education research
- Partner with schools
- Advise students
Instructional Coordinator
- Develop and revise curriculum
- Select instructional materials and technology
- Coach and mentor teachers
- Lead professional development
- Analyze student achievement data
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, helping others, and high-pay. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose education professor if…
- I’m an experienced teacher
- I want to train teachers
- I like research
Choose instructional coordinator if…
- I loved teaching and want bigger impact
- I like data
- I enjoy coaching adults
Still torn? Take the Education Professor fit quiz and the Instructional Coordinator fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, education professor or instructional coordinator?
Instructional Coordinators earn more at the median: $77,440 versus $75,350 for education professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Education Professors typically train faster (8+ years including teaching) than instructional coordinators (Master’s plus 5+ years of teaching).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects education professors to grow +2.5% from 2025–35, compared with +1.6% for instructional coordinators.