Hiring guide · Education & Childcare
How to Hire an Education Professor
Pay benchmarks, qualifications, sourcing, screening and interview questions for hiring education professors, plus a plan to get them productive fast.
Write a clear job description, offer competitive pay (the national median is $75,350), recruit through college education programs and student-teaching placements, verify Ed.D. or Ph.D. where applicable, run a structured interview with a practical skills check, and onboard with a 30-60-90 day plan.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The hiring market for education professors
There are about 77,200 education professors employed in the U.S., with roughly 5,300 openings each year. Employment is projected to change +2.5% from 2025–35 (about as fast as average). Most openings come from replacing workers who retire or change careers, so a steady pipeline matters.
Pay benchmarks for offers
| Candidate level | Annual | Hourly* |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th–25th percentile) | $39,530–$53,770 | $19.00–$25.85 |
| Typical / mid-career (median) | $75,350 | $36.23 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $97,590 | $46.92 |
| Top of market (90th percentile) | $126,860 | $60.99 |
*Annual ÷ 2,080 hours. National BLS data; adjust for your state and metro area. Many states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings.
What to look for
Must-haves
- Doctoral or professional degree (typical entry level)
- Pedagogy
- Mentoring
Nice-to-haves
- Ed.D. or Ph.D.
- Teaching license
- National Board Certification
- Experience with learning management systems
Where to find education professors
- College education programs and student-teaching placements
- Alternative certification and residency programs
- Substitute and paraprofessional pools
- Community colleges with early childhood (CDA) programs
- Job postings that use common alternate titles: Teacher Education Professor, Education Faculty, Curriculum Professor, Educational Leadership Professor
Screening checklist
- State license or certification verification where required
- Fingerprint background checks and child abuse registry clearances
- CPR and first aid certification for childcare roles
- A sample lesson or classroom observation
Follow federal, state and local rules on background checks, drug testing and fair-chance hiring, and apply screening consistently to all candidates for the role.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions and score answers on a structured scorecard.
1. “Describe your K–12 experience.”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
2. “How do you coach student teachers?”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
3. “Describe your research.”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
4. “How do you build school partnerships?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
5. “What courses can you teach?”
What a strong answer includes: List.
Practical skills checks
A short demonstration beats a perfect resume. Ask candidates to talk you through, or perform under supervision, tasks such as:
- Observe and Coach a Student Teacher (see the steps)
- Teach a Methods Course (see the steps)
- Build a School-University Partnership (see the steps)
Red flags
- Can’t describe basic safety practices for the role
- Vague or inconsistent work history with no explanation
- Unfamiliar with core terms such as Pedagogy, Student teaching, Methods course
- Negative talk about every past employer or coworker
Onboard for retention
The first 90 days decide whether a new hire stays. Use our Education Professor 30-60-90 day onboarding plan and give every new hire the same foundation with Education Professor training. Show them the path forward: K–12 Teacher → Clinical Faculty → Assistant Professor → Professor or Dean.
Hiring education professors: FAQ
How much should I pay an education professor?
The U.S. median wage for education professors is $75,350 per year, according to BLS May 2025 data. Entry-level offers often fall near the 25th percentile ($53,770), while experienced hires command closer to the 75th percentile ($97,590). Adjust for your local market.
What qualifications should an education professor have?
BLS lists “doctoral or professional degree” as the typical entry-level education. Look for Ed.D. or Ph.D. and Teaching license where relevant, plus skills such as pedagogy, curriculum design, and classroom observation.
How long does it take to train a new education professor?
Becoming qualified typically takes 8+ years including teaching. After hire, plan for a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding period; BLS classifies on-the-job training for this occupation as “none.”