elementary Education Career Outlook
A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the elementary grades, which may include kindergarten through grade eight, depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all elementary education subject matter.
To find out more about your major including potential areas and employers, required skills, job outlook, and median pay, please access the Occupational Outlook Handbook or O*Net websites.
Career Outlook
Explore the subsections below to learn more about the potential skills a student with an elementary education major can develop as well as the potential positions, areas, and employers that hire students with this degree. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.
Skills
As an elementary education major, students may develop of advance skills including communication, patience, creativity, enthusiasm, confidence, dedication, conflict resolution, organization, classroom management, time management, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork.
Positions
Graduates with a degree in elementary education can work as Teachers, Reading/Math Specialists, ELL Specialists, Textbook Salespersons, Instructional Technologists, Direct Service, Grant Writers
Areas
Graduates with a degree in elementary education can work in teaching, research, sales, administration, literacy development, adult and continuing education, fundraising/development.
Employers
Graduates with a degree in elementary education can work for public, private, Montessori, magnet, or charter schools, professional associations, test preparation companies, international schools, publishers, museums, zoos, religious organizations, correctional institutions, higher education, nonprofits, park districts.
Helpful Resources
Use the employment opportunity resources below to kickstart your preprofessional and or professional experience search. You may also identify a professional or student organization to join and network with individuals in your major and field. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.
- Archdiocese of Chicago
- Chicago Children's Museum
- Chicago Commons
- Chicago HOPES for Kids
- Chicago Park District
- Chicago Public Schools
- Connections Learning Center
- Educational Endeavors
- I Hire Elementary Teachers
- Illinois Education Job Bank
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Joliet Diocese
- Lake County School Districts
- North Suburban Cook County School Districts
- Oak Lawn Park District
- K12JobSpot
- The Children's Museum in Oak Lawn
- U.S. Department of Education
- Will County School Districts
- American Association for Employment in Education
- American Association of School Administrators
- American Educational Research Association
- American Federation of Teachers
- American Library Association
- American School Counselor Association
- Association of American Educators
- Association of Teacher Educators
- Council for Exceptional Children
- Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
- National Education Association
- Education Club at SXU