Teaching is being able to talk about a subject at length and answer students’ questions. Teachers prepare lessons and assign homework, essays, and pop quizzes. They meet with parents, grade tests, and track students’ progress throughout the year.
Teaching also means connecting with students. Meeting with students who may have questions or need extra help is common. Teaching involves talking daily for at least one hour, but sometimes three hours at a time.
Teachers usually specialize in a particular subject. Most states in the US need at least a bachelor’s degree plus a certificate to teach k-12 in public schools. To teach at a university, a Master’s degree or higher is usually needed.
Only three states need all teachers to hold a Master’s degree–Maryland, New York, and Connecticut. In many states, you have to have a different license to teach elementary, middle school, and high school. But, some states offer single licenses to teach at any level k-12.
Teacher salaries vary widely. In the US the lowest average salary is $47, 826 in Mississippi, and the highest average at $85,889, in New York. The average salary for an entry-level teacher in the US is between $34,757 and $50, 740.
The average college professor’s salary falls between $83, 732 and $173, 576. An online or private school classroom is the most common teaching environment, although some classes may be taught online. Online courses are more common in universities, while those who teach k-12 do so in person.
Teaching involves lectures and paperwork. However, stirring interesting discussions, asking thought-provoking questions, and having good people skills are the most valuable teaching skills to have. Other jobs similar to teaching, which we’ll talk about in this article, involve similar tasks and skills.
1. Life Coach
Life coaching is similar to teaching. Both roles interact with different people from various backgrounds. Like teaching, life coaching should motivate a client to learn.
While teachers motivate students to learn, life coaches motivate clients to reflect. A life coach helps clients with different areas of life, from goal setting, career, relationships, and figuring out obstacles. A life coach is part of the wellness industry, helping clients achieve productive life habits and identify bad habits that could be holding them back.
Good communication and listening skills are vital to being a life coach. Awareness of social cues and knowing how to ask the right questions are equally as important. You can work in a gym, or hospital, or have your own private practice.
The average life coaching salary is $52,063 although that will vary depending on your level of experience and whether you choose to work for yourself or not.
2. Health and Wellness Coach
Also, a part of the health and wellness industry, health and wellness coaching is similar to teaching. It’s also a more specialized version of life coaching. Many of the same skills are required, like asking open-ended, descriptive questions, non-verbal communication skills, and the ability to recognize when a client is having difficulty with something.
Teaching is about turning students into a specific subject, while health and wellness coaching is about leading a client to become self-aware of poor health habits. More specifically, health coaching is about helping clients set healthy goals for themselves, usually dealing with weight loss, exercise, and stress. The standards are becoming higher for health coaches and while you don’t need a specific degree, certification is almost always necessary to break into the field.
Certification enrollment usually requires a prior degree or level of education. A teaching degree is well prepared for a new career in health and wellness coaching. According to statistics, health and wellness coaches earn an average of $62,160 per year.
3. Licensed Professional Counselor
Teaching, coaching, and counseling facilitate learning by asking open-ended questions, collaborating, and setting goals and assignments. They try to create an environment of positivity, engagement, openness, and progress. LPCs often work with clients who have mental health issues or problems with addiction.
Clients who need help with anger management, big life changes, or stress may seek a licensed professional counselor. While counseling is similar to teaching, it’s different from being a practicing psychiatrist or psychologist. Psychologists and psychiatrists are usually communicating with patients which involves using a style that’s unlike communicating with students or with clients.
It’s the difference between diagnosing a patient vs inspiring self-awareness in a client. While 32 states allow LPCs to make diagnoses, 16 states do not give them that authority. They may work in private practice or mental health centers.
On average, licensed professional counselors in the US earn $54, 796 per year.
4. TEFL Instructor
Teaching English as a foreign Language is similar to other teaching jobs. A TEFL teacher must plan and prepare lesson plans and materials and help students learn to speak and write in English. TEFL teachers often work abroad or online.
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement in addition to getting a TEFL license. A legitimate TEFL certification course will include 100 hours of coursework, at least plus teaching practice. TEFL teachers may also work from home as private tutors or teach in a private school or public classroom.
The best part is that this allows you to travel by giving you options to work almost anywhere in the world. The average salary for an English as a foreign language teacher is $41, 477.
5. Certified Mindfulness Professional
Sometimes, a teacher is memorable because they offer more than what’s in the textbook. They are good at drawing you in, sparking curiosity, and showing you a new perspective. The job of a certified mindfulness professional is similar to teaching because it involves having confidence and teaching something meaningful, inspiring others in the process.
Mindfulness professionals are trained in mindfulness techniques, which may include breathing exercises, meditation, and self-reflection. They may work with clients or small groups who feel stressed or anxious and want a healthy way to cope with life. Mindfulness teachers may also be hired by companies to support employees well-being, in schools, community centers, or hospitals.
Becoming a certified mindfulness teacher requires at least a bachelor’s degree or relevant experience practicing mindfulness techniques for several years. The University of Texas, for instance, offers a certificate program in mindfulness, and Harvard University offers an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course to prepare you for certification. The average US salary for a certified mindfulness teacher is $49, 301.
6. Curriculum Writer
Becoming a curriculum writer is probably the easiest transition from teaching because it involves a bachelor’s degree, classroom experience, and subject expertise which you already get from teaching. Often it’s on-the-job training as well. Curriculum writing is similar to teaching except you’re behind the scenes and instead of putting the curriculum into practice, you get to develop it, which could be a nice change.
Designing the most effective method for teaching the subject is a new challenge, allowing you to be creative and problem-solve from a different teaching angle. Curriculum writers choose topics to cover and write learning objectives, study guides, engaging lesson plans, and other coursework for a particular subject or course. They create things like quizzes and tests as well.
Designing the entire course curriculum requires research skills. Good communication is important to talk with teachers about what individual students need and what is or isn’t working. An office setting is the most common work environment, occasionally traveling to meet with other educators or attend conferences.
If you choose to pursue curriculum writing, you could earn around $71,476 per year, which is the US average. And because digital content and the use of technology in the classroom are growing, there could be a growing need for future-minded curriculum writers.
7. Academic Advisor
An academic advisor may hold a Master’s degree but most require a bachelor’s degree, at least. Academic advising is very similar to teaching because it’s about guiding students and giving them the information they need regarding things like choosing the right coursework, sticking to a program or major, finding internships, and offering helpful resources like job opportunities and graduate school. Academic advisors can work in a high school setting or a private or public university.
Like teaching, academic advice is based on building rapport with students, so you can offer support and guidance. Some states require a counseling license, while others may require a certificate. Academic advisors’ average salary in the US is $51,131.
8. Education Lobbyist
As a lobbyist, your goal is to influence policymakers on issues in healthcare or education. Like teaching, to be a lobbyist, you need to have in-depth knowledge of the field you represent. Lobbying is ideal for those who teach government, law, or economics, for instance, and who have a special interest in environmental issues, for example.
Education lobbyists use persuasion to change policies that impact the education system. A special license isn’t required to be an education lobbyist, although a bachelor’s degree is needed. Education lobbyists may work on behalf of universities or unions and often work in law or lobbying firms.
An education lobbyist’s goal is to sway politicians to sign policies that support causes like better teacher salaries, funding for schools, and student loan programs. Skills you need to work as a lobbyist are similar to skills needed for teaching, including strong communication, both written and verbal, and you need to have extensive knowledge of current issues in education. The average salary of a lobbyist in the US is $79,478 although the range is wide.
You could make between $57,629 and $18,053 depending on years of experience and location.
9. Prison System Teacher
So, while a prison system teacher is still a teaching job, it’s different from teaching in a traditional classroom setting because you will teach in a prison, not a classroom. But also, in lieu of upper-level subjects, you teach the basics like math, writing, and reading, helping prisoners prepare for the high school equivalency exam (GED). Corrections teachers may also teach practical skills like mechanics and plumbing, helping prisoners prepare for a job and life outside of prison.
To become a corrections teacher you need at least a bachelor’s degree in education, teaching, or a related field and you must also be certified to teach. While prison classrooms and traditional classrooms are surprisingly similar, teachers are advised to follow a stricter approach to interacting with prisoners. For instance, in a public school setting, you might connect with students on a more personal level, but in a prison, it may be best to follow the curriculum and avoid asking or talking about anything too personal.
While education isn’t offered in every prison where it’s available, most prisoners have an opportunity to earn it, including maximum security inmates, as it may bring meaning or purpose and has been shown to help reduce recidivism. The average pay per year for working as a corrections teacher is $52,466.
10. Juvenile Correctional Officer
Juvenile Correctional officers work in a juvenile center. Their job is to oversee inmates and ensure safety and security. At first glance, the role of a juvenile officer seems like a long shot away from teaching and it’s true, some aspects of the job are different.
But many of the tasks involved are familiar to teaching jobs, a touch more eventful maybe. For instance, responsibilities include keeping inmates safe, maintaining order and cleanliness of the facility, and reporting violence or inappropriate behavior. Corrections officers may also supervise inmates during mealtime and other activities throughout the day and they may take inmates to court hearings and back.
Besides maintaining a secure environment, juvenile corrections officers also work closely with the juvenile inmates and may teach life skills and appropriate behavior. Officers observe and track inmate progress, and monitor for mental health or physical health issues. They may also set up meetings with parents and family members.
Typically, a juvenile correctional officer must have at least a high school diploma, but this varies by state as some regions require a college degree. Juvenile correctional officers earn an average salary of $42,675 per year in the US. The hiring process does require a few steps.
In addition to a background check, potential juvenile corrections officers must pass a polygraph exam, take a psychological assessment, and get a medical exam.
11. Art Curator
Developing and executing art exhibitions, researching and authenticating artwork, and sharing your love of art with the public sounds like a pretty cool job, actually. Art curators plan, present, install and interpret works of art to prepare them for art exhibits. Because art curators are also engaging with the public and sharing their deep knowledge about art, an art curator’s job is not a huge leap away from teaching.
Except, instead of grading papers, art curators keep track of artwork and maintain a catalog of items in each collection. Art curators are well-rounded experts in a wide range of art subtopics, such as art history and art market trends. Most art curator jobs will require a master’s degree prior to getting hired.
However, there are smaller galleries that usually require only a bachelor’s degree in an art-related field. Like skills needed for teaching, art curators must have good writing, research, and management skills. Their tasks include researching particular art pieces and artists and having a good eye for what type of artwork is valuable.
Art curators make an average salary of $55,339, according to the US national average. Galleries, museums, and art dealer organizations are the most common work environment for an art curator. Art curators may also work in an office, or at a desk.
Or, they may spend most of their time on the main floor of the museum or gallery chatting with visitors and speaking to others about the art on display.
12. Art Auctioneer
If art auctioneers are the middlemen between the buyer and the seller of a painting, then teachers are the middleman between students and a subject. Art auctioneers host fine art auctions where sellers bring artwork they would like to sell without having to do much leg work, and where potential buyers come to bid for the best deal. An art auctioneer works with the seller of a piece of artwork to agree upon a starting bidding price.
Sometimes they also appraise art, as well. Then they stand in front of an audience of potential buyers rattling off what’s known as bid calling, or an auction chant. Auctioneers call out prices very quickly, creating a sense of urgency, and the auctioneer uses a hammer or mallet to signal when the final sale has been made.
Like teachers in many parts of the US, art auctioneers must also be licensed and take an exam. Every state is different and some may not require licensing. Moreover, much of the learning and training is done on the job, in this particular field.
The average annual salary in the US is $49394.