Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Education, Training, and Library · SOC 25-3011 · O*NET 25-3011.00
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors fall under the Education, Training, and Library category in the U.S. occupational classification. Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors earn a median salary of $61,540 per year, ranking in the top 50% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -13.9% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors earn?
The median annual wage for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors is $61,540. That puts adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors at #412 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors is -13.9%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 41K positions in 2024 to 35K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What education does my child need to become adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructor?
The standard path into adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
What is the median salary for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors?
The median annual salary for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors is $61,540 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors a growing career?
BLS projects -13.9% growth for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructor?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors?
Related occupations within the Education, Training, and Library category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.