Increase Your Teacher Salary By Getting Your Doctorate

Although it may require many years of hard work and dedication, the rewards are plentiful. Teachers with a doctorate earn an average of $15,000 more per year than those without one. So if you're looking to make more money and further your career in education, consider getting your doctorate. Let's find out how. 

How You Can Get A PhD

If you're wondering “Can I get a doctorate in education?” the answer is yes. There are many different types of doctorates in education, such as EdD (Doctor of Education), DBA (Doctor of Business Administration), and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy). Nowadays, more and more people opt for online EdD programs to get the raise they desire. A Ph.D. in educational administration typically takes four to five years to complete and includes courses like school finance and curriculum development, while a Ph.D. in elementary or secondary education has courses like research methods and statistics. Once your coursework is done, you'll write and defend a dissertation, along with taking comprehensive exams. All in all, getting a doctorate usually involves six or seven years of advanced study beyond your graduate degree. 

Why You Should Get Your Doctorate

There are several reasons why getting your doctorate is a great idea. First of all, it can improve your job prospects and save you money on tuition. For example, Ohio State University's education department requires master's degree-holders to complete an additional year of coursework before they're allowed to teach in the state without supervision. But those with a doctorate can teach under direct supervision as soon as they arrive on campus. That means more students taught by highly qualified teachers and more time saved on pursuing an advanced degree for those who already have one. It can also increase your salary. While the average teacher with a master's degree earns about $40,000 per year, those with a Ph.D. earn nearly double that at around $80,000 per year. The same holds for principals, who earn an average of $67,000 to start if they hold a doctorate compared to $51,000 if they don't have one. 

Job Satisfaction With A PhD

Of course, no matter how much money you make or how qualified you are for your job title, many teachers still don't find it easy to keep working in education. For example, according to one Gallup poll, just 62% of public school teachers plan to stay in the classroom next year. While that's an improvement from the 44% who planned to stay in 2010, it's still not great. If you're wondering “How can I get a doctorate in education?” The answer may have something to do with helping teachers enjoy their careers more. For example, teachers with a Ph.D. who took part in Gallup's survey reported significantly lower turnover rates than those without advanced degrees (54%, compared to 85%). Teachers also felt like they made a difference and were highly satisfied with their job (96% and 91%, respectively), even if they weren't completely engaged (26%) or actively disengaged (13%). 

Which Doctorate To Choose

Which doctorate you pursue should depend on your career goals. For example, if you want to teach college students at a university or obtain an administrative position in education, then a Ph.D. is the way to go. But if you're looking for a research-based job and don't mind leaving the classroom setting (at least temporarily), choose EdD or DBA instead – both degrees are more research-focused than their Ph.D. counterparts and can be obtained while still teaching full time. The benefits are obvious – get more money for longer periods, better job satisfaction, and an opportunity to pursue your passion. 

What You Can Do Now

If you're thinking “I want my doctorate,” then companies like ETS have great options that allow working professionals to get it without sacrificing their income from other sources. Through its online programs, teachers can study part-time and get their degree in less than three years, while professionals with full-time jobs can study full-time and get their education on a schedule that works around work hours. The best part? There's no need to ever stop teaching. You just need to know that you'll have to get the bulk of your coursework done during summer vacation.

Getting your doctorate can help you get a raise and increase your job satisfaction. If getting more money and job satisfaction sounds good to you, then ETS makes it possible for professionals like yourself to get the education they need without wasting any of their valuable time. Instead of taking years off from teaching, learn how you can stay in the classroom while still getting the advanced degree that will secure your future and boost your salary.