Career Definition for Computer Teachers
A career as a computer teacher offers many different opportunities. A computer teacher might cover basic keyboarding and computer functions for teenagers in public school or adults who are updating their work skills in a night class, or they may teach more complicated elements of computer science to college students. The duties of a computer teacher typically include creating lesson plans, evaluating student performance, maintaining classroom records, meeting with parents, teachers, and other professionals, updating curriculum, and participating in campus events. Additional research, supervisory, or organizational duties may also be required depending upon the expectation of the employing school.
| Required Education | Bachelor's or graduate degree in computer science |
| Job Duties | Creating lesson plans, evaluating student performance, maintaining records |
| Median Salary (2019)* | $58,110 (career and technical education teachers) |
| Job Growth (2019-2029)* | 2% (career and technical education teachers) |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
How to Become a Computer Teacher
Education Requirements
A bachelor's degree is a key computer teacher qualification. To teach in a public secondary school, a bachelor's degree in computer science is usually required. A semester of student teaching is also needed and is usually completed within the bachelor's degree program. A master's degree is typically the minimum educational requirement to teach at a college or university. Because requirements vary, you should contact the Board of Education in the state in which you wish to teach for the most up-to-date information.
Earn Licensure or Certification
Public secondary school teachers, like computer teachers, are typically required to hold specific certification (sometimes referred to as a single-subject certification) issued by the state. Licensing is required by all states to teach in the public school system; however, a license is not necessarily needed for private schools. A teaching credential may not be necessary for computer teachers working at the postsecondary level.
Develop the Required Skills
A computer teacher is often expected to solve minor technical problems that happen within their classrooms, so computer troubleshooting experience is important. No matter the topic, all teachers should be enthusiastic about the subject they are instructing and exhibit patience when working with students who don't immediately understand the concepts being presented. Professionalism is another computer teacher requirement, and good communication skills are also important as a computer instructor must interact with parents, administrators, and other teachers on a daily basis.
Computer Teacher Salary and Employment Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, www.bls.gov) states that job growth predictions for teachers between 2019 and 2029 will vary based on the education level; employment growth for high school teachers is expected to increase by 4% while employment growth for postsecondary teachers is expected to be 9%. The BLS reports that computer teachers could find greater opportunities due to increased technology use in classrooms and shortages of math and science teachers, including computer science. For career and technical education teachers specifically, job growth in general is expected to be 2%, with stronger prospects for middle school teachers and weaker prospects for postsecondary school teachers in this field. In 2019, per the BLS, career and technical education teachers at the middle school level earned $60,800, while those at the high school level earned $61,710, and vocational education teachers at the postsecondary level earned $54,620 in median wages. As of May 2019, postsecondary computer science teachers earned a median annual income of $85,180.
The following chart shows the top five states for career and technical education teachers in terms of total employment numbers, along with mean wages in each state.
| State | Total Employed (2019) | Average Salary (2019) |
| Texas | 12,010 | $59,960 |
| Florida | 5,200 | $60,110 |
| New York | 4,680 | $78,940 |
| North Carolina | 4,490 | $52,710 |
| Ohio | 4,060 | $70,650 |
What Makes a Good Computer Teacher?
A good computer teacher needs to have strong computer skills as well as a passion for subjects like programming and information technology. It is very useful for a computer instructor to have experience writing code or developing and maintaining information systems. These experiences will help a computer teacher to develop an expertise in this field and to better communicate the course topics to students with fluidity.
Because students may come from various backgrounds and will have varying interest levels in the subject of computers, it is not enough for computer teachers to be experts. These teachers also need to have patience with students and a strong desire to guide students to learn in the classroom. Computer instructors also should be able to effectively teach all students, regardless of their relative interest levels in the subject.
Alternate Career Options
There are other career options in this field, including work as an instructional coordinator.
Instructional Coordinator
Instructional coordinators lead curriculum development and professional development for teachers at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary school levels, taking into account new teaching methods, curriculum assessments, and student assessments, among other factors. This job typically requires a master's degree in a relevant field, like curriculum and instruction, a teaching or education administrator license, and relevant experience. The BLS predicts that jobs in this field will increase by 6% from 2019-2029. Instructional coordinators earned median pay of $66,290 in 2019, per the BLS.
