An elementary education degree opens more doors than people realize. The most direct path leads to the elementary school classroom, but the skills you build along the way travel well beyond it. A program like Campbellsville University’s online BS in Elementary Education P-5 program prepares you for in-demand teaching roles, as well as careers outside the classroom.
Most graduates go on to teach in public or private schools. Others move into curriculum work, early childhood education, corporate training, educational administration or non-profit roles. The degree also builds transferable skills, including communication, classroom management, child development, assessment and leadership, valued by many employers.
This guide outlines the benefits of earning the degree, career options graduates can pursue, within and outside the education system and related salary ranges. Whether you’re deciding to earn your first degree or considering a career pivot, the information below can help you decide if it’s the right fit.
How an Elementary Education Degree Prepares You for a Career
Most often, it prepares you to teach in a K-12 classroom. But a broader answer is the degree like Campbellsville University’s online BS in Elementary Education P-5 program prepares you for more careers that involves educating, training, guiding or developing people, covering many roles inside and outside K-12 schools.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that there will be approximately 103,800 annual job openings in teaching, mostly from retirements rather than growth. Demand for new teachers stays steady even as overall employment contracts slightly.
Beyond the classroom, your degree signals that you can manage groups, communicate across skill levels, plan structured learning experiences and adapt to changing needs. Those are exactly the skills schools, non-profits, corporations and government agencies look for.
Teaching Careers for Elementary Education Graduates
Most graduates enter teaching directly. A bachelor’s degree in elementary education, plus student teaching and licensure, qualifies you to teach in public schools.
Elementary school teacher
The primary career path: elementary school teachers work with students in grades K-5 or P-5, delivering core instruction. BLS reports a median annual wage of $62,340 for elementary school teachers as of May 2024.
Preschool teacher
If you enjoy working with children ages 3-5, a preschool teaching position is a natural fit, and BLS reports preschool teachers earn a median annual wage of $37,120 per year. Many positions prefer an early childhood education background.
Kindergarten teacher
Kindergarten teachers often hold the same P-5 or K-5 license as elementary teachers and earn comparable salaries. The role bridges early childhood and elementary instruction.
Special education paraprofessional. Many graduates begin in support roles alongside lead teachers, gaining experience while working toward certification or endorsements. This builds hands-on experience before full certification.
What Other Jobs Can You Get with an Elementary Education Degree Besides Teaching?
A bachelor’s in elementary education provides a strong foundation for roles outside the K-5 classroom. Here are common career paths graduates pursue beyond teaching.
Instructional coordinator
Instructional coordinators develop and review school curricula, evaluate teaching materials and train teachers in new strategies. BLS reports a median annual salary of $74,720 for instructional coordinators, with 1% projected growth through 2034.
Training and development specialist
Your ability to design structured learning experiences translates directly to corporate training, where specialists create onboarding programs, run workshops and design learning content across industries. BLS reports a median annual salary of $65,850, with 11% projected growth through 2034.
Childcare center director
With experience and credentials, elementary education graduates can lead early childhood programs and childcare centers. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers career pathways for directors in this field.
Tutoring and educational support
Private tutoring, after-school coordination and reading intervention draw directly on your classroom training. Many offer flexible, part-time hours that fit around family or coursework.
Educational technology specialist
School districts hire specialists to manage learning platforms, train teachers on digital tools and evaluate software. Graduates with education and technology interest are well-positioned for these roles.
Health educator
Some graduates pivot into community health education, applying their child development background to run programs for families. BLS reports median earnings of $63,000 for health education specialists.
An elementary education degree opens more doors than the classroom alone suggests. Whether you stay close to K-12 through curriculum or instructional roles, move into corporate training, or apply your child development background elsewhere, the core skills of communication, curriculum design and working with learners will carry over. The right path depends on which parts of teaching you want to keep and which parts you’re ready to leave behind.
Career Paths in Education Administration
Many educators move into leadership roles within schools and districts. An elementary education degree is a starting point for administration tracks, though most require graduate study or licensure beyond the bachelor’s level.
School principal
Elementary school principals lead daily operations, manage staff, oversee curriculum delivery and communicate with parents and the district. Most states require a master’s degree in education leadership plus a principal license. BLS reports a median annual salary of $104,070 for elementary, middle and high school principals.
Curriculum developer
School districts and educational publishers hire curriculum developers to build lesson plans and instructional resources. This role draws on your knowledge of how children learn.
Instructional coach
Instructional coaches observe teachers and provide feedback and professional development. The role requires strong interpersonal skills and knowledge of pedagogy.
Assistant principal or program director
Many educators move into assistant principal or district-level program director roles as a bridge to full administrative licensure. These roles build the leadership experience most states require before granting a principal license.
These roles all build on classroom experience rather than replacing it. The leadership, curriculum and coaching skills that make a good administrator start with time spent teaching. If you’re drawn to shaping how a school or district runs, the classroom is the first step, not a detour from it.
Careers Outside the Classroom with an Elementary Education Degree
An elementary education degree gives you transferable skills valued beyond K-12 schools. To employers outside education, it signals that you can communicate across diverse audiences, understand how people learn, manage priorities under pressure and build structure in unstructured environments.
Non-profit youth programs
Organizations focused on youth development, literacy, after-school learning and community health hire education backgrounds for program coordinator, curriculum development and grant writing roles. These roles apply your instructional skills in mission-driven settings outside a school.
Corporate training and development
The Association for Talent Development (ATD) reports the average organization spent over $1,000 per employee on workplace learning in 2024, with training’s revenue share at a five-year high. Instructional designers, trainers and learning and development managers draw on your curriculum and instructional design background.
Educational publishing
Textbook publishers, test companies and content platforms hire developers, editors and reviewers with grade-level knowledge. That knowledge is what these companies look for to help create their instructional materials.
Government education agencies
State and federal education agencies hire people with education backgrounds in policy, program management and evaluation. These roles shape education policy at a systemic level rather than within a single classroom.
These paths share a common thread: they take the same instructional instincts you’d use in a classroom and apply them at a different scale. This includes one program, one product or one policy at a time, rather than one classroom at a time. Whichever direction you choose, the degree stays the foundation.
Learn more about Campbellsville University's online BS in Elementary Education P-5 program.
Compare career paths, salary ranges and job outlook before you enroll, plus the skills employers want.
View ProgramWhat Skills Do You Build in an Elementary Education Program?
An elementary education degree builds capabilities that apply to many careers. Key skills include classroom management, lesson planning and curriculum development, educational psychology and child development theory, assessment and data analysis, differentiated instruction, family and community communication and educational technology integration.
These skills overlap with competencies employers look for: planning, communication, leadership, data analysis and problem-solving. O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor’s occupational database, lists similar communication and instructional skills as core competencies for elementary teachers. These skills also transfer into curriculum, training and administrative work.
Is an Elementary Education Degree Worth It?
Yes. For students interested in working with children, teaching or building careers in education-adjacent fields, an elementary education degree delivers strong value.
Elementary school teachers earn a median salary of $62,340 per year with growth tied to experience and education level. Jobs in instructional coordination, training and development and administration offer comparable or higher earnings, and the degree provides a clear path to state licensure that protects long-term career prospects.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports bachelor’s degree holders earned a median of $66,600 in 2022, which is 59% more than workers whose education ended at high school. This underscores the value of a degree before pursuing roles such as lead teacher, curriculum coordinator or educational administrator.
Learn more about Campbellsville University’s online BS in Elementary Education P-5 program.
About Campbellsville University’s online BS in Elementary Education P-5 program
Campbellsville University’s College of Education prepares future teachers with the classroom skills, field experience and credentials for Kentucky licensure. Online programs, including the online BS in Elementary Education P-5 program, fit around work, family and other commitments without sacrificing academic quality.
Campbellsville University is a private Christian university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, with more than 100 years of academic excellence. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on campus and online. Campbellsville is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and its mission is built on Christian values and academic growth for every student.