Master of Arts in Teaching Jobs

Master of Arts in Teaching JobsMaster of Arts in Teaching Jobs are, unsurprisingly, usually found in schools. The Master of Arts in Teaching, abbreviated as MAT, is usually a degree taken between completion of a Bachelor’s degree and the start of a teaching career in schools. The MAT is useful for graduates with a Bachelor’s in a particular subject or field other than Education. For example, a graduate with a Music or English degree could use the MAT as a conversion degree into a teaching career, obtaining a number of Master of Arts in Teaching Jobs.

Each state has accredited colleges offering MAT degrees, typically requiring 30 semester hours to complete the degree program. Top ranking colleges for MAT programs include the University of California at Irvine and John Hopkins University. At UC Irvine, the standards expected of MAT students are very high, as California’s teacher licensing standards are higher than the national average. As an additional bonus, UC Irvine is a public school, with lower tuition rates than many private schools. At John Hopkins, the focus of the MAT is typically on either secondary, elementary or early-childhood education. An interesting component of the intensive School Immersion Master of Arts in Teaching program at John Hopkins is a full year’s intern placement at a school.

Popular Master of Arts in Teaching Jobs

One of the most popular Master of Arts in Teaching Jobs is as an early-childhood educator.  These jobs involve working with young children at the kindergarten or pre-kindergarten ages. The focus of instruction is typically on basic language and numeracy, social and play skills. These jobs are popular with teachers who enjoy working with the youngest children, and nationally carry a median salary around $49,000.

Elementary teaching jobs are also popular after completing an MAT. Elementary teachers continue to focus on math and language skills, and usually take responsibility for teaching one particular grade level throughout consecutive years. In a public school system, a median salary is approximately $51,000.

Middle school teachers can apply the in-depth subject knowledge from their field, as well as the teaching skills gained from the MAT degree. Working with grades 6 through 8, middle school teachers can teach a specific subject — such as music or a foreign language — or teach a specific grade throughout the years. An average annual salary in the public school system is $53,000.

High school teachers commonly focus on one particular subject, teaching this at a more advanced level to students in grades 9 through 12. They may also help students learn vocational skills. An average high-school teacher salary is just over $53,000.

Another career option after an MAT degree is teaching English to speakers of other languages within the school system. An average salary for this job is $51,000 to $53,000. In many school districts, starting pay is higher for a teacher with a Masters degree as well as a Bachelors. So Master of Arts in Teaching jobs often start with a higher salary than Bachelors jobs.