Devlin Peck
What are the best jobs for former teachers?
Today, you’ll learn what the best career for former teachers is, along with 50 career ideas for people with a teaching background.
Want to learn more? Read on!
If you are reading this article, then there is a good chance that you are thinking of breaking away from teaching and looking for a new career.
Fortunately, you’re in luck. Teaching is a versatile job that helps you develop various skills that employers in different industries are looking for.
At the same time, teaching is a demanding job that takes its toll. According to the National Education Association, 55% of teachers are thinking of prematurely leaving their jobs.
Maybe you want more flexibility, a remote job, and less stress? You’re in the right place.
If you’re considering leaving the classroom, you’re not alone. But it’s important to understand that the career transition landscape in 2026 looks different than it did a few years ago.
More teachers are exploring alternative careers than ever before. At the same time, remote roles have become highly competitive across industries. That means employers are seeing more applicants per position, and they’re raising their expectations as a result.
For many roles, especially those in corporate settings, transferable skills alone are no longer enough. Hiring managers want to see proof. That might mean a portfolio, relevant certifications, measurable results, or demonstrated technical skills.
Another major shift is the impact of AI and automation tools. In fields like marketing, instructional design, communications, and data analysis, daily tasks are increasingly supported by AI. What stands out now is strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to use tools effectively (not just demonstrating familiarity with them).
Hiring timelines have also slowed in many industries. It’s common for candidates to go through multiple interview rounds, skills assessments, and portfolio reviews before receiving an offer.
That said, teachers still bring incredibly valuable strengths to the workforce: communication, leadership, organization, empathy, and the ability to explain complex ideas clearly. Those skills are not going out of style.
The difference in 2026 is that a successful transition requires more intention. A clear target role, a focused skill-building plan, and tangible proof of your ability will dramatically improve your odds.
The opportunity is still there, but the teachers who approach their transition strategically are the ones who land the strongest roles.
Various sectors need your teaching skills.
Many transitioning teachers prefer instructional design. As an instructional designer, you teach and train people in the workforce, primarily through digital learning experiences (think Khan Academy, but for a specific company or program).
You can work as an instructional designer in multiple industries, including the corporate, governmental, and educational sectors. Apple and Amazon are just a few Fortune 100 companies hiring former teachers as instructional designers.
For example, my student Joanna left her teaching job to become an instructional designer at Amazon Web Services. You can read her story here.
Of course, this isn’t your only career option (as you’ll see below). But you can successfully use your teaching experience to build a thriving career in this space.
Compare salary, remote flexibility, and transition difficulty at a glance.
Before we dive into the full list, it’s worth noting that not all of these roles offer the same combination of salary, flexibility, and transition feasibility. In 2026, the strongest overall career paths for former teachers (based on compensation, remote potential, and long-term growth) tend to include instructional design, corporate training, project management, communications, and marketing roles.
Below, you’ll find a full breakdown of 50 potential career paths, including both high-growth corporate roles and alternative professional options.
Average salary: $93,000
In 2026, one of the strongest long-term career paths for former teachers is instructional design.
Your teaching experience transfers well into this field, especially your ability to analyze learning needs, design structured experiences, communicate clearly, and manage complex projects. Many former teachers are surprised by how directly these skills apply in corporate, higher education, and government environments.
However, instructional design is not simply “teaching in a different setting.” The expectations are different. Employers look for professionals who can solve performance problems, collaborate with stakeholders, use modern authoring tools, and demonstrate their work through a portfolio.
The good news? You do not need a master’s degree in instructional design to enter the field. Many instructional designers transition from other careers and build their qualifications through focused skill development and practical experience. What matters most is your ability to demonstrate competence, not just list transferable skills.
According to our research, 94% of instructional designers report a healthy work-life balance. This is a significant contrast to the classroom. For teachers who are willing to build the right skills and position themselves strategically, instructional design can offer strong compensation, flexibility, and meaningful work.
In this short video, I explain what instructional design looks like in practice and why so many former teachers choose this path:
Instructional design tends to be a strong fit for teachers who:
While many teachers transition successfully into instructional design, it’s not a quick pivot. Employers typically expect to see proof of your ability to design learning experiences, work with stakeholders, and deliver measurable results.
But for those who do put in the work, instructional design can offer strong compensation, flexibility, and long-term growth.
If you’re seriously considering instructional design as your next career, it’s important to approach the transition strategically.
Building a strong portfolio, learning the right tools, and understanding how corporate learning environments operate can dramatically improve your chances of landing a role.
If you’d like a detailed breakdown of what employers expect (including the specific skills, tools, and portfolio pieces that make candidates competitive in 2026), then you can read the full step-by-step guide to becoming an instructional designer.
For teachers who want structured, step-by-step guidance and accountability throughout the transition process, you can learn more about Peck Academy’s Instructional Design Professional Certification program.
Whether you choose a self-directed path or a structured program, the key is to treat your transition like a professional repositioning (not just a career change).
Average salary: $68,000
In 2026, many corporate training roles blend live facilitation with digital learning design. Teachers who are comfortable presenting, adapting to adult learners, and using virtual training tools may find this to be one of the smoother transitions into the corporate world. This is the closest role to a corporate "teacher." Your job is to promote employee growth and development by facilitating training sessions, either in-person or online. In other words, your background as a teacher can serve you well in this role.
Average salary: $105,000
Project managers plan and develop project ideas by creating and leading teams, monitoring project progress, setting deadlines and ensuring stakeholder satisfaction. Teachers already manage timelines, stakeholders, and competing priorities daily. Earning an entry-level certification such as CAPM or gaining experience with project management tools can significantly strengthen your positioning.
Average salary: $90,000
If you’re all about changing and improving the educational system, becoming a curriculum developer might be something for you. As a curriculum developer, you develop materials and activities for students and share instructional guides with other teachers. You can work in the educational sector or at organizations or corporations. Curriculum development goes hand in hand with instructional design, and the terms are often used interchangeably in the corporate setting.
Average salary: $109,000
A communications manager develops and executes communication strategies for businesses and organizations. As a teacher, you have relevant skills; you know how to collaborate and communicate with different stakeholders (parents, children, and school administration). You also know how to hold presentations and make your arguments heard. This path may require more direct marketing or corporate communication experience, but teachers with strong writing and presentation skills can transition successfully with a targeted portfolio.
Average salary: $106,000
The role of a marketing manager is varied. You might specialize in marketing a company with a specific platform or tool (Instagram, Meta, TikTok…). Or you might focus on a specific marketing strategy (PPC, SEO, social media). Either way, teachers are pros at keeping organized, coming up with fun, creative ideas, and engaging people–a perfect fit for a marketing role. Granted, you might need to reskill and acquire more marketing expertise. In marketing, demonstrated results and measurable outcomes often matter more than formal credentials. After all, modern marketing develops very fast and most of those who work as marketers have had to at least partially learn their skills on the job.
Average salary: $78,000
A learning specialist can work with different types of institutions, such as government agencies, financial organizations, and universities. You might help people get up to speed in their roles, teach them about new technologies, or understand the products and services your organization offers. You might have already completed similar tasks in your teaching job if it included drafting lesson plans, adapting teaching approaches, and helping students learn new tools and software.
In corporate settings, this role may overlap with instructional design or training, and building familiarity with learning management systems (LMS) can strengthen your candidacy.
Average salary: $106,000
As a Human Resources (HR) manager, you can work in various types of organizations and companies (from non-profits to startups to corporations). Some HR positions are more administrative, while others are more about team building and management. Typical job tasks include interviewing and assessing candidates, developing a work culture at your organization, answering questions, onboarding and training employees, developing employee performance, and so on.
Some HR leadership roles may require prior corporate HR experience, but entry-level HR or talent development roles can serve as stepping stones into management.
Average salary: $112,000
Recruiters work in a variety of industries. For instance, you might be a healthcare recruiter, technical recruiter, or executive recruiter. Overall, your job is to find and attract qualified applicants for open positions by reviewing resumes, sourcing talent, and interviewing them. As a teacher, you know how to communicate and understand what makes people “tick”–a perfect fit for a career as a recruiter.
Average salary: $93,000
A data analyst reviews data to identify insights on how to solve problems and communicate that data. There’s definitely some overlap with teaching here because as a data analyst, you present data in a manner that’s easy to understand and tell a story with it. Just like you would with your teaching material at your teaching job.
In 2026, many data analyst roles expect familiarity with tools like Excel, SQL, or data visualization platforms such as Tableau or Power BI. Teachers willing to build technical proficiency can position themselves strongly in this growing field.
Average salary: $114,000
An educational consultant helps schools, organizations, and/or businesses by consulting on curriculum, school management, socioeconomic factors, and so on. As a teacher, you have immediate experience and understand different sides of the equation–teachers, students, and other stakeholders.
This path can vary widely depending on whether you work independently, with a consulting firm, or directly with school districts, and income may depend on experience and client base.
Average salary: $122,000
Do software development and teaching experience go hand in hand? Well, it can. Sure, you need to acquire software development skills (unless you already have them). But thanks to your teaching skills, software development can be a highly rewarding job. However, transitioning into software development typically requires significant technical training, such as completing a coding bootcamp or building a portfolio of real-world projects. For teachers who enjoy logical problem-solving and continuous learning, the investment can lead to strong compensation and remote flexibility.
Average salary: $157,000
If you enjoy coaching people and supporting them in becoming the best version of themselves, leadership coaching might be the right choice for you. Leadership coaches work one-on-one (or in group settings) with clients, helping them improve the way they lead other people.
Average salary: $124,000
Are you passionate about a cause? Then work as a nonprofit manager. You help run and build nonprofits around areas you really care about. For many people, this can feel incredibly fulfilling. Your day-to-day tasks might include team management, fundraising, event planning, and administrative tasks.
Average salary: $66,000
Maybe you want to continue working with students in an educational setting, but just not as a teacher. Another option is to become an academic advisor. This role entails answering questions about internships, jobs, future prospects, majors, schedules, and so on, depending a bit on which type of educational institution you work at.
Average salary: $109,000
Learning experience designers (LXDs) focus on creating engaging, learner-centered experiences that often blend instructional design with UX principles and digital product thinking. In many organizations, this role overlaps with instructional design, but it may place greater emphasis on user experience, engagement strategy, and interactive learning environments.
Teachers who enjoy designing immersive experiences and thinking about how learners interact with content may find this path appealing. Transitioning into this role typically requires building a strong portfolio that demonstrates both learning strategy and experience design skills.
Average salary: $143,000
Customer success managers help clients successfully use a company’s product or service, often within SaaS or technology companies. The role blends communication, coaching, problem-solving, and relationship management — all areas where teachers often excel. While some familiarity with business software tools is helpful, many former teachers transition successfully by highlighting their ability to guide, support, and retain learners or stakeholders.
Average salary: $63,000
After-school directors create after-school programs for children and teens. You develop curriculum and programs for kids in after-school settings. Some tasks might include community building, fundraising, and organizing events.
Average salary: $71,000
An event planner plans and manages events, from weddings to corporate meetings and parties. Most teachers have plenty of planning experience and understand what it takes to keep people interested and engaged.
Average salary: $69,000
Social work is all about focusing on supporting those who struggle, especially those from underprivileged groups. Clinical social workers can diagnose and treat behavioral and mental health disorders.
Average salary: $85,000
As a teacher, you’ve developed great organizational, project delivery, and communication skills. That’s why starting a career as an executive assistant might help you find a fulfilling career. Executive assistants work with executives to support them in their work, whether that’s scheduling meetings, co-managing events, or taking calls.
Average salary: $119,000
A sales manager can work in different types of settings and help sell products and services. You might either work in a business and sell everything from software to consulting services. Or you might help a non-profit grow. This is a great career for you if you enjoy the interpersonal skills you’ve developed as a teacher. Just remember that a sales manager is often paid a base salary and can then earn commissions and bonuses for every sale they make.
Average salary: $253,000
Becoming a principal typically requires additional certification and administrative credentials, and while compensation can be strong, the role often involves significant responsibility and longer hours than classroom teaching.
Average salary: $181,000
This might come as a surprise, but as a teacher, you’re a master seller. You see, you sell your ideas in a classroom–every day, including your ideas of learning, work, success, personal development, and so on. And what you need to do as a realtor is to switch to selling houses instead of your ideas. Your job is to build trust with buyers and sellers, present the property in the best light, and help both parties find a great outcome. Note that you might need a certification to become a realtor.
Average salary: $124,000
As an educational sales representative, you help schools find the best software, consulting services, remote learning tools, supplies, equipment, and logistics services. Obviously, your background as a teacher makes your experience invaluable–you know what schools and teachers want and need.
Average salary: $119,000
As a speech therapist, you help people communicate, as well as swallow, drink, and eat. For example, you might help adults who have lost their ability to speak due to an illness or accident. Or you might help kids whose speech is slow to develop. Keep in mind that speech therapy does require a degree in speech and language therapy that’s approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Average salary: $119,000
What does a fundraiser do? As a fundraiser, you help organizations (such as universities, non-profits, and community centers) raise money. Your tasks might include community building, speaking, cold calling, and partnership building. If you’re passionate about a cause or want to work in higher education, this might be something for you.
Average salary: $86,000
A publicist helps individuals and companies polish their brand and public image. You might work with artists, writers, corporations, financial institutions, government departments, or schools. Tasks often include handling social media, creating press releases, and coordinating media and speaking gigs. If you enjoy communication and the organizational aspects of your teaching job, this might be it.
Average salary: $103,000
If you love coaching students, you might enjoy coaching as your next career. As a public speaking coach, you use public speaking, one of the skills you’ve already developed in your classes and teach that to people who want to improve their own speaking skills.
Average salary: $70,000
Maybe you love teaching students… But you don’t love the other aspects of your teaching job (such as your stressful work schedule and work after hours). Well, in that case, private tutoring might be something for you. You can either reach out to parents locally and provide your tutoring services or sign up on a tutoring platform and teach kids flexibly around the world.
Average salary: $51,000
Do you love history, anthropology, and culture? As a museum or exhibition curator, you get to work hands-on with bringing educational and engaging exhibitions to life. There’s a lot of overlap with your teaching job here–creating an educational exhibition and presenting it in a way that makes it easy to learn from.
Average salary: $81,000
If your teaching job includes languages, a natural fit for you is to build a career as a translator. You might work for the government, international organizations, corporations, or as a freelance translator.
Average salary: $79,000
Want to continue working with students, but not as a teacher? As a school counselor, you get to work more with coaching students and helping them develop themselves and their outcomes. You also create a school culture and work with the school leadership to bring it to life.
Average salary: $92,000
As an editor, you have a varied and interesting job, if you love working with and improving texts. Editors typically develop manuscripts, research, edit pieces, fact check, copy edit, rewrite, proofread, and index. You might work in a publishing house, a business, or an organization.
Average salary: $73,000
A librarian is someone who researches, digitizes archives, connects people to technology, and works with the day-to-day administrative tasks of keeping a library going. Librarians can work in museums, public and private libraries, colleges, schools, businesses, hospitals, or universities. If you want to stay in an educational setting but move to a more administrative and research-based role, this might be the thing for you.
Average salary: $146,000
Do you work with numbers? Then, a career as a financial planner is not too far-fetched. As a financial planner, you help people with their personal finances, give them investment advice, and support them in their financial decision-making. You might want to consider getting certified as a Certified Financial Planner.
Average salary: $96,000
A therapist holds a master’s degree in a field related to psychotherapy. As a therapist, you work with clients to understand their feelings, thoughts, action, emotions, coping skills, fears, and so on. You might work with a specific group of people (such as children or teens).
Average salary: $75,000
If you teach physical education or work as a sports coach, becoming a personal fitness trainer is a natural next step for you. Help people achieve their fitness goals, such as toning their bodies, getting more energy, and transforming their mindset.
Average salary: $112,000
This one might seem a bit out there, but when you think about it, 3D animation is a great fit for many teachers. It’s a job that lets you be creative and tell stories. After all, as a teacher, you’re a master storyteller with a keen eye for what kids love. That said, you can work in industries other than feature films, such as gaming and the corporate world.
Average salary: $102,155
Homeschool consultants help people who homeschool their children ensure that their children get the best possible education. As a teacher, you are a pro at creating curriculum and setting up teaching plans–so this job might be a perfect fit for you.
Average salary: $126,000
What does an educational policy consultant do? In this role, you shape education–so if you have a burning desire to change and impact education, this is for you. As an educational policy consultant, you identify, brainstorm, and research key issues in the American public school system and provide recommendations on solutions.
Average salary: $50,177
A textbook author creates educational material. You typically write book outlines, develop content, and add lesson or review questions at the end. If you’re a keen writer, love teaching, and want more flexibility in your work, textbook authoring might be something for you.
Average salary: $61,000
As an adult education teacher, you might work in a variety of settings. For example, adult education teachers work in community colleges, nonprofits, and correctional facilities. Some of the subjects you might teach include English, literacy, and GED preparation.
Average salary: $64,000
Camp directors are responsible for planning and running day camps or residential recreation programs. You develop a camp curriculum, train and manage employees, oversee campers, set up budgets, and more.
Average salary: $83,000
If you want to work in a preschool setting, then preschool director might be the job title for you. As a preschool director, you’re responsible for leading preschool staff, designing program plans, preparing budgets, and overseeing daily activities.
Average salary: $104,000
A college consultant helps students get admitted to college. For instance, if someone is pursuing a degree at an Ivy League, a college consultant often helps them tailor and submit their application. You as a teacher understand how the world of academia works. Plus, maybe you’ve even helped students get admitted to colleges in the past.
Average salary: $59,000
A child protective services worker advises and counsels parents and children. They often visit children to assess their safety, plan for permanency, and discuss needs and progress. You might also remove children from dangerous environments and place them in emergency shelters.
Average salary: $64,000
Being a graphic designer is a highly creative job. You work on creating visual text and imagery concepts, communicating ideas, developing layouts, and production design. As a graphic designer, you might work independently as a freelancer or as an employee. In general, this is a great career choice, especially for art teachers.
Average salary: $94,000
If you want to have a big impact and work with daily events, journalism might be a good career choice. As a journalist, you can work for local, national, or international media outlets, in a niche that you’re interested in (sports, news, food, and so on).
Average salary: $90,000
Love writing? Then, working as an author might be something for you. Writing children’s books can be an especially great way to merge your past experience with your current job. Other writing positions include freelance writing and copywriting.
Now you know what types of jobs are available to you.
But let’s make sure we cover how you can decide what career is the right one for you.
Your career choices depend on the work you enjoy doing. For example, if you’ve realized that, despite being a teacher, you don’t enjoy teaching, your best bet is to look for a job outside of education.
But if you find teaching to be a fulfilling career choice (but want to leave your teaching job for other reasons, such as an unreasonable workload for the salary you’re being paid, horrible working hours, or the pressure and stress that comes with the job), then look for a career where you can still feel like you’re making a difference.
Think about ways you can leverage the skills you love. For example, after possibly years in front of a classroom, you’re a master at speaking! And if you love speaking, a job where you get to leverage that skill is a match made in heaven.
Similarly, if you enjoy helping people improve their skills or perform better, look at those types of jobs.
Also, consider why you’re leaving the classroom. If your priority is to find a remote job, then make sure there are jobs in the industry you pick that can be performed remotely. In the same way, if salary is important to you, focus on jobs with higher paying salaries.
For instance, instructional design works well for teachers who want more flexibility, as it’s a job that can be done remotely–and plenty of employers are happy to offer such a work environment.
But how do you find a job in a brand new career? Let’s take a look.
Once you’ve identified a target role, your transition becomes much more strategic.
The most common mistake former teachers make is applying broadly without repositioning themselves for a specific industry. Instead, start by selecting one clear career path and reverse-engineering the skills and proof employers expect to see.
In 2026, transferable skills alone are rarely enough. Employers want evidence. That may include a portfolio, relevant certifications, work samples, case studies, or measurable results that demonstrate your ability to operate in a professional environment outside the classroom.
For example, aspiring instructional designers typically need a portfolio that showcases real learning projects. Project management roles may require familiarity with industry tools and frameworks. Corporate training and customer-facing roles benefit from documented facilitation or stakeholder collaboration experience.
You’ll also need to tailor your resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect the language of your new industry. Hiring managers are not evaluating you as a teacher — they are evaluating you as a candidate for a specific business function.
Networking remains one of the most effective job search strategies. Reach out to professionals in your target role, ask thoughtful questions, and learn how they positioned themselves. Referrals and warm introductions can significantly accelerate the hiring process.
Finally, be prepared for a longer hiring cycle than you may be used to. Multiple interviews, skills assessments, and portfolio reviews are increasingly common. Treat your transition like a professional repositioning process, not a quick pivot.
If you’re exploring instructional design specifically, I’ve created a comprehensive guide that walks through the skills, tools, and portfolio expectations for breaking into the field. You can read that full guide here.
For teachers who decide they want structured, step-by-step support throughout the transition process, you can also learn more about Peck Academy’s Instructional Design Certification program.
There you have it! These are the best jobs for former teachers. Hopefully, you have a better idea of what you want to do next.
Does instructional design sound like something you’d be interested in?
If so, you can sign up for our free roadmap that shows you how to become an instructional designer:
This list will show you the critical steps you need to take in order to become an instructional designer. The checklist covers the most important models and theories of instructional design as well as the technology that will help you get a great start in this field.
Whether you choose instructional design or something else, I wish you the best of luck in your job search!
Some of the highest-paying career paths for former teachers include instructional designer, communications manager, software developer, and project manager. Salaries vary by industry and experience level, but many of these roles can exceed $80,000–$100,000 per year with the right qualifications and positioning.
Teachers often transition into instructional design, corporate training, marketing, project management, recruiting, human resources, and communications roles. Many of these careers value transferable skills such as communication, organization, leadership, and curriculum development.
Yes. Many former teachers move into remote-friendly roles such as instructional design, corporate training, marketing, recruiting, and data analysis. Remote competition has increased in recent years, so building relevant skills and demonstrating your abilities through a portfolio or work samples can improve your chances.
Instructional design has become more competitive as awareness of the field has grown. However, demand for skilled designers remains strong across corporate, government, and higher education sectors. Candidates who build strong portfolios and understand business performance needs continue to secure roles successfully.
Not usually. While some careers require additional certification or advanced degrees, many former teachers transition by building targeted skills through online courses, certifications, and practical experience. Employers typically prioritize demonstrated ability over formal credentials alone.
