As a college graduate, the world is your oyster. With a degree in child development, you can explore many different roles and apply your degree and experience to them.
Child development majors study the evolution of children from a cognitive, physical, language, emotional, and social standpoint. Students in this major learn about early childhood education practices, building age-appropriate curricula, analyzing development from different socioeconomic and cultural contexts, and more.
Since our bachelor’s in Child Development covers many topics, our graduates are prepared to work in various industries.
From education to counseling to healthcare, here are the top 10 jobs for child development graduates.
1: Preschool Center Director
In this position, you’re responsible for overseeing staff members and operations. You’ll get to train new employees, develop program plans, manage the budget, and allocate program resources. You’ll ensure everything complies with government regulations for public schools and with building owners for private schools. The average annual salary for this position is $49,160.
2: Social Worker
As a social worker, your tasks will look different daily and depend on your client. You’ll get to help people cope with personal challenges like substance abuse, domestic violence, chronic illness, and more. You’ll help your clients by connecting them to community resources, evaluating their conditions, and regularly checking in with them. The average annual salary for this position is $54,776.
3: Child Life Specialist
When a child experiences a traumatic situation, such as a terminal illness, disability, or addiction, child life specialists help make the process run more smoothly by providing supportive services. You’ll get to advocate for and support children and their families. While your exact responsibilities depend on the situation, some general tasks include helping children understand surgeries and other complex procedures, collaborating with healthcare professionals, and planning special events to help raise funds and support. The average annual salary for this position is $57,092.
4: Family Therapist
Family therapists help families resolve their conflicts related to topics like communication, psychological disorders, and traumatic events. You’ll get to develop treatment plans, set client goals, and provide community resources. The average annual salary for this position is $57,842.
5: Elementary School Teacher
Creating a welcoming environment to foster behavioral and social abilities is the core of what elementary school teachers do. You’ll get to teach core subjects and develop curricula for children aged 6 to 11. Your general tasks will include leading discussions, grading work, evaluating students’ abilities, and implementing different learning methods to cater to various learning styles. The average annual salary for this position is $60,660.
6: Preschool Special Education Teacher
Special education teachers guide children younger than five with developmental, physical, emotional, or learning disabilities by adapting lesson plans and learning approaches to be more accessible. You’ll help foster your students’ emotional, language, behavior, and fine motor skills. Some other duties include developing individualized education plans (IEP), providing progress reports, and incorporating adaptive and accessible tools into the classroom. The average annual salary for this position is $68,110.
7: Technical Writer
As a technical writer, you’ll write about complex subjects in a way that is easy for the general public to understand. You’ll get to conduct research and write content like FAQ pages, articles, instruction manuals, and more. Many technical writers with a background in child development and public policy do grant writing for organizations that serve the youth. The average annual salary for this position is $74,650.
8: Curriculum Leader
As a curriculum leader, you’ll get to develop the overall learning objectives, plans, and strategies for educational institutions and help implement them on larger scales. Some other general responsibilities include facilitating communication between teachers and administrators, researching learning outcomes, guiding teachers when making lesson plans, and allocating resources to different classes. The average annual salary for this position is $76,209.
9: Speech-language Pathologist
Speech-language pathologists help people with communication and swallowing difficulties learn to speak by diagnosing and treating these issues. Depending on your client, you’ll get to help others practice enunciation, express their needs, minimize stuttering, and speak more clearly. The average annual salary for this position is $112,678.
10: Behavioral Specialist
The primary goal of behavioral specialists is to treat and support children and adults who struggle with traumatic events and behavioral disorders. You’ll get to evaluate behavioral effects, implement behavioral plans, help patients learn healthy coping mechanisms, and collaborate with educators and social workers who serve your patients. The average annual salary for this position is $120,788.
