Posted on March 25th, 2025 in Blog, Education

Educational Consultant Career Path

Education is a powerful force in the lives of individual students, but it also has far-reaching effects on society. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (a nonprofit research organization) has noted that education can:

Spur advances in science and technology
Trigger economic growth and innovation
Make our society more resilient and better able to manage change and unexpected events

People who have a passion for education can contribute to the field in a number of ways. While many educational professionals work directly with students as an educator or educational administrator, others choose to strengthen learning environments by working as an educational consultant.

Anyone who is looking to advance their education career with an eye toward working in consulting can benefit from learning about the job responsibilities, educational requirements, and employment prospects for consultants in education.

What an Educational Consultant Does

Educational consultants use their knowledge and skills to help their clients improve certain educational experiences and outcomes. The types of clients they work with can vary widely; for example, educational consultants can specialize in working with individual students, students’ parents, schools, or school districts.

Consultants in education have an extensive range of responsibilities and duties, such as:

Introducing clients to new evidence-based teaching practices and educational tools
Training educators and offering them professional development opportunities
Creating programs to improve students’ engagement and learning outcomes
Helping students with their functional needs, and helping their parents coordinate with their childrens’ school systems
Assisting students in planning for college
Creating curricula for clients to use

Depending on their particular expertise, educational consultants can specialize in a distinct aspect of education, such as:

Easing the processes associated with applying to college
Teaching clients how to use educational software
Strengthening special education programs
Improving English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programs
Designing instructional processes

How to Become an Educational Consultant

To move into the role of educational consultant, an individual needs to acquire certain types of education and experience. The steps below outline the general process for becoming an educational consultant.

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

Earning a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as education is the first step on the educational consulting career path. For example, earning a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education provides individuals with a solid foundation in areas such as:

Classroom teaching
Curriculum development
Educational technology
Human development

2. Gain Experience in Education

Acquiring at least two years of experience working as a teacher or school administrator is very helpful in eventually pursuing a career as an educational consultant. Becoming a teacher or school administrator offers individuals the opportunity to learn about educational policies and procedures in a real-world setting, as well as to explore any specialties they may wish to pursue when working as a consultant.

3. Consider Pursuing Graduate Education

Earning a graduate degree, such as a Master of Education (MEd) degree, can be a helpful step for aspiring educational consultants. MEd degree programs enable individuals to gain advanced knowledge in areas such as educational strategies, theories, and leadership. They also offer individuals the opportunity to specialize in a particular aspect of education, such as special education, ESOL, or reading intervention.

Some prospective educational consultants may choose to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree; programs for this degree focus on instructional skills and expertise in the classroom. Earning either an MAT or an MEd degree can enable individuals to strengthen their educational credentials in a range of areas.

4. Consider Earning a Certification

Earning a relevant certification is a great way to demonstrate expertise and commitment to the field of professional education consulting. For example, an individual can pursue the certified educational planner (CEP) credential from the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners or the certified management consultant (CMC) credential from the Institute of Management Consultants.

It also can be helpful to earn a technology-focused certification, such as a Microsoft certified educator (MCE) credential or a certified Google educator group (GEG) leader credential.

5. Pursue a Position in Educational Consulting

By meeting the education and experience requirements to enter the field, aspiring educational consultants develop skills in areas such as problem-solving, organization, communication, and educational technology that are valuable in working in professional consulting roles.

In pursuing their first positions in educational consulting, people can fill positions at established consulting firms or form their own independent consulting organizations.

Educational Consultant Salary and Job Outlook

The median annual salary for educational consultants was about $75,000 as of October 2024, according to Payscale. Educational consultants in the top 10% of the salary range earned annual salaries of up to approximately $115,000, while those in the lowest 10% of the salary range earned annual salaries that started at about $43,000.

Individual salaries can vary based on factors such as the person’s employer, experience, education, and geographic location. Whether an individual works on a full-time or part-time basis also affects their salary.

A number of indicators point toward a favorable employment outlook for educational consultants. For example:

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 11% job growth for management analysts and consultants between 2023 and 2033, exceeding the projected 4% growth rate across all occupations.
The BLS also projects 12% job growth for training and development specialists during that same period.
In 2024, industry research firm IBISWorld projected continued growth in the educational consulting industry through 2030, particularly in college admission consulting.

Explore Your Path to Become an Educational Consultant

Becoming a consultant in education enables professionals to put their expertise to work in strengthening the field of education. Individuals who work in the profession have the opportunity to specialize in the particular aspects of education that align with their passions and interests.

People who are interested in pursuing graduate education relevant to the field of educational consulting can explore Warner Pacific University Online’s Master of Education degree program to learn how it can help them achieve their goals. Offered in an accelerated format, the program helps educators advance their careers into teaching specializations and leadership roles. The program offers concentrations in special education, ESOL, and reading intervention. WPU Online also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching program designed for individuals seeking teaching licensure.

Start working toward your education career ambitions today with WPU Online.

Sources:
American Institute of Certified Educational Planners, General Application Process and Fees
Center for Strategic and International Studies, “Investing in Quality Education for Economic Development, Peace, and Stability”
Google, Empowering Certified GEG Leaders Through Community
IBISWorld, “Education Consultants in the U.S. — Market Research Report (2014-2029)”
Indeed, “How to Become a Consultant in 4 Steps (With Salary and FAQs)”
Indeed, “How to Become an Education Consultant in 5 Steps (With Tips)”
Indeed, “How to Become an Educational Consultant (Plus Salary Info)”
Institute of Management Consultants, How to Become a Certified Management Consultant
Masterly Consulting Group, “How Consulting Can Improve Student Outcomes and Teacher Performance in K-12 Education”
Microsoft, Microsoft Certified Educator
Payscale, Average Educational Consultant Hourly Pay
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Management Analysts
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Training and Development Specialists