Educational technology, or EdTech, has changed how students learn, how teachers teach, and how organizations deliver training. As schools, colleges, businesses, and other organizations increasingly rely on digital learning tools, there are opportunities for professionals with backgrounds in education, technology, business, design, data, and communications.
An EdTech career doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a software developer. Depending on your interests and experience, you could work in instructional design, product management, customer success, sales, user experience design, data analytics, software development, or learning and development.
Whether you’re a teacher looking to move out of the classroom, a technology professional interested in a career in education, or a career changer exploring a new field, understanding the different EdTech career paths can help you determine where your skills and education may fit.
What Is EdTech?
EdTech is short for educational technology. The term generally refers to technology and digital tools used to support teaching, learning, training, and educational administration.
EdTech can include relatively simple tools, such as educational apps and online learning platforms, as well as sophisticated technologies involving artificial intelligence, adaptive learning, data analytics, and virtual or augmented reality.
What Does Educational Technology Include?
Examples of EdTech include:
- Learning management systems (LMS)
- Online courses and degree programs
- Educational apps
- Virtual classrooms
- Digital textbooks and learning materials
- Online assessment and testing platforms
- Student information systems
- Tutoring platforms
- Corporate learning platforms
- Learning analytics
- Adaptive learning technologies
- Artificial intelligence tools
- Accessibility and assistive technologies
Because the industry encompasses so many types of technology and organizations, there isn’t one standard EdTech career path.
Where Do EdTech Professionals Work?
EdTech professionals can work for a wide range of organizations, including:
- EdTech startups
- Established education technology companies
- Colleges and universities
- K-12 school districts
- Educational publishers
- Online education companies
- Corporate learning and development departments
- Nonprofit organizations
- Government agencies
- Training and professional development companies
Some professionals work directly for an EdTech company, while others work within an educational organization that uses technology to support its students, employees, or instructors.
Types of EdTech Careers
One of the biggest advantages of the EdTech field is the variety of careers available. Some positions require strong technical skills, while others emphasize education, communication, design, business, or relationship management.
Instructional Designer
Instructional designers develop educational and training experiences. They may create online courses, training modules, assessments, videos, simulations, and other learning materials.
An instructional designer might work with subject-matter experts, educators, graphic designers, developers, and other professionals to turn information into an effective learning experience.
Common skills include:
- Curriculum development
- Learning theory
- Course development
- Content creation
- Learning management systems
- Project management
- Communication
- Assessment design
A background in education, instructional design, communications, psychology, or a related field can be useful.
Learning Experience Designer
Learning experience designers focus on creating effective, engaging experiences for learners. The role overlaps with instructional design but often places greater emphasis on the overall learner journey, user experience, and how people interact with learning environments.
Depending on the organization, learning experience designers may conduct user research, develop learning experiences, create prototypes, evaluate learner engagement, and collaborate with instructional designers and product teams.
This career can be particularly appealing to people who enjoy both education and design.
EdTech Product Manager
Product managers help determine what educational technology products should be built, how they should work, and what problems they should solve.
An EdTech product manager might work with engineers, designers, educators, researchers, marketing teams, and business leaders to develop or improve a product.
Responsibilities may include:
- Conducting customer research
- Defining product requirements
- Prioritizing features
- Analyzing product data
- Managing product roadmaps
- Coordinating cross-functional teams
- Evaluating user feedback
Product management can be a good fit for professionals who enjoy solving problems and working across multiple areas of an organization.
EdTech Software Developer
Software developers build and maintain the technology behind educational products.
They may develop:
- Learning platforms
- Educational applications
- Student portals
- Assessment systems
- Mobile apps
- Data systems
- AI-powered learning tools
Software development generally requires stronger technical training than many other EdTech careers. Depending on the position, employers may look for knowledge of programming languages, databases, cloud technologies, software development practices, and cybersecurity.
A degree in computer science, software engineering, information technology, or a related field can help prepare you for this career, although some developers enter the profession through alternative training pathways.
UX/UI Designer
UX and UI designers help create digital products that are easy and intuitive to use.
In EdTech, designers may be responsible for creating interfaces used by students, teachers, administrators, or employees.
Their work can involve:
- User research
- Wireframing
- Prototyping
- Usability testing
- Interface design
- Accessibility
- Design systems
UX/UI can be a good career option for someone interested in technology but more drawn to design and understanding users than programming.
Customer Success Manager
Customer success managers help customers get value from an EdTech product after they purchase or adopt it.
For example, a customer success manager working for an EdTech company might help a school district implement a new learning platform, train administrators, monitor adoption, and address customer concerns.
Important skills include:
- Communication
- Relationship management
- Problem-solving
- Product knowledge
- Presentation skills
- Organization
People with backgrounds in education, business, communications, or account management may find their existing skills transferable to customer success roles.
EdTech Implementation Specialist
Implementation specialists help organizations introduce and adopt new technology.
In education, this could mean helping a school, university, or school district integrate a new learning management system or educational platform.
Responsibilities may include:
- Project coordination
- System configuration
- Training
- Troubleshooting
- Customer communication
- Implementation planning
Teachers and other education professionals can sometimes transition into these positions because they understand the challenges educators face when adopting new technology.
EdTech Sales Representative
EdTech sales professionals help organizations and individuals understand and purchase educational technology products.
B2B EdTech sales can involve selling products to:
- School districts
- Colleges and universities
- Businesses
- Government organizations
- Training departments
Sales professionals may conduct product demonstrations, develop relationships with decision-makers, respond to customer needs, and negotiate contracts.
Communication, relationship-building, presentation, and problem-solving skills can be especially valuable.
Education Technology Consultant
Education technology consultants advise organizations about how to select, implement, and use technology effectively.
A consultant might help a school district evaluate different learning platforms or help an organization develop a broader digital learning strategy.
Consulting generally requires a combination of subject-matter expertise, analytical ability, communication skills, and project management.
Learning and Development Specialist
Learning and development (L&D) professionals design and manage training programs, particularly within businesses and other organizations.
The field overlaps significantly with EdTech because many employee training programs rely on digital learning platforms, online courses, virtual classrooms, and learning management systems.
Potential responsibilities include:
- Developing training programs
- Creating online learning content
- Managing an LMS
- Evaluating training effectiveness
- Coordinating professional development
- Analyzing learner data
Education Data Analyst
Education data analysts use data to help organizations understand student performance, engagement, retention, and other outcomes.
Depending on the organization, analysts may work with data from learning management systems, student information systems, assessments, surveys, or other sources.
Useful skills can include:
- Statistics
- Data visualization
- Spreadsheet analysis
- SQL
- Data analytics
- Research
- Critical thinking
As organizations collect more information about how people learn and interact with digital platforms, data skills can be valuable across the EdTech industry.
Other EdTech Careers
EdTech organizations also employ professionals in many other roles, including:
- Curriculum developer
- Educational content developer
- LMS administrator
- Academic technology specialist
- Project manager
- Education researcher
- Technical writer
- Marketing specialist
- Community manager
- Accessibility specialist
- Digital learning specialist
- AI education specialist
The best career path depends largely on your existing skills and the type of work you enjoy.
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EdTech Career Paths by Background
You don’t necessarily need to start your career in EdTech to move into the industry. Professionals from several backgrounds can bring valuable transferable skills.
EdTech Careers for Teachers and Educators
Teachers already possess many skills that can translate to EdTech positions.
Educators typically understand:
- How people learn
- Curriculum development
- Assessment
- Classroom technology
- Student needs
- Communication
- Presentation
- Instructional strategies
These skills may be relevant to careers such as:
- Instructional designer
- Learning experience designer
- Curriculum developer
- Implementation specialist
- Customer success manager
- Academic technology specialist
- Learning and development specialist
A teacher who enjoys technology may be able to transition into EdTech without starting their career over from scratch.
EdTech Careers for Technology Professionals
Technology professionals can bring technical expertise that is highly relevant to EdTech.
Potential paths include:
- Software development
- Product management
- UX/UI design
- Data analytics
- Cybersecurity
- Technical implementation
- Systems administration
Technology professionals who develop an understanding of educational environments and learner needs may be particularly well positioned for specialized EdTech roles.
EdTech Careers for Business Professionals
Business professionals can also find opportunities in EdTech.
Potential career paths include:
- Sales
- Marketing
- Customer success
- Operations
- Project management
- Product management
- Business development
For example, someone with experience managing business-to-business relationships may be able to apply those skills to selling or implementing educational technology products.
EdTech Careers for Career Changers
EdTech can also be an option for professionals considering a career change.
Instead of asking whether you have “EdTech experience,” look at the skills you already have and consider where they might fit.
For example:
Teacher → Instructional Designer
Sales professional → EdTech Account Executive
Graphic designer → UX/UI Designer
Project coordinator → EdTech Project Manager
Software developer → EdTech Software Engineer
HR or training professional → Learning and Development Specialist
A career change may still require additional education, certifications, technical training, or experience, but your existing professional background can provide a useful foundation.
Skills You Need for an EdTech Career
The skills required for EdTech jobs vary significantly by position. A software engineer and instructional designer, for example, will have very different technical requirements.
However, several skills can be useful across the industry.
Technical Skills
Depending on your career path, relevant technical skills may include:
- Learning management systems
- Instructional design tools
- Data analysis
- Programming
- UX/UI design
- Content authoring tools
- Project management software
- Learning analytics
- Artificial intelligence tools
- Digital accessibility
- Database technologies
You don’t need to master all of these skills. Instead, focus on the technologies and tools relevant to the career you want.
Communication Skills
Communication is important throughout EdTech.
Professionals may need to explain complex concepts to educators, students, administrators, customers, engineers, or business leaders.
Strong written and verbal communication can therefore be valuable in positions ranging from instructional design to product management and sales.
Problem-Solving
EdTech professionals often work on problems that don’t have simple answers.
How can an online course improve engagement? How can a learning platform be easier for teachers to use? How can technology help personalize learning? How can a company improve adoption of its product?
The ability to analyze a problem, evaluate potential solutions, and adapt based on results is valuable across many EdTech careers.
Collaboration
EdTech products often require collaboration between people with very different areas of expertise.
An instructional designer may work with a subject-matter expert and software developer. A product manager may work with educators, designers, engineers, and marketing professionals.
Being able to work effectively across disciplines can be an important career advantage.
Understanding Learners and Users
Technology alone doesn’t make an educational product effective.
EdTech professionals need to understand the people using the technology and the problems they’re trying to solve.
Depending on the product, those users might be:
- Students
- Teachers
- Parents
- School administrators
- College students
- Corporate employees
- Training managers
An understanding of user needs can be especially valuable when developing, implementing, or supporting educational technology.
Do You Need a Degree for an EdTech Career?
Not necessarily. The education requirements for EdTech jobs vary by position and employer.
Some roles may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree, while others may place greater emphasis on professional experience, technical skills, portfolios, or industry knowledge.
For example, a software engineering position may prioritize programming ability and technical experience, while an instructional design position may prefer candidates with education or instructional design backgrounds.
A degree can nevertheless be valuable because it can provide foundational knowledge, develop specialized skills, and help demonstrate qualifications to prospective employers.
Before enrolling in a degree program, review job postings for the specific EdTech roles you’re interested in. This can help you determine which qualifications employers actually seek.
Best Degrees for EdTech Careers
There isn’t one degree that qualifies you for every EdTech career. The best program depends on the type of work you want to do.
Education Degrees
Education-related degrees can be useful for careers involving teaching, learning, curriculum, and instructional design.
Potential areas of study include:
- Education
- Educational technology
- Instructional design
- Curriculum and instruction
- Learning sciences
Technology Degrees
Technology-focused degrees can be appropriate for technical EdTech careers.
Examples include:
- Computer science
- Information technology
- Software engineering
- Information systems
- Data science
Business Degrees
Business education can be useful for the commercial side of EdTech.
Relevant programs may include:
- Business administration
- Marketing
- Management
- Project management
These degrees can support career paths in areas such as sales, operations, marketing, customer success, and product management.
Design and Behavioral Science Degrees
Some EdTech careers draw on design, psychology, communications, and human behavior.
Potential programs include:
- User experience design
- Human-computer interaction
- Psychology
- Communications
- Digital design
These fields can be particularly relevant to UX, learning experience design, research, and content development.
Graduate Degrees
A master’s degree may be useful for professionals seeking specialized knowledge or advancement in certain areas.
Potential graduate programs include:
- Educational technology
- Instructional design
- Learning sciences
- Education (M.Ed)
- Data analytics
- Business administration (MBA)
A graduate degree isn’t automatically necessary for career advancement, so consider the requirements of the specific positions you’re targeting before pursuing one.
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How to Start a Career in EdTech
If you’re interested in an EdTech career but aren’t sure where to begin, consider taking a structured approach.
1. Choose a Career Direction
Start by identifying what type of work interests you.
Do you prefer:
- Teaching and learning?
- Technology?
- Design?
- Data?
- Business?
- Sales?
- Project management?
- Working directly with customers?
Your answer can help narrow down potential career paths.
2. Identify Your Transferable Skills
Make a list of the skills you already use professionally.
For example, a teacher might have experience with curriculum development and presentation, while a project manager might have experience coordinating teams and managing deadlines.
Then compare those skills with job descriptions for EdTech positions.
3. Build Any Missing Skills
Once you’ve identified a potential career, determine which skills you still need.
Depending on the role, this could involve:
- Taking individual courses
- Earning a certificate
- Learning a software program
- Developing technical skills
- Completing a degree
- Gaining practical experience
4. Gain Relevant Experience
Practical experience can help demonstrate that you know how to apply your skills.
Consider:
- Internships
- Freelance projects
- Volunteer projects
- Portfolio projects
- Educational technology projects at work
- Consulting projects
- Professional organizations
For some careers, a portfolio can be particularly useful.
5. Build an EdTech Portfolio
A portfolio can help demonstrate your abilities to employers.
For example, an aspiring instructional designer could include a sample online course or training module. A UX designer could showcase an educational app redesign. A developer could demonstrate an educational application they built.
The goal is to show employers what you can actually do.
6. Search for EdTech Jobs
Don’t search only for jobs with “EdTech” in the title.
Depending on your career path, relevant job titles could include:
- Instructional designer
- Learning experience designer
- Product manager
- Software engineer
- UX designer
- Customer success manager
- Implementation specialist
- Education technology specialist
- Learning and development specialist
- Education data analyst
Searching by occupation rather than industry can reveal more opportunities.
How Much Do EdTech Professionals Make?
There isn’t one salary range for EdTech careers because the industry includes many different occupations.
A software engineer, instructional designer, sales representative, and customer success manager can have substantially different compensation.
Salary can also vary based on:
- Occupation
- Experience
- Education
- Location
- Industry
- Employer
- Company size
- Management responsibilities
When researching compensation, look at salary information for the specific occupation you’re considering rather than relying on a single “average EdTech salary.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other career resources can be useful starting points for researching compensation and employment trends for individual occupations.
Is EdTech a Good Career Field?
EdTech can be an appealing field for people who want to combine education with technology, business, design, or another professional interest.
Potential benefits include:
- Multiple career paths
- Opportunities to combine different areas of expertise
- Work that can have a direct connection to education and learning
- Opportunities to work with emerging technologies
- Potential career mobility between education and technology organizations
However, EdTech isn’t one uniform industry. Jobs can differ significantly in responsibilities, compensation, stability, and work environment.
Technology also changes quickly, meaning professionals may need to continually update their skills.
If you’re considering an EdTech career, research the specific occupation and employer rather than evaluating the industry as a whole.
The Future of EdTech Careers
Technology continues to influence how people learn and how educational organizations operate. Several areas are particularly relevant to the future of EdTech careers.
Artificial Intelligence in Education
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly relevant to education and training.
Potential applications include:
- Personalized learning
- AI tutoring
- Content development
- Automated feedback
- Assessment
- Administrative support
- Learning analytics
As AI becomes more common, EdTech professionals may increasingly need to understand how to use these tools responsibly and effectively.
Learning Analytics and Data
Digital learning platforms generate significant amounts of information about how learners interact with educational content.
Organizations can use this information to better understand:
- Engagement
- Performance
- Course completion
- Learning outcomes
- Areas where students may need additional support
Professionals with data analysis skills may therefore find opportunities across education technology.
Digital Accessibility
As more education moves online, accessibility remains an important consideration.
EdTech professionals may work on ensuring that digital learning experiences can be used by people with different abilities and needs.
Knowledge of accessibility principles can be useful for designers, developers, instructional designers, and other professionals involved in creating digital learning experiences.
Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development
EdTech isn’t limited to traditional K-12 and college education.
Companies increasingly use digital platforms to provide employees with training, professional development, and opportunities to build new skills.
This creates overlap between EdTech, corporate learning, workforce development, and professional education.
FAQs About EdTech Careers
What is an EdTech career?
An EdTech career involves working with technology used to support education, learning, training, or educational administration. Careers can include instructional design, software development, product management, UX design, sales, customer success, data analytics, and many other fields.
What jobs are available in EdTech?
EdTech companies and organizations employ professionals in areas including instructional design, software development, product management, UX/UI design, customer success, sales, implementation, data analytics, marketing, project management, and learning and development.
What degree do you need to work in EdTech?
There is no single degree required for EdTech careers. Depending on the position, relevant degrees can include education, instructional design, computer science, information technology, business, communications, psychology, design, or data science.
Can teachers transition into EdTech careers?
Yes. Teachers can transition into careers such as instructional design, learning experience design, curriculum development, implementation, customer success, and learning and development. Their knowledge of teaching, curriculum, assessment, and learner needs can be valuable in these roles.
Can you work in EdTech without a technology degree?
Yes. Many EdTech positions don’t require a technology degree. Roles in instructional design, sales, customer success, education, content development, and some business functions may value education or professional experience more than technical credentials.
What skills are needed for EdTech jobs?
The skills depend on the position but can include communication, problem-solving, collaboration, project management, instructional design, data analysis, programming, UX design, learning management systems, and familiarity with emerging technologies.
Are EdTech jobs in demand?
Demand varies by occupation, employer, and economic conditions. Rather than assuming all EdTech jobs have the same outlook, research the employment projections and hiring trends for the specific occupation you’re considering.
How do I get started in EdTech?
Start by identifying a career path that matches your interests and existing skills. Then determine whether you need additional education or training, build relevant experience, develop a portfolio if appropriate, and search for jobs using both industry-specific and occupation-specific titles.
What is the highest-paying EdTech career?
There isn’t one universally highest-paying EdTech career. Compensation depends on the occupation, experience level, employer, location, and responsibilities. Highly technical and senior-level positions can command significant salaries, but compensation varies substantially across roles.
Can EdTech jobs be remote?
Some EdTech positions offer remote or hybrid work, while others require employees to work on-site or travel to customers. Remote eligibility depends on the employer and specific position.
Takeaways
An EdTech career can take many forms. You might use your experience as an educator to move into instructional design, apply your technical skills to educational software, use your business background in sales or customer success, or develop expertise at the intersection of technology and learning.
The right path depends on your interests, existing experience, and career goals. If you’re considering a career change or want to develop the qualifications for an EdTech position, exploring different degree and education options can help you determine your next step.
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