Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Also called: Academic Specialist, Adult Basic Education Instructor (ABE Instructor), Adult Basic Education Teacher (ABE Teacher), Adult Basic Studies Teacher, Adult Education Coordinator, Adult Education Instructor, Adult Education Specialist, Adult Education Teacher
Teach or instruct out-of-school youths and adults in basic education, literacy, or English as a Second Language classes, or in classes for earning a high school equivalency credential.
What Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors do
Typical tasks
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress and make suggestions for improvement.
- Observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, interests, and other individual characteristics.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs, abilities, and interests.
- Prepare students for further education by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Assign and grade class work and homework.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws or administrative policies.
- Conduct classes, workshops, and demonstrations to teach principles, techniques, or methods in subjects, such as basic English language skills, life skills, and workforce entry skills.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students for whom they are responsible.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors salary
The median annual wage for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors is $61,540 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $41,810 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $98,030. The mean annual wage is $65,860.
The mean hourly wage of $31.00 is 4.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $61,540 → in 3 years $65,800 → in 5 years $68,700 → in 10 years $76,800 (10-year range $66,000–$89,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors United States | 日本語教師 Japan | 英会話教師 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $61,540 | ¥5.03M ≈ $31,959 | ¥4.42M ≈ $28,111 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $76,800 | ¥6.01M | ¥5.64M |
| Outlook score | 43 | 45 | 45 |
| AI replacement risk | 45% Moderate | 56% Moderate | 57% Moderate |
| Workers | 37K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.