What 9 Educators Say About Earning a Master’s Degree

For many teachers, earning a master’s degree is a transformative step — both professionally and personally. From unlocking new leadership opportunities to seeing a meaningful boost in their salaries, educators around the world understand the power of graduate-level education. But is it worth the time, effort, and investment? 

If you’re considering your next move as an educator, here’s what real teachers say about how earning a master’s degree changed their careers and their lives. 

Financial Rewards That Add Up 

One of the most immediate benefits of earning a master’s degree is the increase that teachers see in their paychecks. In many school systems, salary scales are designed to reward educators who hold advanced degrees. This often translates into thousands of extra dollars each year. 

Speaking on the Front of the Class podcast, Nathan Cohen noted that he saw a direct connection between his degree, his instructional skills, and a substantial salary increase. 

“I got a master’s in curriculum and instruction, so I learned more about teaching and more about how to implement different kinds of curriculum and make it interesting for kids,” Cohen said. “It really unlocked a big pay increase, as well. I would say over the last 22 years that I’ve had my master’s degree, the amount of money that I wouldn’t have [made without] it is astronomical.” 

Cole Cooper saw a similarly dramatic change in his take-home pay after earning a Master’s in Educational Leadership led to his first job in administration. He had been working as a certified teacher for four years before learning about the $17,000 raise that came with his new position. 

“I’m sitting there looking at [my HR rep] like, ‘What? Are you kidding? Why didn’t I get my master’s right off the bat? I could have made a lot more money,’” Cooper remembered. 

Like many other teachers who have seen their pay rise after improving their own education, Cooper said that his family’s quality of life “improved immensely,” providing proof that a master’s degree can offer a lasting return on investment.

Pathways to Leadership and Career Growth 

Cooper is far from the only teacher who benefitted beyond the paycheck, as master’s degrees have opened doors to new professional roles for teachers for decades. Many graduates — including Dr. Alicia Abbey of Morningstar Catholic School in Florida — step into leadership positions as instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, or school administrators. 

“[A master’s] is how I became a principal,” she said. “I definitely encourage people to go to school whether you think you’re going to use it right away or not because it will come in handy at some point.” 

For teachers, this kind of career growth goes beyond international boundaries. As a teacher in South Korea, Kara credits her degree with helping her stand out in a competitive hiring landscape, particularly because she chose to study globalization and education research. 

“I knew I was going to need that competitive edge, [and] it really did set my resume apart,” she said. 

Dr. Abbey and Kara’s stories are just two examples of how earning a master’s degree can be the key that opens new doors for teachers aiming to strengthen their professional portfolio and expand their opportunities.

A Master’s Education Improves Teaching Practice and Reputation 

Although the pay boost from earning a master’s degree can be significant, it is often said the people don’t become teachers for the money. Earning a master’s isn’t just about credentials, either — it’s about gaining practical tools to elevate your teaching. Many educators say their graduate-level education enhanced their effectiveness working with students in the classroom and empowers them with the skills and language to explain and refine their methods. 

Rhonda Villaverde is the only full-time STEM teacher in her rural Arizona school district. It’s a position that she earned thanks to her Master’s in Education (M.Ed.), which is in turn helping students learn the principles of science, technology, engineering, and math in hands-on ways that may not be available to them without her help. 

“It’s been really neat to be able to see my students grab ahold of information and be able to work with tools and technology that they wouldn’t have had an opportunity to [otherwise] had this program not been implemented,” Villaverde said. “I feel like Moreland has given me the tools to help further their experience and education — and my education — in the classroom.” 

Kathy Schmidt feels a similar dedication to her students, though she works in a much different setting. While her formal teaching career began in South Korea, she relocated to Morocco to pursue a new opportunity that landed her in a classroom where she might hear students speak 7 different languages on any given day. Inspired by her passion to better serve her classes, Schmidt entered into an M.Ed. program tailored to teaching multilingual learners, where she’s already learning practical lessons that she can apply with her students. 

“Learning words like translanguaging and code-switching — things I was already doing instinctively — helped me understand my own teaching practice better,” Schmidt explained. “Before Moreland, I didn’t know how to explain what I was doing. Now I can say, ‘Oh, I’m translanguaging with code-switching and working on multiculturalism and socio-cultural empathy.’ I suddenly have all the words!” 

While his teaching journey has taken him across different continents than Schmidt’s, Freeman Poritz noticed that pairing his teaching certification with a master’s degree led to a shift in how his qualifications were viewed in the world of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). 

“I think having that license has also given me a little bit more prestige…like when you’re licensed and you have a master’s degree, you’re seen as a more competent professional in the field of TESOL [and education],” Poritz reflected. 

A Transformational Experience — Professionally and Personally 

Many educators describe their journey to getting a master’s degree as life-changing — not only for their careers but also for their self-confidence, identity, and pride. 

“Don’t ever underestimate yourself if you are hungry for change,” Miya Hourani said while discussing her path to being an international educator in Kuwait. “I never thought that I would, after my teaching certificate, go back into school and get my master’s degree from Moreland. … The program was the most rewarding thing of my life.”  

Accessible and community-driven, today’s online master’s programs are designed with working educators in mind to offer both structure and support, making it easier than ever to earn an advanced degree while balancing the rest of life’s responsibilities. That’s why it makes sense that an educator like Jason Piechowiak — who has more than 20 years of experience in the field — encourages teachers to earn a master’s degree once they have spent time in the classroom. 

“That would be a piece of advice I would give a new teacher: get good at what you’re doing, then go back to school,” he said. “I didn’t go back to school until 8 years after doing this, and I felt like it was extremely valuable simply because a lot of the coursework in these graduate programs asks you about experiences and what you would do differently, or how would you incorporate this new technology or this new practice into what you’re already doing. And I feel like if you don’t have the experience, it makes the classes that much harder.” 

Take the Next Step Toward Your Master’s Degree 

If you’re ready to grow as an educator — financially, professionally, and personally — earning a master’s degree could be your next move. 

Get ready to uplevel your career by exploring graduate-level education for teachers more in-depth by downloading the complimentary resource The K-12 Teacher’s Guide to Master’s Degrees. When you’re ready to advance your career, complete your free application to one of Moreland’s flexible, career-focused master’s degree programs, including high-impact specializations in educational technology and teaching multilingual learners.