What Do Instructional Designers and Technologists Do?

Job Description: Develop instructional materials and products and assist in the technology-based redesign of courses. Assist faculty in learning about, becoming proficient in, and applying instructional technology.

Life as an Instructional Designer or Technologist: What Do They Do?

• Recommend changes to curricula or delivery methods, based on information such as instructional effectiveness data, current or future performance requirements, feasibility, and costs.
• Define instructional, learning, or performance objectives.
• Research and evaluate emerging instructional technologies or methods.
• Develop instructional materials and products for technology-based redesign of courses.
• Interview subject matter experts or conduct other research to develop instructional content.
• Present and make recommendations regarding course design, technology, and instruction delivery options.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as an Instructional Designer or Technologist?

These are the skills Instructional Designers and Technologists say are the most useful in their careers:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Other Instructional Designer or Technologist Job Titles

• Instructional Systems Designer
• Instructional Technology Site Technologist
• Lead Performance Support Analyst
• Instructional Technologist
• Learning Development Specialist

Instructional Designer or Technologist Job Outlook

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 163,200 jobs in the United States for Instructional Coordinators.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.5% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 17,200 new jobs for Instructional Designers and Technologists by 2026. There will be an estimated 16,900 positions for Instructional Designer or Technologist per year.

The states with the most job growth for Instructional Coordinators are Texas, California, and New York.

Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Average Instructional Designer or Technologist Salary

The typical yearly salary for Instructional Coordinators is somewhere between $36,360 and $102,200. An Instructional Designer or Technologist median salary is $64,450.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$93,400
Connecticut	$92,330
California	$80,860
Oregon	$78,200
Massachusetts	$76,270
New Jersey	$75,980
Virginia	$75,710
Maryland	$73,430
Alabama	$72,270
New York	$71,440
Iowa	$69,450
Alaska	$69,130
Minnesota	$69,070
Hawaii	$68,880
Washington	$68,480
Pennsylvania	$67,890
Delaware	$67,640
Illinois	$67,540
Colorado	$67,520
Wyoming	$67,300
Georgia	$66,820
Michigan	$66,750
Texas	$66,060
Nevada	$65,740
Wisconsin	$65,270
Nebraska	$64,870
Ohio	$64,680
Maine	$63,250
North Dakota	$63,030
New Hampshire	$62,800
Indiana	$62,760
South Dakota	$62,150
New Mexico	$60,740
Kentucky	$60,530
Vermont	$59,440
Missouri	$59,400
Rhode Island	$59,090
Mississippi	$58,730
Arkansas	$58,380
South Carolina	$58,040
Utah	$57,530
Kansas	$57,320
North Carolina	$56,480
Tennessee	$56,220
West Virginia	$55,880
Oklahoma	$55,800
Montana	$54,430
Idaho	$53,390
Florida	$52,900
Arizona	$52,310
Louisiana	$51,200

Tools & Technologies Used by Instructional Designers and Technologists

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Instructional Designers and Technologists:

• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
• PTC Creo Parametric
• Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
• SAS
• Microsoft Excel
• Drupal
• Epic Systems

Where Instructional Designers and Technologists Are Employed

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons