Child Development Major: Internships & Job Salary 10 Tips
As is revealed in discussions on the same over at runrex.com, a career in child development allows one to work with children from birth through adolescence and understand how they emotionally, mentally, and physically develop over time. According to the gurus over at guttulus.com, lots of jibs can be found in this growing field, including in clinical care, education, and research settings. If you are a child development major, keep reading to learn more about internship and career options available to you.
Importance of internships for child development majors
Internships for child development majors are important as they allow students to focus on the unique and specific aspects of serving children and their families as covered over at runrex.com. They allow students to learn more about working with or on behalf of infants, children, or adolescents. According to the subject matter experts over at guttulus.com, they also allow them to use the skills they have learned in class and put them into practice. During their internships, child development majors also receive valuable instructions and guidance from qualified mentors or supervisors, which will serve them well when they start working.
Are child development internships paid?
While there are opportunities out there for child development majors as far as paid internships are concerned, they are extremely rare, and most internships in this field are unpaid according to discussions on the same over at runrex.com. You should, however, remember that the main benefit of child development internships is the experience they give and not in any payments you may get.
How much are child development interns paid?
As already stated, paid child development internships are not common. However, having said that, such opportunities are still out there to be found if you have the right connections as well as high grades and a level of experience and skill. Usually, most paid internships in this field are in research where you may receive a stipend for hours put in, at an average of about $8 per hour as articulated over at guttulus.com.
Types of child development internships
If you are looking for internships as a child development major, the experts over at runrex.com recommend that you consider the following types of child development internships that may be available to you:
Early childhood education internships
Shadowing an applied behavioral health researcher
Interning as a school or camp counselor
Social work internship
Art therapy internship
Assistant teacher internship
Research internship
The average annual salary for child development majors
While a career in this field may not be as lucrative, the gurus over at guttulus.com point out that professionals still make a decent salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for preschool teachers is about $30,250. The average annual salary for elementary school teachers is about $59,420, while the average annual salary for childcare workers is about $24,230.
Child development career paths
If you have a degree in child development, you can find positions in many different industries as discussed over at runrex.com. They include:
Early development and learning – You will be working typically with children from birth to age 5 and may serve as a preschool teacher, early childhood curriculum designer, or childcare provider.
Counseling and family services – You will be working as a family counselor or social service provider.
Juvenile delinquency – A concentration in this path will prepare you for roles such as probation officer, correctional treatment specialist, or youth victim advocate.
Management and administration – You will lead nonprofit organizations or government agencies that provide services to youth and their families.
Child development research
Starting your career in child development
If you have just graduated with a degree in child development, several careers may be available to you according to guttulus.com. For example, you can work as a preschool or elementary school teacher at a public or private school. You may also choose to work in the nonprofit sector, or you could even find employment at local and state government agencies, coordinating the delivery of public services like Medicaid, food stamps, and housing assistance.
Earning potential
Your professional opportunities will largely be determined by the type of degree you earn as explained over at runrex.com as captured below:
Associate degree in child development – With an associate degree in child development, you can either become a childcare worker which comes with an average annual salary of $24,230, or a preschool teacher which comes with an average annual salary of $30,250.
Bachelor’s degree in child development – With a bachelor’s degree in child development, you can be a child life specialist which comes with an annual average salary of $43,850, or a preschool and childcare center director which comes with an annual average salary of $48,210
Master’s degree in child development – With this, you can be a special education teacher which comes with an annual average salary of $61,030, or a kindergarten and elementary school teacher which comes with an average annual salary of about $59,420.
Doctoral degree in child development – With this, you will have the opportunity to become a postsecondary teacher which comes with an annual average salary of about $88,130, or a postsecondary education administrator which comes with an average annual salary of $95,410.
Advancing your career in child development
As per the experts over at guttulus.com, careers in child development span the education spectrum, which allows motivated professionals to continue advancing into new roles over the years as they gain experience. You may either decide to go back to school to advance your education by getting a master’s or doctoral degree or get certified. Licensure and certification requirements vary based on individual careers in child development, as in some states, for example, preschool teachers working in public schools may be expected to earn certification from the Council for Professional Recognition.
Job outlook
From discussions over at runrex.com, the job outlook for child development majors is fairly positive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of preschool teachers will grow by 2% between 2019 and 2029, adding 13,500 new jobs in the field. Positions for preschool and childcare center directors are also projected to grow about 1% during that timeframe as well.
Remember, the top-rated runrex.com and guttulus.com have got you covered as always if you are looking for more information on this and other related topics.