How To Become A Head Instructor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a head instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Rodney Foster

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a head instructor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.97 an hour? That's $47,768 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 19% and produce 57,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Head Instructor?

Rodney Foster

Instructor - Aviation Maintenance Technology Instructor - Airframe & Powerplant Technology, Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College (OCC) teaches Aircraft Maintenance Technology (AMT) and Avionics. Although the Government has dampened air travel by putting up restrictions to prevent a Covid-19 spread, there is still a certified mechanic/skilled labor shortage. I believe all our students will have permanent jobs within a six-month search. OCC AMT is listed as an essential workforce by the state of California and is back in classes full-time, Face-to-face labs, and online lectures. Our next semester registration maximum filled in two days and still has over 35 additional students per class on the waiting list.

ScoreHead InstructorUS Average

Salary

3.7

Avg. Salary $47,768

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.4

Growth Rate 19%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%

Asian 5.11%

Black or African American 7.05%

Hispanic or Latino 10.64%

Unknown 5.40%

White 71.31%

Gender

female 40.58%

male 59.42%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress Level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.5

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Head Instructor in Columbus, OH

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a head instructor

Explore head instructor education requirements

Most common head instructor degrees

Bachelor's

66.5 %

Associate

12.5 %

Master's

9.9 %

Start to develop specific head instructor skills

Skills	Percentages
Classroom Management	42.06%
Curriculum Development	14.71%
CPR	9.89%
Water Safety	6.86%
Resuscitation	2.55%

Complete relevant head instructor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New head instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a head instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real head instructor resumes.

Research head instructor duties and responsibilities

Lead children's classes training kids in kicks and punch self-defense and how to avoid physical confrontations.
Lead modified yoga and meditation sessions to enhance balance and flexibility ;
Instruct the children involve in vocal coaching and memorization of lyrics.
Work with students on costumes, props, and set ideas for show.

Prepare your head instructor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your head instructor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a head instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Head Instructor Resume templates

Build a professional Head Instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Head Instructor resume.

Apply for head instructor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a head instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do head instructors rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Head Instructor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023

Pros

The transfer of knowledge and the joy on the student's face when they understand

Cons

The low pay which is often offered

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020