Instructional Technology: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Instructional Technology prepares professionals to strategically design, implement, and evaluate technology-enhanced learning experiences across diverse educational environments. This program emphasizes the fusion of pedagogical theory with digital innovation to create effective, accessible, and scalable instructional solutions.
- Foundations of Educational Technology: Explores the historical, theoretical, and ethical frameworks that guide the use of technology in teaching and learning, establishing a strong base for informed decision-making.
- Computer Applications in Education: Focuses on the practical use of software and digital tools to support curriculum delivery, administrative tasks, and student engagement in classroom and remote settings.
- Technology-Enhanced Assessment: Covers the design and application of digital tools and platforms to collect, analyze, and interpret learner data for formative and summative evaluation purposes.
- Multimedia Instruction: Teaches the development and integration of audio, video, animation, and interactive elements to create dynamic and engaging learning content.
- Web-Based Instruction: Involves the design and delivery of online courses using learning management systems, interactive modules, and responsive web technologies.
- Distance Education Systems: Addresses the planning, implementation, and management of remote learning environments that support diverse learners across time and geographic boundaries.
- Instructional Software and Material Development: Guides learners in creating custom digital resources, simulations, and educational applications tailored to specific learning objectives and audience needs.
Instructional Technology Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Instructional Technology Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Instructional Technology degrees, including Instructional Coordinators, Training and Development Specialists and Librarians and Media Collections Specialists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 779,290 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructional Coordinators 25-9031 | $74,720 | $46,560 - $115,410 | 210,850 | $35.92 |
| Training and Development Specialists 13-1151 | $65,850 | $37,510 - $120,190 | 436,610 | $31.66 |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists 25-4022 | $64,320 | $38,920 - $100,880 | 131,830 | $30.92 |
Instructional Technology Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $52,857 in Idaho to $93,403 in District of Columbia—a 77% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, Washington, and California. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 779,290 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Instructional Technology by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Instructional Technology programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Instructional Technology is found at Western Governors University (WGU) (1,655 graduates), American College of Education (ACE) (471 graduates), University of West Georgia (UWG) (361 graduates), Foothill College (295 graduates), and Lone Star College System (LSC) (190 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 7,450 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Governors University (WGU) |
Master's
|
1,655 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Private | wgu.edu |
| American College of Education (ACE) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
471 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | ace.edu |
| University of West Georgia (UWG) |
Master's
|
361 | Carrollton, Georgia | Public | westga.edu |
| Foothill College |
Other Award
|
295 | Los Altos Hills, California | Public | foothill.edu |
| Lone Star College System (LSC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
190 | The Woodlands, Texas | Public | lonestar.edu |
| Harvard University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
180 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Lamar University (LU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
165 | Beaumont, Texas | Public | lamar.edu |
| Towson University (TU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
155 | Towson, Maryland | Public | towson.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
146 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Master's
|
137 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
132 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Master's
|
129 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| Wilkes University |
Master's
|
119 | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | Private | wilkes.edu |
| Teachers College at Columbia University (TC) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
110 | New York, New York | Private | tc.columbia.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Master's
|
99 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
93 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| California State University (CSUEB) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
84 | Hayward, California | Public | csueastbay.edu |
| Purdue University Global |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
83 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdueglobal.edu |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) |
Master's
|
80 | Edinburg, Texas | Public | utrgv.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
78 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Valdosta State University (VSU) |
Master's
|
75 | Valdosta, Georgia | Public | valdosta.edu |
| University of Central Florida (UCF) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
68 | Orlando, Florida | Public | ucf.edu |
| University of West Alabama (UWA) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
65 | Livingston, Alabama | Public | uwa.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
62 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Arkansas Tech University (ATU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
59 | Russellville, Arkansas | Public | atu.edu |
| Ashford University (UAGC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
59 | San Diego, California | Private | uagc.edu |
| University of Central Arkansas (UCA) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
56 | Conway, Arkansas | Public | uca.edu |
| Western Kentucky University (WKU) |
Master's
Other Award
|
56 | Bowling Green, Kentucky | Public | wku.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
55 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
53 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| University of West Florida (UWF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
52 | Pensacola, Florida | Public | uwf.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
52 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| Georgia Southern University |
Master's
|
50 | Statesboro, Georgia | Public | georgiasouthern.edu |
| Boise State University (BBU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
48 | Boise, Idaho | Public | boisestate.edu |
| Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas (UA Cossatot) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
46 | De Queen, Arkansas | Public | cccua.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Master's
|
46 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| Anderson University (AU) |
Master's
|
46 | Anderson, South Carolina | Private | andersonuniversity.edu |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (CU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
46 | Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania | Public | commonwealthu.edu |
| Central Michigan University (CMU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
45 | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Public | cmich.edu |
| Concordia University (CUI) |
Master's
|
43 | Irvine, California | Private | cui.edu |
| Wilmington University (WilmU) |
Master's
|
43 | New Castle, Delaware | Private | wilmu.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
43 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | charlotte.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
42 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
39 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| Fort Hays State University (FHSU) |
Master's
|
38 | Hays, Kansas | Public | fhsu.edu |
| SUNY Oneonta |
Master's
|
38 | Oneonta, New York | Public | suny.oneonta.edu |
| Concordia University (CUC) |
Master's
|
37 | River Forest, Illinois | Private | cuchicago.edu |
| Northwest Missouri State University |
Master's
|
36 | Maryville, Missouri | Public | nwmissouri.edu |
| Liberty University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
|
36 | Lynchburg, Virginia | Private | liberty.edu |
| Full Sail University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
34 | Winter Park, Florida | Private | fullsail.edu |
| Kent State University |
Master's
|
34 | Kent, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| Coastal Carolina University (CCU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
34 | Conway, South Carolina | Public | coastal.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
31 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| Wilson College |
Master's
|
31 | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania | Private | wilson.edu |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
30 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
30 | Adelphi, Maryland | Public | umgc.edu |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (SMUMN) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
30 | Winona, Minnesota | Private | smumn.edu |
| Appalachian State University (App State) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
|
30 | Boone, North Carolina | Public | appstate.edu |
| Johns Hopkins University (JHU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
29 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | jhu.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
28 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| American InterContinental University System (AIUS) |
Master's
|
28 | Chandler, Arizona | Private | aius.education |
| University of North Alabama (UNA) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
27 | Florence, Alabama | Public | una.edu |
| University of Maine (UMaine) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
|
27 | Orono, Maine | Public | umaine.edu |
| California State University |
Master's
|
26 | Los Angeles, California | Public | calstatela.edu |
| Northern Illinois University (NIU) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
26 | Dekalb, Illinois | Public | niu.edu |
| Touro University |
Master's
|
26 | New York, New York | Private | touro.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Master's
|
26 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| Lehigh University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
26 | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Private | lehigh.edu |
| Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
25 | Richmond, Kentucky | Public | eku.edu |
| Minnesota State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
25 | Mankato, Minnesota | Public | mnsu.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
25 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| George Mason University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
25 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| University of San Diego (USD) |
Master's
|
24 | San Diego, California | Private | sandiego.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
24 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| Concordia University |
Master's
|
23 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | csp.edu |
| Missouri State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
23 | Springfield, Missouri | Public | missouristate.edu |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (KU) |
Master's
|
23 | Kutztown, Pennsylvania | Public | kutztown.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Master's
|
22 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Buena Vista University (BVU) |
Master's
|
22 | Storm Lake, Iowa | Private | bvu.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMBC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
22 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umbc.edu |
| Essex County College (ECC) |
Associate's
|
22 | Newark, New Jersey | Public | essex.edu |
| Empire State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
22 | Saratoga Springs, New York | Public | sunyempire.edu |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
22 | Wilmington, North Carolina | Public | uncw.edu |
| Point Park University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
22 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | pointpark.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
21 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| University of Arkansas (UAHT) |
Other Award
|
21 | Hope, Arkansas | Public | uaht.edu |
| National University (NU) |
Master's
|
21 | San Diego, California | Private | nu.edu |
| Miami University |
Master's
|
21 | Oxford, Ohio | Public | miamioh.edu |
| California State University (CSUMB) |
Master's
|
21 | Seaside, California | Public | csumb.edu |
| The University of Tampa (UTampa) |
Master's
|
20 | Tampa, Florida | Private | ut.edu |
| Adelphi University |
Master's
|
20 | Garden City, New York | Private | adelphi.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Other Award
|
20 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
20 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | worldcampus.psu.edu |
| Ana G. Mendez University (AGMU) |
Master's
|
20 | Orlando, Florida | Private | agmu.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| University of Central Missouri (UCM) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
19 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Public | ucmo.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Master's
|
19 | Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| Capella University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | capella.edu |
| Southern Arkansas University (SAU) |
Master's
|
18 | Magnolia, Arkansas | Public | saumag.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Instructional Technology programs
How much can I earn with a Instructional Technology degree?
Salaries for Instructional Technology graduates vary by role and location. Instructional Coordinators earn a median of $74,720 annually, while Training and Development Specialists earn around $65,850. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $93,403 compared to $52,857 in Idaho. Approximately 779,290 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Instructional Technology programs?
Currently 296 accredited institutions offer Instructional Technology degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Western Governors University (WGU) (1,655 graduates), American College of Education (ACE) (471 graduates), and University of West Georgia (UWG) (361 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Instructional Technology growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 4,186 in 2010 to 8,879 in 2023-24. This represents a 112% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Instructional Technology degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Instructional Coordinators, Training and Development Specialists, and Librarians and Media Collections Specialists. Related occupations employ approximately 779,290 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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