Education Policy Researchers, Consultants, and Program Officers

(NOC 4166)

in All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

Education policy researchers, consultants, and program officers conduct research, produce reports, and administer education policies and programs. They work for government departments, school regions, research institutes, professional associations, and other organizations throughout the public and private sectors, or they may be self-employed.

Job Outlook

Good

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 180 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

  • Estimate 1830 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 5515 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$23.00

Minimum

$32.82

Median

$49.15

Maximum

Annual Pay

$14,884

Minimum

$62,210

Median

$93,991

Maximum

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

Hourly Pay

$16.30

Minimum

$30.00

Median

$51.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$5,616

Minimum

$44,335

Median

$92,599

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Education policy researchers, consultants, and program officers conduct research, produce reports, and administer education policies and programs. They work for government departments, school regions, research institutes, professional associations, and other organizations throughout the public and private sectors, or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Education policy researchers, consultants, and program officers:

  • Conduct research, produce reports, and administer education policies and programs.
  • Evaluate curriculum programs and recommend improvements.
  • Develop the structure, content, and objectives of new programs.
  • Use statistical analyses to determine cost and effectiveness of education policies and programs.
  • Provide ongoing professional development, training and consulting services to teachers and other professionals throughout the public and private sector.
  • Develop teaching materials and other resources for program delivery.
  • Present at conferences, workshops, and symposia.
  • May supervise the work of other education policy researchers, consultants, or program officers.
  • May administer specialized testing and assessment programs.

Sample job titles

  • curriculum consultant
  • education policy analyst
  • education program coordinator
  • education program officer
  • education researcher
  • learning disabilities consultant
  • school inspector
  • special education consultant
  • student services consultant
  • teaching consultant

Skills

  • You should be organized, resourceful, and able to co-operate with others in a team. You must be able to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing. You will need an interest in research and familiarity with computers. Advanced computer and technical skills for data manipulation and statistical analysis may be required in some positions.

Job requirements

  • A bachelor's degree in education or in a discipline like social science or business administration is required.
  • A master's degree in education may be required.
  • Specialized training or certification may be required.
  • A Nova Scotia teacher's certificate may be required.

Other considerations

  • Part-time employment is relatively common for this group. Several years of experience as a school teacher are usually required. Progression to managerial positions is possible with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

755

employed in 2016

81.5%

employed full-time

9.9%

self employed

74.8%
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25.2%
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48.1

median age

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

55,420

employed in 2016

76.4%

employed full-time

6.6%

self employed

64.0%
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36%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

56.3%

Halifax

$61,252 median annual income
16.6%

North Shore

$67,907 median annual income
9.9%

Annapolis Valley

$39,534 median annual income
9.3%

Cape Breton

$70,881 median annual income
7.9%

Southern

$65,886 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

64.6%

Educational services

17.7%

Public administration

8.5%

Health care and social assistance

3.8%

Professional, scientific and technical services

3.1%

Other services (except public administration)

What is the age of Employment?

29.0%

45-54

29.0%

55-64

25.0%

35-44

9.0%

25-34

5.0%

65+

4.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

24.2%

35-44

22.7%

45-54

21.4%

25-34

17.2%

55-64

8.4%

15-24

Top levels of education

44.4%

Master

$79,404 median annual income
28.5%

Bachelor

$48,749 median annual income
10.6%

College Diploma

$48,780 median annual income
4.0%

Diploma Above Bachelor

N/A
4.0%

High school

$43,028 median annual income

Compared to: All Education, Law, Government, Social and Community Services

28.9%

Bachelor

$45,929 median annual income
21.2%

College Diploma

$35,398 median annual income
16.8%

Master

$71,043 median annual income
14.6%

High school

$29,055 median annual income
4.6%

Doctorate

$100,443 median annual income

Education & training

Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching

College or University Program

These programs prepare individuals to teach adult students in various settings, including basic and remedial education programs, continuing education programs, and programs designed to develop or upgrade specific employment-related knowledge and skills.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Business Administration and Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to plan, organize, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization. They include courses in management theory, human resources management and behaviour, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.

Institutions providing this program

Maritime Business College

Lower Sackville, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Curriculum and Instruction

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the curriculum and related instructional processes and tools and prepares students to serve as professional curriculum specialists. They include courses in curriculum theory, curriculum design and planning, instructional material design and evaluation, curriculum evaluation, and applications to specific subject matter, programs or educational levels.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Education - General

College or University Program

These programs focus on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching, the basic principles of educational psychology, the art of teaching, the planning and administration of educational activities, school safety and health issues, and the social foundations of education.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Educational Statistics and Research Methods

University Program

These programs focus on applying statistics to the analysis educational research problems, and the development of technical designs for research studies. They include courses in mathematical statistics, research design, computer applications, instrument design, research methodologies, and applications to research problems in specific education subjects.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies

College or University Program

These programs focus on the dynamic social relations between and among majority and minority groups and different minority groups, and ways to promote mutual tolerance, inter-group cooperation, and the leadership and management of diverse groups and diversity issues in family, educational, recreational, and work settings. They include courses in ethnic and cultural studies, group psychology, sociology, anthropology, conflict resolution, human services and resources, and applications to various functional environments.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Junior High and High School Education and Teaching

College or University Program

These programs prepare individuals to teach students in the secondary grades, which include grades seven through twelve. This includes preparation to teach a comprehensive curriculum or specific subject matter.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Linguistics

College or University Program

These programs focus on language, language development, and relationships among languages and language groups from a humanistic and/or scientific perspective. They include courses in subjects such as psycholinguistics, behavioural linguistics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, mathematical and computational linguistics, grammatical theory and theoretical linguistics, philosophical linguistics, philology and historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, phonetics, phonemics, dialectology, semantics, functional grammar and linguistics, language typology, lexicography, morphology and syntax, orthography, stylistics, structuralism, rhetoric, and applications to artificial intelligence.

Institutions providing this program

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Public Administration

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to serve as managers in the executive arm of government and focus on the systematic study of executive organization and management. They include courses in the roles, development, and principles of public administration, the management of public policy, executive-legislative relations, public budgetary processes and financial management, administrative law, public personnel management, professional ethics, and research methods.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Teacher

Special Requirements: Nova Scotia Teacher Certification is required to work in the public school system. Certification may be required by other education related employers.

Regulating body:
Nova Scotia Department of Education & Early Childhood Development, Office of Teacher Certification
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Institute of Public Administration of Canada
Toronto, ON
Canadian Education Association
Toronto, ON

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.