Bilingual Teacher Salary, Job Description, and Demand

U.S. students who arrive at school speaking a language other than English and native English speakers both have a great deal to gain from bilingual education. A 2025 report from the National Association of State Boards of Education noted that bilingual education:

• Strengthens students’ multitasking, problem-solving, and executive function skills
• Improves students’ opportunities for long-term academic and career success
• Promotes cultural awareness

With the U.S. facing a shortage of bilingual teachers, now is a good time to start a career in this rewarding field. Individuals who have been considering enrolling in an online Master of Education degree program with the goal of becoming a bilingual teacher can benefit from learning about what this type of teaching entails, entering the profession, the salary, and employment prospects in the field.

Bilingual Teacher Job Description

Bilingual teachers are teachers who deliver classroom instruction in two languages. Many instruct students whose first language is not English, while others instruct students in dual-language classrooms. The primary responsibilities of bilingual teachers are to promote literacy and to help students learn in a language other than their native language.

A bilingual teacher’s job description can include:

• Preparing and presenting lesson plans and educational materials that align with second-language development and that strengthen their students’ skills in speaking, writing, reading, and listening
• Tailoring lessons to their students’ learning styles
• Finding educational resources that can help their students learn
• Developing classroom activities, such as class discussions, that can promote learning

Bilingual teachers also have responsibilities such as:

• Advocating for their students to receive adequate instructional opportunities, as well as necessary instructional support and resources
• Collaborating with other educators to meet their students’ language development needs
• Monitoring and reporting on their students’ progress
• Meeting with their students’ parents
• Remaining aware of their students’ cultural backgrounds

Educators can take any of multiple approaches to providing bilingual instruction. For example, they can:

• Provide instruction primarily in a student’s native language while helping the student gain proficiency in English
• Teach part of the day in English and part of the day in another language
• Work as an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teacher, who teaches English to nonnative speakers  

Skills That Help Bilingual Teachers Succeed

Bilingual teachers benefit from developing strong skills in areas such as:

• Creativity
• Cultural awareness
• Interpersonal communication
• Patience
• Problem-solving
• Time management

Where Bilingual Teachers Work

Bilingual teachers teach in elementary and secondary schools. They also work for organizations such as tutoring programs, language schools, and higher education institutions. 

As they gain experience and develop teacher leadership skills, some bilingual teachers move into positions in which they train other teachers, develop curricula, or serve in educational administration roles.

Education and Experience Requirements for Bilingual Teachers

To become a bilingual teacher, an individual needs to satisfy certain requirements. 

• Complete a Relevant Bachelor’s Degree Program

Earning a bachelor’s degree in a discipline such as education or teaching English as a foreign language establishes a good foundation for becoming a bilingual teacher. For example, earning a bachelor’s degree in education can provide aspiring bilingual teachers with expertise in areas such as curriculum planning, classroom management, student assessment, and ESOL methodologies.

• Gain Proficiency in a Second Language

Bilingual teachers typically need to show that they are fluent in two languages. Individuals who don’t have native proficiency in two languages need to take coursework in a second language. Some ESOL teachers are not required to have dual language proficiency.

• Gain Teaching Experience

Aspiring teachers typically need to gain experience before they can receive a state teaching license. To get the required experience, they must complete a teacher preparation program, such as the student teaching portion of a bachelor’s degree program. In Oregon, for example, aspiring teachers are required to complete a teacher preparation program that the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) has approved.

• Obtain a Teaching License and License Endorsement or Specialization

Obtaining a state teaching license is a standard requirement for anyone who wants to teach in a school. To work in bilingual education, individuals also need to satisfy certain state requirements. For example, in Oregon, individuals can obtain:

• A bilingual specialization. Individuals can earn a bilingual specialization by completing a state-approved preparation program and passing a language proficiency exam approved by the Oregon TSPC.
• A dual language specialization. Individuals can earn a dual language specialization by completing a state-approved preparation program and passing a language proficiency exam approved by the Oregon TSPC.
• An ESOL endorsement. Individuals can earn an ESOL endorsement by completing a state-approved preparation program and passing an exam approved by the Oregon TSPC.

• Consider Earning a Graduate Degree

While bilingual teachers are not required to earn a graduate degree, doing so can help them enhance their expertise in the field. For example, teachers who are already licensed can earn a Master of Education degree to help them prepare to obtain an endorsement or specialization. 

A Master of Education program with an ESOL endorsement option offers courses in areas such as:

• Assessment practices for English language learners
• Cross-cultural foundations
• Curriculum and instruction for English language learners
• Linguistics for ESOL educators
• Leadership in ESOL programs and models

Teachers who are enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching program also can pursue a bilingual specialization or ESOL endorsement path.

Bilingual Teacher Salary and Employment Outlook

The median annual salary for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English as a second language instructors was $59,950 as of May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bilingual teacher salaries can vary, however, based on factors such as their experience, employer, and geographic location.

Bilingual teachers are in demand across the country, so their employment outlook is bright. A 2023 report from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Acquisition estimated that the U.S. would need more than 76,000 additional teachers to instruct English language learners in the next five years.

Tuition Assistance for Aspiring Bilingual Teachers

Individuals who want to become a teacher in Oregon focused on bilingual education can apply for special assistance to help them achieve their goal. 

Warner Pacific University’s Adelante grant program offers tuition assistance to students who are fluent in Spanish, who either have earned or will earn the State Seal of Biliteracy, and who commit to a teacher education pathway that leads to a bilingual specialization on their teaching license. The grant program also applies to students in any of WPU’s degree programs with an ESOL endorsement track.

In addition to tuition assistance, the program offers grant recipients mentoring services when they enter permanent teaching positions.

Pursue Meaningful Work as a Bilingual Teacher

Working as a bilingual teacher is a great way for educators to use their teaching expertise to make a significant difference in the lives of their students. WPU’s Adelante grant program aims to increase the number of teachers serving high-need students in the state of Oregon and beyond.

Individuals who are interested in gaining the expertise to work as an ESOL teacher can explore Warner Pacific University Online’s Master of Education degree program to learn how it can help them reach their career goals. Offered in an accelerated format that is geared toward licensed teachers, the program offers specialized curriculum tracks that prepare teachers for an ESOL, special education, or reading interventionist endorsement. 

Start working toward achieving your goal of working in bilingual education today.

Recommended Readings
Educational Consultant Career Path
Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education: Choosing Your Advanced Degree Path
Types of Social Science Degrees

Sources:
EdSurge, “Where the Need for Bilingual Teachers Has Changed Over 20 Years”
Education Week, “Bilingual Teachers Are in Short Supply. How 3 Districts Solved That Problem”
Indeed, “How to Become an ESL Teacher”
National Association of State Boards of Education, “Policy Update: Improving Bilingual Education for All Learners”
Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, Frequently Asked Questions
Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, Teaching Competencies
Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, Testing for Teaching License Endorsements and Specializations
Teach, “What You Need to Know About Teaching Bilingual Education”
Teachers of Tomorrow, “What Is an ESL Certified (English as a Second Language) Teacher: Career Guide and Job Options 2025”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Adult Basic and Secondary Education and ESL Teachers
U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition, Educators of English Learners: Availability, Projected Need, and Teacher Preparation
Warner Pacific University, Adelante Grant
Warner Pacific University, Early Childhood/Elementary Education (BSED)
We Go Public, Bilingual Education and Dual Language Programs