What is an Instructional Designer?
Instructional designers serve as a hinge between the learning goals and learning outcomes. They often collaborate with instructional teams to determine learning objectives, create educational and training materials, and then analyze their effectiveness.
What Does an Instructional Designer Do?
Instructional designers conduct needs assessments to determine the learning needs of an audience. Then they design the curriculum for the course or program, and create or curate educational content and materials.
To enhance learning, instructional designers use technology and interactive tools to keep learners engaged and motivated.
Last, instructional designers evaluate outcomes to assess the effectiveness of the programs, and make adjustments as needed.
Analytics can be used to improve the design of learning experiences, and design principles and practices can be used to improve the utility of analytics tools and systems.
Join our mailing list to receive program announcements and industry updates
What are the Benefits of Instructional Design?
Cost Effective
Instructional design is cost effective, creating effective and efficient materials that optimize for the best use of time and resources.
Better Knowledge Retention
Through analyzing learner needs, defining clear objectives, and creating targeted content, participants have a higher likelihood of retaining information and knowledge.
Increased Engagement
Lesson plans are designed to get students engaged and motivated – incorporating open-ended questions, real-life scenarios, interactive content, exciting photos and videos, games, and more.
Where Does an Instructional Designer Work?
Instructional design can be implemented across a broad range of industries, therefore instructional designers work in a variety of settings, including educational institutions, corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies.
Across all industries, instructional designers can develop, optimize, and evaluate employee onboarding classes, professional development courses, e-learning modules, and industry-specific trainings.
In education settings, instructional designers can develop high-quality learning materials that meet student’s and instructor’s needs. This can include courses, papers and handouts, assignments, and interactive exercises.
How Much Does an Instructional Designer Make?
According to October 2025 data from Glass Door, instructional designers make a median average salary of $94,000.
The estimated average additional pay (including cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit sharing) is $20,000, bringing the median total pay to $114,000.
The lowest 10% make roughly $75,000, while the top 10% can earn up to $120,000. Pay will vary depending on experience and work location.
What Skills Does an Instructional Designer Need?
Instructional designers use a variety of skills to create engaging learning experiences. While the specific projects and tools may vary, these skills are essential across the field:
- Communication skills – writing, storyboarding, verbal
- Knowledge of learning theories and pedagogy
- Project management and organization
- Evaluate learning objectives
- Conduct a needs analysis
- Research and information synthesis
- Assessment development
- Data analysis
- Critical thinking
- Creativity and innovation
How Do I Become an Instructional Designer?
To become an instructional designer, you will need a combination of skills, education, and hands-on experience, as well as an ability to stay up-to-date with technology and best practices.
Identify and Hone Skills
Conducting needs assessments and analyzing data are critical components of the job, as is designing and optimizing coursework and learning materials. Check our list for more ideas!
Obtain Education
Bachelor’s degrees in Education, Business, and English are common for those seeking to work as an instructional designer. If you want to work in a specific industry, a bachelor’s degree in that area may be helpful.
Many employers prefer a master’s degree, and degrees in Instructional Design, Learning Analytics, Data Analytics, and Curriculum & Instruction will provide the necessary foundation for this work.
Gain Experience
Our Master’s in Learning Analytics program provides opportunities for the practical use of learning analytics for instructional design. Assignments prepare students with hands-on experience designing learning environments modeled to predict success and retention.