What Does a Reading Specialist Do?
Reading specialists work with students who struggle with reading by providing targeted interventions, assessing literacy skills, and supporting classroom teachers with evidence-based reading instruction. They are experts in reading development, assessment, and instructional strategies. Reading specialists serve an important role in improving student literacy outcomes across the school.
Reading Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a reading specialist include:
- Assess students reading abilities using diagnostic tools to identify specific reading difficulties and skill gaps.
- Provide intensive, targeted reading intervention to students performing below grade level.
- Develop and implement individualized reading intervention plans based on assessment data.
- Model effective reading instruction strategies for classroom teachers during coaching sessions.
- Analyze school-wide reading data to identify trends, set goals, and inform instructional decisions.
- Select and recommend evidence-based reading programs, materials, and resources for the school.
- Lead professional development sessions on literacy instruction, phonics, fluency, and comprehension strategies.
- Collaborate with teachers, special educators, and parents to support students reading development.
- Monitor student progress through frequent assessments and adjust interventions accordingly.
- Participate in student study teams, IEP meetings, and response-to-intervention (RTI) planning.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a reading specialist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Reading assessment and diagnosis
- Evidence-based literacy intervention
- Phonics and phonemic awareness instruction
- Reading comprehension strategies
- Coaching and mentoring teachers
- Data analysis and progress monitoring
- Differentiated reading instruction
- Collaboration and communication
Education and Training
Reading specialists must hold a master degree in reading education, literacy, or a closely related field. Most states require a reading specialist certification or endorsement in addition to a teaching license. Programs include coursework in reading assessment, literacy development, intervention strategies, and coaching. Prior experience as a classroom teacher, typically three to five years, is required for most positions. The International Literacy Association (ILA) provides professional standards that guide the preparation and certification of reading specialists across states.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $48,490 - $95,890 per year, with a median of $66,140.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Teachers and Instructors, All Other.
BLS projects employment of teachers and instructors, all other to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,700 openings a year. Demand for reading specialists is strong, driven by national attention to literacy improvement, science-of-reading legislation, and the recognition that early reading intervention is essential for long-term academic success. Many states are mandating structured literacy instruction and screening for reading difficulties, increasing the need for trained reading specialists. Schools implementing multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) rely on reading specialists to lead intervention efforts. Those with expertise in structured literacy and dyslexia intervention will find the strongest demand.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Teachers and instructors, all other.
Reading Specialist Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $37,010 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $48,490 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $66,140 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $95,890 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $118,020 |
Highest-Paying States for Reading Specialists
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Rhode Island ($130,480), Massachusetts ($100,610), Kansas ($94,520), Maryland ($94,070), District of Columbia ($93,040). Pay is lowest in Indiana ($48,960), Montana ($48,890), Arkansas ($41,940).
Median pay in all 50 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,510 |
| Alaska | $76,000 |
| Arizona | $55,270 |
| Arkansas | $41,940 |
| California | $87,460 |
| Colorado | $76,380 |
| Connecticut | $62,270 |
| Delaware | $67,230 |
| District of Columbia | $93,040 |
| Florida | $51,730 |
| Georgia | $60,130 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 |
| Idaho | $53,600 |
| Illinois | $76,450 |
| Indiana | $48,960 |
| Iowa | $54,080 |
| Kansas | $94,520 |
| Kentucky | $58,200 |
| Louisiana | $59,460 |
| Maine | $84,330 |
| Maryland | $94,070 |
| Massachusetts | $100,610 |
| Michigan | $54,680 |
| Minnesota | $61,330 |
| Mississippi | $67,200 |
| Missouri | $55,870 |
| Montana | $48,890 |
| Nebraska | $62,560 |
| Nevada | $65,610 |
| New Hampshire | $53,680 |
| New Jersey | $73,590 |
| New Mexico | $66,800 |
| New York | $78,300 |
| North Carolina | $50,000 |
| North Dakota | $60,420 |
| Ohio | $56,890 |
| Oklahoma | $73,320 |
| Oregon | $65,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,420 |
| Rhode Island | $130,480 |
| South Carolina | $60,220 |
| South Dakota | $67,200 |
| Tennessee | $50,000 |
| Texas | $51,120 |
| Utah | $56,280 |
| Vermont | $53,920 |
| Virginia | $85,280 |
| Washington | $77,720 |
| West Virginia | $64,140 |
| Wisconsin | $51,580 |
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 25-3099.00 (Teachers and Instructors, All Other). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.