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Online Course Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$64K - $87K/yr

Engagement Details As the Instructional Designer, you will work with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs ... Collaborate with SMEs to design high-quality online courses that are supported by research-based ...

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · Remote

$66K - $90K/yr

Engagement Details As the Instructional Designer, you will work with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs ... Collaborate with SMEs to design high-quality online courses that are supported by research-based ...

Instructional Designer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$64K - $87K/yr

Engagement Details As the Instructional Designer, you will work with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs ... Collaborate with SMEs to design high-quality online courses that are supported by research-based ...

Instructional Designer II

$66K - $90K/yr

The Opportunity The Instructional Designer II plays a key role in teaching and learning for the ... quality online courses for academic and non-credit delivery. * Edits and organizes electronic ...

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Online Course Designer information

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$57

$103

How much do online course designer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average hourly pay for online course designer in the United States is $57.20, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $31.97 and $91.35 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an online course designer do?

An Online Course Designer is responsible for creating engaging and effective educational experiences delivered via the internet. They work with subject matter experts to develop course content, structure lessons, and choose appropriate multimedia elements. Their goal is to enhance learning by making online courses interactive, accessible, and aligned with learning objectives. They also often use learning management systems (LMS) to organize and deliver content, assess learner progress, and gather feedback for improvements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an online course designer?

To thrive as an Online Course Designer, you need a solid understanding of instructional design principles, curriculum development, and often a background in education or instructional technology. Familiarity with Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Canvas or Moodle, authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate, and sometimes certification in instructional design are typically required. Strong communication, creativity, and project management skills are essential for collaborating with subject matter experts and engaging diverse learners. These skills and qualifications ensure the creation of effective, engaging, and accessible online learning experiences that meet both educational standards and learner needs.

What are some common challenges online course designers face when working with subject matter experts (SMEs)?

Online Course Designers often collaborate closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure course content is accurate and engaging. A common challenge is translating complex, specialized knowledge into accessible and interactive online learning materials. Designers may also need to balance SME expectations with best practices in instructional design and technology constraints. Effective communication and project management skills are essential to align goals and create high-quality courses within deadlines.

What is the difference between Online Course Designer vs E-Learning Developer?

AspectOnline Course DesignerE-Learning Developer
CredentialsTypically requires instructional design or education certificationsOften requires technical certifications or multimedia skills
Work EnvironmentDesigns courses primarily for online platforms, often in educational or corporate settingsDevelops interactive e-learning content, including multimedia and software applications
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in educational institutions, corporate training, and e-learning companiesCommon in e-learning companies, corporate training, and educational tech firms

While both roles focus on online learning, the Online Course Designer primarily creates course structures and content, emphasizing instructional design. The E-Learning Developer often handles the technical development and multimedia integration of e-learning modules. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

More about Online Course Designer jobs

What cities are hiring for Online Course Designer jobs?

Cities with the most Online Course Designer job openings:

What states have the most Online Course Designer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Online Course Designer jobs include:

Infographic showing various Online Course Designer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 63% Full Time, 33% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 20% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $118,979 per year, or $57.2 per hour.

Sr Instructional Designer

Columbia University

New York, NY • On-site

$77K - $86K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago


Job description

  • Job Type: Officer of Administration
  • Bargaining Unit:
  • Regular/Temporary: Regular
  • End Date if Temporary:
  • Hours Per Week: 35
  • Standard Work Schedule:
  • Building: Morningside
  • Salary Range: 77,000 - 86,500

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Position Summary
The Senior Instructional Designer reports to the Executive Director and oversees the instructional design team and manages course development; design processes, evaluates course design and applies best practices to teaching and learning in a university setting. The Senior Instructional Designer is responsible for ensuring the quality of online course offerings match the standards for design and learning outcomes across all modalities. The Senior Instructional Designer is a critical component and leader of a cohesive team whose members are expected to align with pedagogical and multimedia design principles. The Senior Instructional Designer must display the ability togenerate, receive,and implement creative direction in a fast-paced, collaborative, team environment with considerations of timelines, deliverables, and budgets.
Responsibilities
Curriculum and Content Development 40%:
  • Collaborate with faculty and subject matter experts to identify learning needs and analyze learning gaps, and to assist in the development of learning paths.
  • Design, develop and implement innovative and impactful curricula by integrating learning science theories, human-centered design and technologies.
  • Review and enhance existing content to ensure level appropriateness and consistency with learning objectives.

Management and Leadership 30%:
  • Provide leadership and advice to staff in the areas of instructional design and multimedia production.
  • Manage external partners to ensure coordination, quality, and timeliness of design and production tasks.
  • Participate in and promote a culture of continuing quality improvement.
  • Recommend improvements to internal systems and processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness including improvements in product-creation workflows, metrics creation and analysis, standardization of workflows.

Research, Learning Data Analysis 20%:
  • Support existing technology projects and experiment new learning technologies that enhance all aspects of teaching and learning.
  • Conducting research on learner data (quantitative and qualitative) to give insights to improve learner experience design.
  • Advise and recommend instructional support, digital technologies and learning space solutions.

Other duties as assigned 10%
Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree and or equivalent.
  • Minimum of 3-5 years of related experience.
  • Instructional Design experience.
  • Experience directly related to distance learning and/or instructional technology.
  • Experience in online course development and/or in teaching in an online environment, including assessment of student outcomes.
  • Demonstrated experience with one or more of the major LMS and online platforms like edX or Coursera.
  • Experience providing professional development to faculty relevant to both online and/or face to face instruction.
  • Experience implementing distance-learning initiatives and/orcreating a strategic vision for integrating new technologies for better learning outcomes for students.
  • Supervisory experience.
  • Strong work ethic with demonstrated collaborative and coordinative skills.
  • Excellent communicator in both oral and written communication.
  • Experience with computerized systems.
  • Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
  • Professional Organization Involvement.
  • Strong communication skills, a solid and current knowledge of instructional and social technologies/media, experience with web-based conferencing tools, video/audio production experience working with college faculty in technology training.

Other Requirements
Web development skills; specifically, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, XML
Upbeat attitude; willing to investigate and recommend new technologies
Advanced degree highly preferred.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.