The Orlando-Kissimmee area’s education and health services industry employed 120,000 workers during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the same as during November and a .2 percent increase from December 2008.

Educators in the area can expect to be paid relatively well. According to Salary.com, the average pay for a public school teacher in Orlando is between $41,493 per year and $ 55,114 per year.

The city’s public primary and secondary education system is run by Orange County Public Schools, according to Wikipedia. The district is currently composed of 180 regular-attendance schools, including 119 elementary schools, 36 middle schools and 20 high schools.

The district also offers an adult education system with six campuses and night classes at most high schools; four special education schools; a hospital and homebound program; and many alternative education centers, including charter schools.

All of the schools OCPS controls are divided into six “Learning Communities,” including: North, East, West, Southeast, Southwest and Central. All of the schools foster a culturally-diverse environment, with most paperwork available in both English and Spanish. In addition, many schools offer documents in Portuguese, Vietnamese and Haitian Creole.

The area also is home to many private schools, the most notable of which include: Orlando Lutheran Academy, Forest Lake Academy, The First Academy, Trinity Preparatory School, Lake Highland Preparatory School, Bishop Moore High School and Orlando Christian Prep.

When it comes to higher-education, the Orlando area is home to two state universities, the University of Central Florida and Florida A&M University College of Law, and two state colleges, Valencia Community College and Seminole State College of Florida.

There also are many private colleges and universities in the area, including:

• Asbury Theological Seminary
• Columbia College
• DeVry University
• Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
• Florida Institute of Technology
• Florida Metropolitan University
• Full Sail University
• Herzing College
• Hindu University of America
• International Academy of Design & Technology-Orlando
• McBurney College
• Nova Southeastern University
• Reformed Theological Seminary
• Rollins College
• Strayer University
• University of Florida College of Pharmacy
• University of Phoenix
• Webster University

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