Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Phoenix
Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Phoenix
Whether you picture hard-working teachers buying school supplies for their students or genius professors shaping future leaders, it's fair to say education encompasses a wide variety of jobs. So much so that there's room to specialize and pursue your passion.
Historically, teachers' pay is a rather contentious topic. The average teacher salary is about $2,000 less than a decade ago after adjusting for inflation. Despite this, many of these jobs are rewarding in more ways than one. In other words, education can be very lucrative—particularly within specialty fields.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying education jobs in Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage. Keep reading to discover the highest and lowest paying education jobs in your city.
#44. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $30,340
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 15,820
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,760
- Employment: 1,187,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($46,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,820)
#43. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $32,440
- #210 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,990
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,410
- Employment: 374,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Prescott, AZ ($64,310)
--- Appleton, WI ($63,310)
--- Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($58,770)
#42. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $33,100
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,640
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,460
- Employment: 391,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990)
--- Ocean City, NJ ($49,720)
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)
#41. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $35,430
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 73,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950)
--- Napa, CA ($57,890)
#40. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $40,230
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,370
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,780
- Employment: 147,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Pittsfield, MA ($82,910)
--- Santa Fe, NM ($68,440)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,110)
#39. Museum technicians and conservators
- Annual mean salary: $46,720
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,030
- Employment: 10,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,670)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($73,740)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($68,180)
#38. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $48,140
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,670
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,230
- Employment: 216,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)
#37. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,650
- Employment: 38,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($96,640)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,740)
#36. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $52,510
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,480
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,880
- Employment: 592,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bakersfield, CA ($109,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($107,280)
--- Yuba City, CA ($94,480)
#35. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $52,600
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,170
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,490
- Employment: 120,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($95,420)
--- Kingston, NY ($92,160)
--- Salinas, CA ($90,490)
#34. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $52,960
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 17,080
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,080
- Employment: 1,329,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,860)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($91,430)
--- Salinas, CA ($91,280)
#33. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $53,400
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,170
- Employment: 121,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Arecibo, PR ($62,080)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($59,380)
#32. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $53,760
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 79,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($117,940)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($94,630)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($94,140)
#31. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $55,700
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,180
- Employment: 127,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($94,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,990)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($89,220)
#30. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $55,740
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,590
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,090
- Employment: 187,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($102,210)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,730)
--- Chico, CA ($88,430)
#29. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $56,610
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,730
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,130
- Employment: 105,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($116,850)
--- Champaign-Urbana, IL ($97,110)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($95,200)
#28. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $57,090
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,520
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,100
- Employment: 145,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($110,320)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($106,590)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($103,540)
#27. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $58,220
- #289 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 12,800
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,530
- Employment: 1,020,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,010)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($101,980)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($97,490)
#26. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $60,200
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,960
- Employment: 84,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,160)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,490)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($115,060)
#25. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $60,890
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,880
- Employment: 11,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($96,990)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($94,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,680)
#24. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $61,250
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,410
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,560
- Employment: 184,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salem, OR ($93,890)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($93,760)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,430)
#23. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $63,400
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,730
- Employment: 13,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($161,540)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($152,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($132,020)
#22. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $65,090
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,260
- Employment: 20,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($147,650)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($129,190)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($127,730)
#21. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $65,260
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,240
- Employment: 94,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($180,910)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($160,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($151,060)
#20. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $65,590
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,680
- Employment: 58,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($162,660)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,980)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($132,320)
#19. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $66,720
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,990
- Employment: 19,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($149,170)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($130,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($129,250)
#18. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $66,790
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 850
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,580
- Employment: 27,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($149,400)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($127,260)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($124,320)
#17. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $68,900
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,080
- Employment: 13,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($136,830)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($123,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($121,590)
#16. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $69,620
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,980
- Employment: 44,140
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($157,340)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($149,220)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($138,090)
#15. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $72,370
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,990
- Employment: 58,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($119,140)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($112,130)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($110,160)
#14. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $72,990
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,040
- Employment: 68,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($146,700)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($109,450)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($109,310)
#13. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $73,030
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,060
- Employment: 20,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($140,550)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($136,870)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($135,160)
#12. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $74,620
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,390
- Employment: 36,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($141,130)
--- Iowa City, IA ($131,770)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($117,020)
#11. Social work teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $74,790
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,650
- Employment: 12,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($112,000)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,460)
--- Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA ($96,040)
#10. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $75,800
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,710
- Employment: 47,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($181,560)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($166,470)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($152,140)
#9. Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $80,680
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $97,520
- Employment: 8,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,040)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($114,930)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($105,250)
#8. Geography teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $81,070
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,150
- Employment: 3,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($140,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,200)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,120)
#7. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $82,540
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,610
- Employment: 37,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($152,280)
--- Auburn-Opelika, AL ($145,360)
--- Tuscaloosa, AL ($144,170)
#6. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $82,610
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,170
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,720
- Employment: 79,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Auburn-Opelika, AL ($175,640)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($175,080)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($154,600)
#5. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $87,620
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,980
- Employment: 14,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($155,350)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($150,290)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($140,340)
#4. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $103,590
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,590
- Employment: 35,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($157,030)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($154,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($153,050)
#3. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $103,840
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $124,090
- Employment: 11,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($180,550)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($180,490)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($172,600)
#2. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $105,230
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,840
- Employment: 10,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($152,120)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($149,790)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($147,770)
#1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $120,290
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,690
National
- Annual mean salary: $133,310
- Employment: 191,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($226,440)
--- Jackson, MS ($202,690)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($183,250)