Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Tampa
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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 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.
#31. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $27,700
- #283 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,730
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)
#30. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $30,650
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,150
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)
#29. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $39,060
- #261 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)
#28. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $42,010
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920
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)
#27. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $44,480
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,860
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)
#26. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,760
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#25. Museum technicians and conservators
- Annual mean salary: $48,250
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#24. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $52,470
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#23. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $53,010
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#22. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $53,100
- #356 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,320
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)
#21. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $54,250
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#20. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $55,840
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#19. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $56,710
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#18. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $57,250
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120
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)
#17. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $58,890
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
#16. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $60,400
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 960
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)
#15. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $61,220
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#14. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $62,680
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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)
#13. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $62,840
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#12. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $64,080
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,480
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)
#11. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $64,560
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#10. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $64,990
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,990
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)
#9. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $65,150
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,600
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)
#8. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $65,210
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)
#7. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $65,840
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,830
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)
#6. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $67,540
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#5. Special education teachers, preschool
- Annual mean salary: $68,550
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,970
- Employment: 21,130
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($101,190)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($100,010)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($97,900)
#4. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $68,650
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,220
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)
#3. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $75,660
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)
#2. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $83,260
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $88,260
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)