Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Worcester
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 Worcester, MA-CT 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.
#39. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $40,190
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,290
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)
#38. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $42,860
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#37. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $43,790
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
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)
#36. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $44,640
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#35. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $46,100
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#34. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $50,440
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#33. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $55,790
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
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)
#32. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $61,330
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#31. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $61,740
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#30. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $68,550
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
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)
#29. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $69,100
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#28. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $75,290
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
#27. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $75,340
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#26. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $76,080
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,740
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)
#25. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $77,860
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#24. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $79,890
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#23. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $80,170
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,700
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)
#22. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $82,020
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#21. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $83,290
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
#20. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $86,280
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#19. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $87,960
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#18. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $87,970
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#17. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $88,590
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,600
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)
#16. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $89,660
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $91,780
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#14. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $92,920
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $99,480
- Employment: 12,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($148,140)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($144,580)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($142,450)
#13. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $93,300
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $94,010
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#11. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $94,260
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#10. History teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $94,570
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,460
- Employment: 18,590
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($148,420)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($129,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,560)
#9. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $94,630
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#8. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $96,920
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#7. Special education teachers, preschool
- Annual mean salary: $97,900
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#6. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $97,920
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#5. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $99,360
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $104,710
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#3. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $104,930
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#2. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $129,870
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
#1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $140,680
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
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)