Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Buffalo

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August 29, 2022
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Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Buffalo

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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 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.

#47. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $31,370
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,700

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)

#46. Preschool teachers, except special education

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $39,820
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120

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)

#45. Substitute teachers, short-term

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $43,730
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,700

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)

#44. Library technicians

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $45,230
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#43. Tutors

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $47,520
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530

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)

#42. Self-enrichment teachers

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $52,670
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,070

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)

#41. Teaching assistants, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $52,790
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490

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)

#40. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $59,030
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#39. Librarians and media collections specialists

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $60,740
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550

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)

#38. Curators

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $61,370
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#37. Social work teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $61,510
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#36. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $63,260
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#35. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420

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)

#34. Special education teachers, preschool

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $66,580
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#33. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $66,930
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#32. Special education teachers, secondary school

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $67,020
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,760

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)

#31. Sociology teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $67,580
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,850
- Employment: 12,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($143,100)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($139,630)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($119,830)

#30. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $68,190
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150

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. Education teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $68,500
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#28. Career/technical education teachers, middle school

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $68,780
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,410
- Employment: 11,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($139,720)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,750)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,790)

#27. Political science teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $68,800
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#26. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $70,320
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

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)

#25. Psychology teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $70,940
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#24. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $71,290
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#23. Special education teachers, middle school

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $71,390
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

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)

#22. Kindergarten teachers, except special education

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $72,590
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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)

#21. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $73,180
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,330

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)

#20. Elementary school teachers, except special education

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $73,330
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,050

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)

#19. Communications teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $73,980
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#18. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $74,710
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#17. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $75,350
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#16. History teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $77,070
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#15. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $78,480
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,740

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)

#14. Instructional coordinators

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $79,040
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900

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)

#13. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $79,050
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#12. Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $79,830
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,110
- Employment: 5,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($137,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($130,530)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($128,760)

#11. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $81,890
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#10. Physics teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $84,340
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#9. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $84,720
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#8. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $92,300
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020

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)

#7. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $93,800
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $97,220
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460

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. Law teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $99,990
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $130,820
- Employment: 14,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($165,990)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($152,750)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($152,190)

#4. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $100,020
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#3. Biological science teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $101,420
- #31 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#2. Economics teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $110,140
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#1. Engineering teachers, postsecondary

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
- Annual mean salary: $113,310
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

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