Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Rochester
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 Rochester, 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.
#40. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $30,650
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,600
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)
#39. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $34,850
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#38. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $37,720
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,060
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)
#37. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $40,610
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
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)
#36. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $40,810
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,560
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. Museum technicians and conservators
- Annual mean salary: $47,130
- #31 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)
#34. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $47,280
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)
#33. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $52,550
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150
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. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#31. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $62,590
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720
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: $62,600
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,430
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. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $63,380
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#27. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $64,970
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,500
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)
#26. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $65,930
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#25. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
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)
#24. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $66,200
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,310
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)
#23. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $66,410
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430
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)
#22. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $67,010
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,410
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)
#21. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $67,070
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,030
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. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $68,310
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#19. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $69,820
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
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)
#18. Career/technical education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $70,930
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#17. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $71,130
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090
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)
#16. Special education teachers, preschool
- Annual mean salary: $71,900
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#15. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $73,310
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 960
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)
#14. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $76,660
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#13. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $76,870
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#12. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $77,120
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#11. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $81,360
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#10. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#9. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $83,790
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,210
- Employment: 5,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($133,560)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($126,820)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($120,840)
#8. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $83,910
- #37 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)
#7. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $84,650
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410
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)
#6. History teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $86,380
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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)
#5. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $89,700
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#4. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $92,450
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
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)
#3. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $93,310
- #29 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)
#2. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $109,460
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $123,230
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
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)