Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Asheville
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 Asheville, NC 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.
#32. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $25,410
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,110
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)
#31. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $26,150
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
#30. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $28,480
- #443 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600
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. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $35,790
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#28. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $37,460
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#27. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $40,130
- #118 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)
#26. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $43,980
- #392 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#25. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $46,720
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#24. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $46,940
- #409 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#23. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $47,730
- #479 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470
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)
#22. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $48,430
- #445 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,050
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. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $50,820
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#20. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $52,140
- #421 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150
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)
#19. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $52,600
- #332 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#18. Career/technical education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $54,350
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $54,360
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#16. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $55,040
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#15. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $55,090
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#14. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $59,150
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $60,030
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#12. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $62,740
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#11. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $63,330
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#10. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,290
- #71 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)
#9. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,310
- #188 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#8. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,420
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#7. History teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,760
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#6. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $65,690
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#5. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $66,320
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#4. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $66,690
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#3. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $70,790
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#2. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $71,040
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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: $75,760
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)