Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Portland, Oregon
Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Portland, Oregon
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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 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.
#49. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $36,840
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,620
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)
#48. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $38,450
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 10,520
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)
#47. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $47,590
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
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)
#46. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $47,860
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
#45. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $49,470
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
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)
#44. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $50,920
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,610
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)
#43. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $51,340
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,420
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)
#42. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $57,220
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#41. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $71,720
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
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)
#40. Special education teachers, preschool
- Annual mean salary: $77,280
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#39. Career/technical education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $77,790
- #15 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)
#38. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $78,310
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#37. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $78,400
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#36. Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $78,660
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#35. Social work teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $79,310
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#34. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $80,890
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,060
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)
#33. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $80,990
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920
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)
#32. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $81,760
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,290
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)
#31. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $84,240
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930
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)
#30. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $84,980
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 940
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. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $85,690
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,630
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)
#28. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $86,480
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#27. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $86,880
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290
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)
#26. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $89,500
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
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)
#25. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $89,550
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
#24. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $89,980
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
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)
#23. Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $90,480
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,680
- Employment: 9,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($160,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($137,790)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($119,510)
#22. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $92,450
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
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)
#21. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $92,590
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
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)
#20. Geography teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $95,920
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,150
- Employment: 3,440
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($140,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,200)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,120)
#19. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $96,300
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
#18. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $96,640
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
#17. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $97,460
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#16. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $99,310
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#15. Architecture teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $100,730
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,600
- Employment: 5,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($155,970)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,550)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($142,180)
#14. History teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $101,270
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#13. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $104,000
- #16 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. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $105,890
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#11. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $107,530
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#10. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $108,310
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $111,700
- #11 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)
#8. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $113,450
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#7. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $113,930
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370
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)
#6. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $115,530
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
#5. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $117,770
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#4. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $119,000
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
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)
#3. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $126,880
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $130,380
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $166,480
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,600
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)