Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Birmingham

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 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 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.

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#35. Substitute teachers, short-term

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $18,240
- #416 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,390

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)

2 / 35

#34. Preschool teachers, except special education

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $23,460
- #504 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,130

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)

3 / 35

#33. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $26,100
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,450

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)

4 / 35

#32. Library technicians

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $33,050
- #224 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)

5 / 35

#31. Tutors

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $35,010
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

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6 / 35

#30. Teaching assistants, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $35,630
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

7 / 35

#29. Self-enrichment teachers

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $41,320
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

8 / 35

#28. Elementary school teachers, except special education

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $54,660
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,410

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)

9 / 35

#27. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $55,310
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

10 / 35

#26. Special education teachers, middle school

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $55,500
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

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11 / 35

#25. Librarians and media collections specialists

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $56,590
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610

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)

12 / 35

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

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $56,670
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,270

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)

13 / 35

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

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,700

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)

14 / 35

#22. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $57,390
- #181 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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 / 35

#21. Special education teachers, secondary school

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $58,350
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

16 / 35

#20. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $61,610
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

17 / 35

#19. Sociology teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $65,130
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

18 / 35

#18. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $65,770
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

19 / 35

#17. Library science teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $66,180
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,850
- Employment: 4,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($154,890)
--- Tuscaloosa, AL ($104,810)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($102,320)

20 / 35

#16. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $68,170
- #61 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)

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21 / 35

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

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $68,630
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

22 / 35

#14. Education teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $71,500
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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 / 35

#13. History teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $73,000
- #68 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)

24 / 35

#12. Communications teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $77,800
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

25 / 35

#11. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $78,340
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

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26 / 35

#10. Political science teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $80,360
- #47 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)

27 / 35

#9. Instructional coordinators

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $82,870
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

28 / 35

#8. Social work teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $88,450
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

29 / 35

#7. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $89,220
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

30 / 35

#6. Psychology teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $92,850
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

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31 / 35

#5. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $92,920
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

32 / 35

#4. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $95,930
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

33 / 35

#3. Biological science teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $97,170
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

34 / 35

#2. Physics teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $104,470
- #18 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)

35 / 35

#1. Business teachers, postsecondary

Birmingham-Hoover, AL
- Annual mean salary: $105,460
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)