Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Columbia

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 Columbia, SC 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.

1 / 31

#31. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $26,040
- #354 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,480

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)

2 / 31

#30. Preschool teachers, except special education

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $29,020
- #430 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630

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 / 31

#29. Substitute teachers, short-term

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $30,260
- #264 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)

4 / 31

#28. Tutors

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $32,610
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

5 / 31

#27. Library technicians

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $36,320
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

6 / 31

#26. Museum technicians and conservators

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $36,980
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

7 / 31

#25. Teaching assistants, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $44,860
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

8 / 31

#24. Archivists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $46,390
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 6,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($84,080)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($79,270)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($75,800)

9 / 31

#23. Self-enrichment teachers

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $46,830
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

10 / 31

#22. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $50,430
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Columbia

11 / 31

#21. Kindergarten teachers, except special education

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $51,770
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

12 / 31

#20. Curators

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $51,950
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

13 / 31

#19. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $58,290
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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 / 31

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $58,630
- #283 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,540

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)

15 / 31

#17. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $58,800
- #193 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)

You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Columbia

16 / 31

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $59,260
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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 / 31

#15. Elementary school teachers, except special education

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $59,620
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,350

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)

18 / 31

#14. Special education teachers, secondary school

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $59,700
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

19 / 31

#13. Special education teachers, middle school

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $60,100
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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 / 31

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $60,200
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,930

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)

You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Columbia

21 / 31

#11. Librarians and media collections specialists

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $61,350
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

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)

22 / 31

#10. Instructional coordinators

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $64,100
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570

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)

23 / 31

#9. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $75,020
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

24 / 31

#8. Education teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $78,790
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

25 / 31

#7. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $85,120
- #24 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)

You may also like: Highest-paying science jobs for people in Columbia

26 / 31

#6. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $87,040
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

27 / 31

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

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $87,770
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

28 / 31

#4. Communications teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $91,130
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

29 / 31

#3. Psychology teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $107,010
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

30 / 31

#2. Engineering teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $116,870
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

31 / 31

#1. Business teachers, postsecondary

Columbia, SC
- Annual mean salary: $138,100
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)