Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Knoxville
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 Knoxville, TN 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.
#39. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $22,940
- #382 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#38. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $26,020
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,820
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)
#37. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $27,990
- #335 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#36. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $31,330
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710
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)
#35. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $35,450
- #359 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
#34. Tutors
- Annual mean salary: $42,790
- #75 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)
#33. Archivists
- Annual mean salary: $45,260
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#32. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $52,190
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
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)
#30. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $53,000
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#29. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $53,800
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,830
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)
#28. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $53,920
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390
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)
#27. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $54,280
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,830
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)
#26. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $54,290
- #58 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)
#25. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $54,550
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
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)
#24. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- #275 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)
#23. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $56,000
- #271 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)
#22. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $56,290
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,180
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. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $56,580
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
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)
#20. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $58,070
- #384 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#19. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $62,320
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#18. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,550
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)
#17. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,710
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#16. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $70,980
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#15. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $74,140
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#14. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $74,450
- #97 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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)
#13. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $74,980
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#12. History teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $76,260
- #58 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)
#11. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $76,600
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $77,340
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
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)
#9. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $81,690
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#8. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $84,040
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
#7. Political science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $85,280
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
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)
#6. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $87,530
- #17 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)
#5. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $92,660
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#4. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $105,600
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
#3. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $120,680
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#2. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $125,410
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $139,180
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
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)