Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Phoenix

By Stacker

Published August 29, 2022 9:33 AM

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Phoenix

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 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 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.

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

#44. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $30,340
– #183 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 15,820

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)

Education Images // Getty Images

#43. Substitute teachers, short-term

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $32,440
– #210 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,990

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)

CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#42. Preschool teachers, except special education

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $33,100
– #266 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 5,640

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)

Unsplash

#41. Library technicians

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $35,430
– #181 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#40. Tutors

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $40,230
– #116 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,370

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)

StockphotoVideo // Shutterstock

#39. Museum technicians and conservators

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $46,720
– #32 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Brian S. Hagberg // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Self-enrichment teachers

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $48,140
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,670

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

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

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $52,170
– #112 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

Lopolo // Shutterstock

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

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $52,510
– #372 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 6,480

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)

Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock

#35. Kindergarten teachers, except special education

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $52,600
– #258 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,170

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)

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The Boston Globe // Getty Images

#34. Elementary school teachers, except special education

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $52,960
– #352 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 17,080

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)

Pixabay

#33. Teaching assistants, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $53,400
– #7 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 460

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)

Canva

#32. Special education teachers, middle school

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $53,760
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 830

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)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#31. Librarians and media collections specialists

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $55,700
– #258 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,150

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)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

#30. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $55,740
– #257 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,590

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)

industryviews // Shutterstock

#29. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $56,610
– #190 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,730

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)

Photographee.eu // Shutterstock

#28. Special education teachers, secondary school

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $57,090
– #250 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,520

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)

B Brown // Shutterstock

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

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $58,220
– #289 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 12,800

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)

industryviews // Shutterstock

#26. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $60,200
– #171 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 610

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)

Marcwathieu // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Curators

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $60,890
– #40 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)

Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr

#24. Instructional coordinators

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $61,250
– #328 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,410

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)

Florida Fish and Wildlife // flickr

#23. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $63,400
– #58 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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)

University of the Fraser Valley // flickr

#22. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $65,090
– #76 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190

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)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

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

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $65,260
– #131 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,050

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)

COD Newsroom // Flickr

#20. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $65,590
– #128 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 830

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)

Shane Global // flickr

#19. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $66,720
– #64 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320

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)

Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr

#18. Communications teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $66,790
– #80 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 850

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)

Kenny Holston // flickr

#17. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $68,900
– #37 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370

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)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#16. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $69,620
– #119 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 930

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)

Fabrice Florin // flickr

#15. Education teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $72,370
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 890

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)

Suzannekweiss // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $72,990
– #127 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,080

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)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

#13. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $73,030
– #78 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

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)

Fae // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Psychology teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $74,620
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 360

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)

Mark Warner // Flickr

#11. Social work teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $74,790
– #22 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 490

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)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#10. Biological science teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $75,800
– #112 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 570

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)

United States Department of Agriculture // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $80,680
– #16 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

National
– Annual mean salary: $97,520
– Employment: 8,570
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,040)
— Fort Collins, CO ($114,930)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($105,250)

uroburos // pixabay

#8. Geography teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $81,070
– #18 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

#7. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $82,540
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 580

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)

Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock

#6. Business teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $82,610
– #168 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,170

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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#5. Political science teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $87,620
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100

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)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#4. Engineering teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $103,590
– #51 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 470

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)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#3. Economics teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $103,840
– #42 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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)

ESB Professional // Shutterstock

#2. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $105,230
– #15 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120

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)

Canva

#1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
– Annual mean salary: $120,290
– #57 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,690

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)

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