Best cities for an academic instructor
The best cities for academic instructors are New York, NY, Bakersfield, CA, and Brookhaven, NY, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for academic instructors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for academic instructors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an academic instructor or considering a move, this list of the best cities for academic instructors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for academic instructors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an academic instructor. While the absolute best city for academic instructors is New York, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for academic instructors in 2024.
If you're looking for an academic instructor job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for academic instructors in 2025
1. New York, NY
Total academic instructor jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $63,472 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 1.04 2. Bakersfield, CA
Total academic instructor jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $62,456 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location quotient: 2.90 3. Brookhaven, NY
Total academic instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $63,772 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Islip, NY
Total academic instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $63,721 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Oyster Bay, NY
Total academic instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $63,615 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Riverside, CA
Total academic instructor jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $60,504 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location quotient: 10.97 7. Hempstead, NY
Total academic instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $63,587 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Philadelphia, PA
Total academic instructor jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $54,446 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location quotient: 0.27 9. Pittsburgh, PA
Total academic instructor jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $51,372 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location quotient: 0.43 10. Buffalo, NY
Total academic instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $61,742 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for academic instructors
- New York, NY
- Bakersfield, CA
- Brookhaven, NY
- Islip, NY
- Oyster Bay, NY
- Riverside, CA
- Hempstead, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Buffalo, NY
- (26 academic instructor jobs)
- (1 academic instructor jobs)
- (0 academic instructor jobs)
- (0 academic instructor jobs)
- (0 academic instructor jobs)
- (5 academic instructor jobs)
- (0 academic instructor jobs)
- (1 academic instructor jobs)
- (1 academic instructor jobs)
- (0 academic instructor jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for an academic instructor
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $63,472 | $42,000 | 8,537,673 | 26 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $62,456 | $42,000 | 376,380 | 1 |
| 3 | Brookhaven, NY | $63,772 | $42,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 4 | Islip, NY | $63,721 | $42,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 5 | Oyster Bay, NY | $63,615 | $42,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $60,504 | $41,000 | 324,722 | 5 |
| 7 | Hempstead, NY | $63,587 | $42,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $54,446 | $36,000 | 1,567,872 | 1 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,372 | $34,000 | 303,625 | 1 |
| 10 | Buffalo, NY | $61,742 | $41,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $47,049 | $32,000 | 595,047 | 5 |
| 12 | El Paso, TX | $44,651 | $30,000 | 683,080 | 2 |
| 13 | San Francisco, CA | $64,100 | $43,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 14 | Stockton, CA | $63,267 | $42,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 15 | Oakland, CA | $63,968 | $43,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 16 | Sacramento, CA | $63,009 | $42,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 17 | Fort Wayne, IN | $50,218 | $34,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $45,833 | $30,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 19 | San Jose, CA | $63,937 | $43,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 20 | Fremont, CA | $63,911 | $43,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 21 | Fresno, CA | $62,799 | $42,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 22 | Irvine, CA | $60,563 | $41,000 | 266,122 | 2 |
| 23 | Los Angeles, CA | $61,256 | $41,000 | 3,976,322 | 1 |
| 24 | Toledo, OH | $44,938 | $30,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 25 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,414 | $33,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 26 | Long Beach, CA | $60,907 | $41,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 27 | Anaheim, CA | $60,783 | $41,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 28 | Columbus, OH | $44,278 | $30,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 29 | Santa Ana, CA | $60,681 | $41,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 30 | Madison, WI | $46,334 | $31,000 | 252,551 | 2 |
| 31 | Seattle, WA | $55,011 | $38,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 32 | Wichita, KS | $46,713 | $32,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 33 | Durham, NC | $44,571 | $30,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 34 | Raleigh, NC | $44,554 | $30,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 35 | Cincinnati, OH | $42,843 | $29,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 36 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,990 | $30,000 | 1,615,017 | 4 |
| 37 | San Diego, CA | $59,553 | $40,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 38 | New Orleans, LA | $47,059 | $32,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 39 | Laredo, TX | $44,524 | $30,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 40 | Chula Vista, CA | $59,399 | $40,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 41 | Corpus Christi, TX | $44,261 | $30,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 42 | Greensboro, NC | $44,142 | $29,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 43 | San Antonio, TX | $44,061 | $30,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 44 | Boston, MA | $51,323 | $34,000 | 673,184 | - |
| 45 | Winston-Salem, NC | $43,928 | $29,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 46 | Austin, TX | $43,731 | $30,000 | 947,890 | - |
| 47 | Saint Paul, MN | $47,649 | $33,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 48 | Lubbock, TX | $43,203 | $30,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 49 | Minneapolis, MN | $47,627 | $33,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 50 | Glendale, AZ | $44,014 | $30,000 | 245,895 | - |
Highest paying cities for academic instructors
| Rank | City | Avg. academic instructor salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City, CA | $64,103 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $63,472 |
| 3 | Laurel, MD | $53,762 |
| 4 | Newark, NJ | $48,137 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $46,334 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $45,321 |
| 7 | Laramie, WY | $44,741 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $44,651 |
| 9 | Wilmington, DE | $41,756 |
| 10 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $40,695 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $40,454 |
| 12 | Henderson, KY | $38,193 |
| 13 | Albany, GA | $37,584 |
| 14 | Hobbs, NM | $37,182 |
| 15 | Clearfield, UT | $36,473 |
| 16 | Greeley, CO | $36,288 |
| 17 | Lawton, OK | $32,317 |
Academic instructor best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025