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Academic instructor salary
Average academic instructor salary
$48,371
Understanding Academic Instructor Salaries
Academic Instructors play a vital role in shaping the educational landscape. As of October 2025, the average salary for an Academic Instructor stands at $48,371 annually. This figure may vary significantly depending on location, years of experience, and the specific institution. For instance, instructors in states like California and New York tend to earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for education professionals.
Instructors with advanced degrees or specialized training may find positions that offer competitive pay. Furthermore, exploring various educational fields can lead to better opportunities. For example, instructors in STEM fields often command higher salaries compared to those in the humanities.
To maximize earning potential, it's advisable for aspiring instructors to remain informed about regional salary expectations and actively seek professional development opportunities. This proactive approach can lead to a rewarding career in education.
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Where can an Academic Instructor earn more?
Academic instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average academic instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for academic instructors are New York, California, and Maine. The lowest average academic instructor salary states are Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for academic instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $56,207 | $27.02 |
| 2 | New York | $63,433 | $30.50 |
| 3 | California | $61,647 | $29.64 |
| 4 | Idaho | $50,097 | $24.09 |
| 5 | Montana | $48,152 | $23.15 |
| 6 | Maryland | $53,889 | $25.91 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $53,814 | $25.87 |
| 8 | South Carolina | $47,265 | $22.72 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $53,931 | $25.93 |
| 10 | Washington | $54,701 | $26.30 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $45,169 | $21.72 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $48,071 | $23.11 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $51,306 | $24.67 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $46,908 | $22.55 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $47,620 | $22.89 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $46,953 | $22.57 |
| 17 | Kansas | $46,709 | $22.46 |
| 18 | Indiana | $48,689 | $23.41 |
| 19 | Arizona | $43,825 | $21.07 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $52,055 | $25.03 |
| 21 | Oregon | $45,694 | $21.97 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $46,976 | $22.58 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $43,896 | $21.10 |
| 24 | Illinois | $45,054 | $21.66 |
| 25 | Alaska | $43,594 | $20.96 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $41,873 | $20.13 |
| 27 | Ohio | $44,612 | $21.45 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $42,531 | $20.45 |
| 29 | Alabama | $45,259 | $21.76 |
| 30 | Vermont | $40,847 | $19.64 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $41,709 | $20.05 |
| 32 | Nevada | $40,059 | $19.26 |
| 33 | Virginia | $42,598 | $20.48 |
| 34 | Delaware | $41,614 | $20.01 |
| 35 | Texas | $43,290 | $20.81 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $42,567 | $20.46 |
| 37 | Michigan | $39,691 | $19.08 |
| 38 | Iowa | $40,169 | $19.31 |
| 39 | Florida | $40,551 | $19.50 |
| 40 | Colorado | $36,391 | $17.50 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $37,299 | $17.93 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $39,090 | $18.79 |
| 43 | Georgia | $37,561 | $18.06 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $35,259 | $16.95 |
| 45 | District of Columbia | $40,448 | $19.45 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $35,566 | $17.10 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $34,841 | $16.75 |
| 48 | Utah | $36,607 | $17.60 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $35,166 | $16.91 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $32,066 | $15.42 |
| 51 | Missouri | $34,849 | $16.75 |
Highest paying cities for academic instructors
The highest-paying cities for academic instructors are Foster City, CA, New York, NY, and Laurel, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City, CA | $64,103 | $30.82 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $63,472 | $30.52 |
| 3 | Laurel, MD | $53,762 | $25.85 |
| 4 | Newark, NJ | $48,137 | $23.14 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $46,334 | $22.28 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $45,321 | $21.79 |
| 7 | Laramie, WY | $44,741 | $21.51 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $44,651 | $21.47 |
| 9 | Wilmington, DE | $41,756 | $20.07 |
| 10 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $40,695 | $19.56 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $40,454 | $19.45 |
| 12 | Henderson, KY | $38,193 | $18.36 |
| 13 | Albany, GA | $37,584 | $18.07 |
| 14 | Hobbs, NM | $37,182 | $17.88 |
| 15 | Clearfield, UT | $36,473 | $17.54 |
| 16 | Greeley, CO | $36,288 | $17.45 |
| 17 | Lawton, OK | $32,317 | $15.54 |
Academic instructor salary details
An academic instructor's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $69,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an academic instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $48,371 | $4,031 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying academic instructor jobs
The highest paying types of academic instructors are instructor, esl instructor, and summer school teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Teacher | $50,708 | $4,226 | $24.38 | 92,051 |
| Summer School Teacher | $52,828 | $4,402 | $25.40 | 86,467 |
| Long Term Substitute Teacher | $42,808 | $3,567 | $20.58 | 69,133 |
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Correspondence School Instructor | $42,601 | $3,550 | $20.48 | 67,548 |
| Learning Center Instructor | $33,129 | $2,761 | $15.93 | 59,893 |
Top companies hiring academic instructors now:
Which companies pay academic instructors the most?
Academic instructor salaries at New Jersey Institute of Technology and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average academic instructor salary at companies like Zenetex and Stanford University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $62,060 | $29.84 |
| 2 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | $59,674 | $28.69 |
| 3 | Zenetex | $58,711 | $28.23 |
| 4 | Stanford University | $58,256 | $28.01 |
| 5 | Hemet Unified School District | $57,368 | $27.58 |
| 6 | Emory University | $55,911 | $26.88 |
| 7 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $54,506 | $26.20 |
| 8 | Culver City Unified School District | $53,427 | $25.69 |
| 9 | Santa Monica High School | $52,501 | $25.24 |
| 10 | Stockton University | $52,238 | $25.11 |
| 11 | 6K Systems | $52,193 | $25.09 |
| 12 | Georgia State University | $49,739 | $23.91 |
| 13 | Chugach Alaska | $48,623 | $23.38 |
| 14 | MKS2 Technologies | $48,358 | $23.25 |
| 15 | Alutiiq | $48,303 | $23.22 |
| 16 | Job Corps | $48,195 | $23.17 |
| 17 | Big Thought | $48,010 | $23.08 |
| 18 | CAE | $47,813 | $22.99 |
| 19 | Pico de Gallo | $47,771 | $22.97 |
| 20 | University of Wyoming | $46,793 | $22.50 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Academic instructor salary trends
The average academic instructor salary has risen by $6,974 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average academic instructor earned $41,397 annually, but today, they earn $48,371 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for academic instructors over the last decade.
Compare academic instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average academic instructor salary over time
Compare academic instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Academic instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,400 | $23.26 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $47,500 | $22.84 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $46,900 | $22.53 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $45,500 | $21.89 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $44,300 | $21.28 | +0.7% |
Recently added academic instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pico de Gallo | Instructor, Academics | Panama City, FL | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Pico de Gallo | Academics Instructor | Meridian, MS | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Pico de Gallo | Academic Instructor | Chaparral, NM | 06/29/2025 | $75,236 |
| Adams and Associates | Academic Instructor | Manchester, NH | 06/28/2025 | $46,000 |
| Adams and Associates | English & Reading Academic Instructor | Grafton, MA | 06/28/2025 | $52,000 |
| Mac's List | Certified Academic Instructor | Portland, OR | 06/28/2025 | $62,610 |
| Metropolitan Family Service | Certified Academic Instructor | Portland, OR | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Pico de Gallo | Academic Instructor | Marion, OH | 06/27/2025 | $46,937 |
| Corecivic | Academic Instructor | Tutwiler, MS | 06/27/2025 | $40,655 |
| Corecivic | Academic Instructor | Olney Springs, CO | 06/26/2025 | $61,567 |
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