Instructor Salary By State: Highest-Paid Instructors by State [2026]
Research Summary. In-depth analysis by the Zippia data science team has yielded the latest insights on instructor salaries across the United States:
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Connecticut boasts the highest instructor salary at $75,679.
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South Dakota has the lowest instructor salary at $42,918.
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The national average salary for instructors is $53,426.
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The national hourly wage for instructors stands at $25.69.
For a detailed breakdown, visit our specific methodology.
Background
In surveys across various demographics, the salary remains the most critical factor for job seekers. Individuals frequently ask, “How much do instructors earn in my area?”
While individual salaries vary based on specific city conditions, comprehensive data provides average state salaries for instructors, categorized by seniority level. This information offers valuable insight into potential earnings in different locations.
Currently, Connecticut leads the nation in instructor salaries.
Below is a snapshot of the top ten states for instructor salaries:
Let’s examine the full ranking for all states.
Highest-Paid Instructors By State
| Rank | State | Average Instructor Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $75,679 | $42,000 | $134,000 |
| 2 | Vermont | $74,052 | $41,000 | $132,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $73,481 | $41,000 | $130,000 |
| 4 | New York | $73,285 | $41,000 | $130,000 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $70,786 | $39,000 | $126,000 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $70,294 | $39,000 | $126,000 |
| 7 | Maryland | $68,935 | $38,000 | $125,000 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $68,448 | $38,000 | $121,000 |
| 9 | Delaware | $65,693 | $36,000 | $118,000 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $65,206 | $36,000 | $117,000 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $63,650 | $35,000 | $112,000 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $62,628 | $55,000 | $70,000 |
| 13 | California | $59,851 | $34,000 | $104,000 |
| 14 | Michigan | $59,777 | $33,000 | $107,000 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $58,768 | $33,000 | $103,000 |
| 16 | Virginia | $58,715 | $32,000 | $106,000 |
| 17 | Missouri | $57,988 | $33,000 | $99,000 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $57,114 | $31,000 | $102,000 |
| 19 | Washington | $55,766 | $32,000 | $95,000 |
| 20 | Ohio | $55,725 | $30,000 | $100,000 |
| 21 | Oregon | $55,039 | $31,000 | $95,000 |
| 22 | Maine | $55,006 | $31,000 | $97,000 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $53,672 | $30,000 | $94,000 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $53,245 | $31,000 | $90,000 |
| 25 | Utah | $53,042 | $31,000 | $88,000 |
| 26 | Texas | $52,117 | $30,000 | $89,000 |
| 27 | Alabama | $51,657 | $30,000 | $88,000 |
| 28 | Indiana | $51,450 | $29,000 | $90,000 |
| 29 | Nevada | $50,634 | $29,000 | $87,000 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $50,486 | $29,000 | $87,000 |
| 31 | Georgia | $50,106 | $29,000 | $86,000 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $49,554 | $30,000 | $81,000 |
| 33 | Illinois | $49,469 | $28,000 | $87,000 |
| 34 | Arizona | $49,441 | $28,000 | $85,000 |
| 35 | Alaska | $49,142 | $34,000 | $70,000 |
| 36 | Colorado | $48,923 | $29,000 | $81,000 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $48,095 | $28,000 | $81,000 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $47,990 | $27,000 | $84,000 |
| 39 | Idaho | $47,953 | $28,000 | $80,000 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $47,939 | $27,000 | $82,000 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $47,875 | $27,000 | $82,000 |
| 42 | Florida | $47,302 | $27,000 | $82,000 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $47,108 | $27,000 | $80,000 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $46,830 | $27,000 | $79,000 |
| 45 | Iowa | $46,343 | $27,000 | $79,000 |
| 46 | Montana | $46,170 | $28,000 | $73,000 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $45,840 | $27,000 | $77,000 |
| 48 | Kansas | $45,581 | $26,000 | $77,000 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $43,447 | $26,000 | $71,000 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $42,918 | $25,000 | $71,000 |
Methodology: Instructor Salary By State
To accurately reflect instructor pay by state, Zippia has compiled data from multiple sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This data is supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. The data science team calculates a weighted average to determine the average pay for instructors across each state.
We ranked all states based on their average annual salary for instructors, highlighting the state with the highest salary.
Instructor Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for instructors?
The highest-paid state for instructors is Connecticut, with an average salary of $75,679 per year.
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What city pays instructors the most?
New York, NY, offers the highest average salary for instructors at $73,515 per year.
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What is the lowest-paying state for instructors?
The lowest-paying state for instructors is South Dakota, with an average salary of $42,918 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
