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A Director of Instruction is essential in shaping educational outcomes within an institution. This role involves developing curriculum, overseeing teaching strategies, and ensuring compliance with educational standards. As of October 2025, the average salary for a Director of Instruction is $72,536 annually, translating to approximately $35 per hour.
Salary levels can vary significantly based on several factors:
For example, states like California and New York consistently rank as the highest-paying locations for this role. Additionally, the demand for skilled directors of instruction continues to grow, driven by the need for improved educational outcomes across various school systems. Explore opportunities and salary estimates to help navigate your career path effectively.
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The highest-paying states for directors of instruction are New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average director of instruction salary states are Wisconsin, Kansas, and Hawaii.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $122,114 | $58.71 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $119,561 | $57.48 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $103,515 | $49.77 |
| 4 | California | $90,432 | $43.48 |
| 5 | Oregon | $90,503 | $43.51 |
| 6 | Michigan | $85,903 | $41.30 |
| 7 | Alabama | $73,795 | $35.48 |
| 8 | Arkansas | $71,230 | $34.25 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $80,005 | $38.46 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $80,643 | $38.77 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $83,311 | $40.05 |
| 12 | Washington | $80,118 | $38.52 |
| 13 | Texas | $74,616 | $35.87 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $76,092 | $36.58 |
| 15 | Vermont | $75,247 | $36.18 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $79,965 | $38.44 |
| 17 | Maryland | $83,676 | $40.23 |
| 18 | Idaho | $79,668 | $38.30 |
| 19 | Arizona | $73,822 | $35.49 |
| 20 | Indiana | $73,044 | $35.12 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $67,322 | $32.37 |
| 22 | Delaware | $77,905 | $37.45 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $70,159 | $33.73 |
| 24 | Ohio | $68,573 | $32.97 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $69,708 | $33.51 |
| 26 | Illinois | $68,412 | $32.89 |
| 27 | Utah | $69,434 | $33.38 |
| 28 | Colorado | $67,932 | $32.66 |
| 29 | Virginia | $69,747 | $33.53 |
| 30 | Maine | $72,073 | $34.65 |
| 31 | Nevada | $63,630 | $30.59 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $66,196 | $31.82 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $57,745 | $27.76 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $64,563 | $31.04 |
| 35 | Alaska | $67,142 | $32.28 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $64,254 | $30.89 |
| 37 | Florida | $66,907 | $32.17 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $58,913 | $28.32 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $64,871 | $31.19 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $65,825 | $31.65 |
| 41 | Iowa | $55,770 | $26.81 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $64,092 | $30.81 |
| 43 | Georgia | $59,543 | $28.63 |
| 44 | Missouri | $59,575 | $28.64 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $53,030 | $25.50 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $55,546 | $26.70 |
| 47 | Montana | $58,665 | $28.20 |
| 48 | Kansas | $55,384 | $26.63 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $53,553 | $25.75 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $51,039 | $24.54 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $48,938 | $23.53 |
The highest-paying cities for directors of instruction are Albany, NY, Boston, MA, and Farmington, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany, NY | $124,955 | $60.07 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $121,425 | $58.38 |
| 3 | Farmington, CT | $104,493 | $50.24 |
| 4 | Newark, CA | $95,793 | $46.05 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $86,633 | $41.65 |
| 6 | Towson, MD | $84,163 | $40.46 |
| 7 | Edison, NJ | $79,897 | $38.41 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $76,709 | $36.88 |
| 9 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $75,762 | $36.42 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $74,869 | $35.99 |
| 11 | Fayetteville, AR | $71,252 | $34.26 |
| 12 | Waukegan, IL | $69,123 | $33.23 |
| 13 | Aurora, CO | $67,861 | $32.63 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $67,319 | $32.36 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $67,280 | $32.35 |
| 16 | Carson City, NV | $66,533 | $31.99 |
| 17 | Columbia, SC | $65,514 | $31.50 |
| 18 | Bismarck, ND | $64,277 | $30.90 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $59,626 | $28.67 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $59,142 | $28.43 |
A director of instruction's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $126,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $126,000 | $10,500 | $61 |
| 75th Percentile | $97,000 | $8,083 | $47 |
| Average | $72,536 | $6,045 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
The highest paying types of directors of instruction are professor, chief of staff, and visiting professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piano Teacher | $52,799 | $4,400 | $25.38 | 52,993 |
| Art Coordinator | $50,508 | $4,209 | $24.28 | 18,099 |
| Visiting Professor | $116,217 | $9,685 | $55.87 | 27,139 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
| Teaching Artist | $66,565 | $5,547 | $32.00 | 4,493 |
| Art Educator | $40,421 | $3,368 | $19.43 | 42,617 |
Top companies hiring directors of instruction now:
Director of instruction salaries at American Express and Hebrew Language Academy Charter School are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of instruction salary at companies like Topgolf and Boston Public Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Express | $123,457 | $59.35 |
| 2 | Hebrew Language Academy Charter School | $107,323 | $51.60 |
| 3 | Topgolf | $101,211 | $48.66 |
| 4 | Boston Public Schools | $99,776 | $47.97 |
| 5 | Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep | $98,713 | $47.46 |
| 6 | Landscapes Unlimited | $98,713 | $47.46 |
| 7 | Colorado State Express | $98,713 | $47.46 |
| 8 | New York Charter Schools Association | $98,713 | $47.46 |
| 9 | Kids N Us | $98,713 | $47.46 |
| 10 | Infor | $97,658 | $46.95 |
| 11 | Argosy Education | $97,050 | $46.66 |
| 12 | NTEN | $93,844 | $45.12 |
| 13 | SOUTH BUFFALO CHARTER SCHOOL | $93,758 | $45.08 |
| 14 | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES | $92,994 | $44.71 |
| 15 | Universal Technical Institute | $81,955 | $39.40 |
| 16 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $81,117 | $39.00 |
| 17 | Per Scholas | $80,969 | $38.93 |
| 18 | New Visions for Public Schools | $78,751 | $37.86 |
| 19 | Rutgers University | $78,069 | $37.53 |
| 20 | Bedford Public Schools | $76,409 | $36.74 |
The average director of instruction salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Estate | $90,398 | $43.46 |
| 2 | Retail | $87,415 | $42.03 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $84,087 | $40.43 |
| 4 | Technology | $82,900 | $39.86 |
| 5 | Education | $68,225 | $32.80 |
The average director of instruction salary has risen by $7,660 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of instruction earned $64,876 annually, but today, they earn $72,536 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for directors of instruction over the last decade.
Compare director of instruction salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare director of instruction salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $72,500 | $34.87 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | $72,400 | $34.79 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | $72,800 | $35.01 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $69,700 | $33.49 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | $71,500 | $34.35 | +4.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roseville Community Charter School | Director of Curriculum and Instruction | Newark, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $90,000 |
| California State University, Northridge | Director of Instructional Technology (Csun Employees Only) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/21/2025 | $140,000 |
| CSU Careers | Director of Instructional Technology (Csun Employees Only) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/21/2025 | $140,000 |
| California State University System | Director of Instructional Technology (Csun Employees Only) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/20/2025 | $140,000 |
| Moore Norman Technology Center | Director, Instructional Design and Development | Norman, OK | 06/17/2025 | $99,005 |
| Suny Plattsburgh | Director, Center for Instructional and Program Innovation | Plattsburgh, NY | 06/13/2025 | $94,510 |
| Concept Schools | Director of Teaching and Learning/K-5 Instructional Coach | Bode, IA | 06/12/2025 | $70,000 |
| Cleveland ISD (Tx | Director-Curriculum and Instruction | Cleveland, TX | 06/11/2025 | $83,941 |
| Five Iron Golf | Director of Instruction | New York, NY | 06/11/2025 | $120,000 |
| Cleveland ISD | Director-Curriculum and Instruction | Nome, TX | 06/10/2025 | $83,941 |
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