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Best states for an instructor
Quoted expert
Douglas Milbauer
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to instructor jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Our research shows that New York is the best state in the country for instructors.
The median salary for instructors in New York is $73,285. Compare that to the median salary in Kansas of $45,581, which ranked worst for instructors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.New York is the best state, and New London is the city with the highest pay for instructors.
10 best states for instructors in 2025
1. New York
Total instructor jobs: 701 Average annual salary: $73,285 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.082. New Jersey
Total instructor jobs: 513 Average annual salary: $70,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.273. Vermont
Total instructor jobs: 31 Average annual salary: $74,052 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.84. Massachusetts
Total instructor jobs: 366 Average annual salary: $73,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 0.795. West Virginia
Total instructor jobs: 71 Average annual salary: $65,206 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location Quotient: 0.926. Delaware
Total instructor jobs: 71 Average annual salary: $65,693 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.127. Maryland
Total instructor jobs: 307 Average annual salary: $68,935 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location Quotient: 0.958. Michigan
Total instructor jobs: 487 Average annual salary: $59,777 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.249. Connecticut
Total instructor jobs: 101 Average annual salary: $75,679 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 0.610. North Carolina
Total instructor jobs: 744 Average annual salary: $57,114 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
Instructor jobsNear Ashburn, VA
How Zippia determines the best states to be an instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $73,285 | $41,000 | 19,849,399 | 701 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $70,786 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 513 |
| 3 | Vermont | $74,052 | $41,000 | 623,657 | 31 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $73,481 | $41,000 | 6,859,819 | 366 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $65,206 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 71 |
| 6 | Delaware | $65,693 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 71 |
| 7 | Maryland | $68,935 | $38,000 | 6,052,177 | 307 |
| 8 | Michigan | $59,777 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 487 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $75,679 | $42,000 | 3,588,184 | 101 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $57,114 | $31,000 | 10,273,419 | 744 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $70,294 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 391 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $68,448 | $38,000 | 1,342,795 | 66 |
| 13 | Virginia | $58,715 | $32,000 | 8,470,020 | 660 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $63,650 | $35,000 | 1,059,639 | 42 |
| 15 | California | $59,851 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,885 |
| 16 | Oregon | $55,039 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 307 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $58,768 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 198 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $69,720 | $38,000 | 693,972 | 42 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $53,672 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 166 |
| 20 | Ohio | $55,725 | $30,000 | 11,658,609 | 371 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $62,628 | $55,000 | 1,427,538 | 64 |
| 22 | Missouri | $57,988 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 172 |
| 23 | Utah | $53,042 | $31,000 | 3,101,833 | 132 |
| 24 | Georgia | $50,106 | $29,000 | 10,429,379 | 827 |
| 25 | Nevada | $50,634 | $29,000 | 2,998,039 | 141 |
| 26 | Texas | $52,117 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 877 |
| 27 | Maine | $55,006 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 42 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $53,245 | $31,000 | 5,576,606 | 263 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $47,990 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 397 |
| 30 | Washington | $55,766 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 257 |
| 31 | Alabama | $51,657 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 154 |
| 32 | Alaska | $49,142 | $34,000 | 739,795 | 60 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $49,554 | $30,000 | 755,393 | 38 |
| 34 | Colorado | $48,923 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 578 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $50,486 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 201 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $47,939 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 107 |
| 37 | Indiana | $51,450 | $29,000 | 6,666,818 | 134 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $47,875 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 164 |
| 39 | Arizona | $49,441 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 251 |
| 40 | Iowa | $46,343 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 176 |
| 41 | Idaho | $47,953 | $28,000 | 1,716,943 | 77 |
| 42 | Montana | $46,170 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 78 |
| 43 | Illinois | $49,469 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 481 |
| 44 | Florida | $47,302 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 766 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $47,108 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 85 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $43,447 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 46 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $48,095 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 41 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $46,830 | $27,000 | 1,920,076 | 84 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $45,840 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 109 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $42,918 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 44 |
| 51 | Kansas | $45,581 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 110 |
Highest paying states for instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $73,285 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $70,786 |
| 3 | Vermont | $74,052 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $73,481 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $65,206 |
| 6 | Delaware | $65,693 |
| 7 | Maryland | $68,935 |
| 8 | Michigan | $59,777 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $75,679 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $57,114 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $70,294 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $68,448 |
| 13 | Virginia | $58,715 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $63,650 |
| 15 | California | $59,851 |
| 16 | Oregon | $55,039 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $58,768 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $69,720 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $53,672 |
| 20 | Ohio | $55,725 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $62,628 |
| 22 | Missouri | $57,988 |
| 23 | Utah | $53,042 |
| 24 | Georgia | $50,106 |
| 25 | Nevada | $50,634 |
| 26 | Texas | $52,117 |
| 27 | Maine | $55,006 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $53,245 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $47,990 |
| 30 | Washington | $55,766 |
| 31 | Alabama | $51,657 |
| 32 | Alaska | $49,142 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $49,554 |
| 34 | Colorado | $48,923 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $50,486 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $47,939 |
| 37 | Indiana | $51,450 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $47,875 |
| 39 | Arizona | $49,441 |
| 40 | Iowa | $46,343 |
| 41 | Idaho | $47,953 |
| 42 | Montana | $46,170 |
| 43 | Illinois | $49,469 |
| 44 | Florida | $47,302 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $47,108 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $43,447 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $48,095 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $46,830 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $45,840 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $42,918 |
| 51 | Kansas | $45,581 |
Expert opinions on the best states for instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for instructors to find work opportunities?
Douglas Milbauer
Lecturer, Stephen F. Austin State University
Are we talking about graduates in the near term? There are shifts taking place due to COVID, such as loss of jobs due to businesses closing. But there will be other opportunities that arise from this creative destruction. And when you say "places," are you asking about geography or industry sectors? I am not sure that geography will be a factor, and it may become less a factor, since everyone is learning how to manage their business remotely. There will continue to be marketing opportunities, especially for those who can quickly grasp and apply new technologies to the marketing mix.
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Updated January 8, 2025