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Lead instructor salary
Average lead instructor salary
$50,221
Average Lead Instructor Salary
The average salary for a Lead Instructor in the United States is approximately $50,221 per year or about $24 per hour. Salaries can differ based on several factors, including geographic location, industry, and years of experience. In educational settings, Lead Instructors may earn more due to specialized skills and responsibilities.
Where Can Lead Instructors Earn More?
Lead Instructors in states such as California, New York, and Texas often see higher salaries, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled educators. Additionally, cities like San Francisco and New York City offer some of the highest pay rates for this position.
Career Advancement Opportunities
With experience, Lead Instructors can progress to roles such as Program Director or Curriculum Coordinator, enhancing their earning potential. Pursuing additional certifications or degrees can further increase career prospects and salary figures.
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Where can a Lead Instructor earn more?
Average lead instructor salary by state
The average lead instructor salary in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lead instructor salary states are Washington, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $54,513 | $26.21 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $62,457 | $30.03 |
| 3 | Virginia | $58,774 | $28.26 |
| 4 | New York | $62,357 | $29.98 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $53,937 | $25.93 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $55,571 | $26.72 |
| 7 | Vermont | $55,706 | $26.78 |
| 8 | Delaware | $52,128 | $25.06 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $50,841 | $24.44 |
| 10 | Nevada | $41,499 | $19.95 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $54,121 | $26.02 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $52,302 | $25.15 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $52,834 | $25.40 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $49,619 | $23.86 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $47,548 | $22.86 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $42,805 | $20.58 |
| 17 | Ohio | $44,621 | $21.45 |
| 18 | Maryland | $47,727 | $22.95 |
| 19 | Iowa | $42,396 | $20.38 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $44,334 | $21.31 |
| 21 | Texas | $42,128 | $20.25 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $39,736 | $19.10 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $48,677 | $23.40 |
| 24 | Idaho | $39,395 | $18.94 |
| 25 | California | $44,462 | $21.38 |
| 26 | Missouri | $43,992 | $21.15 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $38,145 | $18.34 |
| 28 | Alabama | $42,180 | $20.28 |
| 29 | Arizona | $41,755 | $20.07 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $39,638 | $19.06 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $41,555 | $19.98 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $35,869 | $17.24 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $36,028 | $17.32 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $35,171 | $16.91 |
| 35 | Indiana | $40,009 | $19.24 |
| 36 | Florida | $38,654 | $18.58 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $36,856 | $17.72 |
| 38 | Maine | $40,706 | $19.57 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $34,663 | $16.66 |
| 40 | Kansas | $34,689 | $16.68 |
| 41 | Oregon | $36,375 | $17.49 |
| 42 | Montana | $33,016 | $15.87 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $33,852 | $16.27 |
| 44 | Georgia | $34,879 | $16.77 |
| 45 | Utah | $35,754 | $17.19 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $34,758 | $16.71 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $31,726 | $15.25 |
| 48 | Alaska | $27,961 | $13.44 |
| 49 | Colorado | $33,037 | $15.88 |
| 50 | Illinois | $35,630 | $17.13 |
| 51 | Washington | $34,579 | $16.62 |
Highest paying cities for lead instructors
The highest-paying cities for lead instructors are Central Islip, NY, McLean, VA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Islip, NY | $62,904 | $30.24 |
| 2 | McLean, VA | $60,282 | $28.98 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $55,618 | $26.74 |
| 4 | East Hartford, CT | $53,766 | $25.85 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $52,782 | $25.38 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $44,956 | $21.61 |
| 7 | Saint Louis, MO | $44,483 | $21.39 |
| 8 | Gahanna, OH | $44,166 | $21.23 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $43,590 | $20.96 |
| 10 | Sierra Vista, AZ | $42,405 | $20.39 |
| 11 | Hollywood, FL | $39,858 | $19.16 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $39,604 | $19.04 |
| 13 | Asheville, NC | $39,553 | $19.02 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $35,945 | $17.28 |
| 15 | Kent, WA | $34,745 | $16.70 |
| 16 | Castle Rock, CO | $33,111 | $15.92 |
Lead instructor salary details
A lead instructor's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $78,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $50,221 | $4,185 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying lead instructor jobs
The highest paying types of lead instructors are associate professor, adjunct professor, and technical instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Professor | $98,821 | $8,235 | $47.51 | 22,488 |
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Vocational Training Instructor | $56,294 | $4,691 | $27.06 | 46,814 |
| Driving Instructor | $51,752 | $4,313 | $24.88 | 28,948 |
| Learning Center Instructor | $33,129 | $2,761 | $15.93 | 59,893 |
| Education Instructor | $37,103 | $3,092 | $17.84 | 46,335 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for lead instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
David McMahan Ph.D.
Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College
Which companies pay lead instructors the most?
Lead instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and Saint Xavier University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead instructor salary at companies like New York University and Flatiron School are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $125,051 | $60.12 |
| 2 | Saint Xavier University | $110,464 | $53.11 |
| 3 | New York University | $101,382 | $48.74 |
| 4 | Flatiron School | $84,316 | $40.54 |
| 5 | Express Energy Services | $71,068 | $34.17 |
| 6 | Sharp HealthCare | $66,272 | $31.86 |
| 7 | Deloitte | $66,082 | $31.77 |
| 8 | San Francisco University High School | $61,974 | $29.80 |
| 9 | The University of Kansas Health System | $61,198 | $29.42 |
| 10 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $60,627 | $29.15 |
| 11 | Goldbelt Falcon | $56,861 | $27.34 |
| 12 | Syracuse University | $56,121 | $26.98 |
| 13 | Pacific Architects and Engineers | $55,745 | $26.80 |
| 14 | Monroe Community College | $54,198 | $26.06 |
| 15 | Education Affiliates | $53,403 | $25.67 |
| 16 | Family Wellness L L C | $52,468 | $25.23 |
| 17 | Distinctive Schools | $52,003 | $25.00 |
| 18 | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | $50,325 | $24.19 |
| 19 | Idaho State University | $49,926 | $24.00 |
| 20 | General Dynamics | $49,798 | $23.94 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead Instructor salary by industry
The average lead instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average lead instructor salary in the government industry is $47,873, the highest of any industry.
- The average lead instructor salary in the finance industry is $47,395.
- Lead instructors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $45,503, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lead instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $47,873 | $23.02 |
| 2 | Education | $47,395 | $22.79 |
| 3 | Professional | $46,117 | $22.17 |
| 4 | Health Care | $45,503 | $21.88 |
High paying lead instructor jobs
Lead instructor salary trends
The average lead instructor salary has risen by $5,401 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead instructor earned $44,820 annually, but today, they earn $50,221 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for lead instructors over the last decade.
Compare lead instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead instructor salary over time
Compare lead instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,200 | $24.14 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $49,000 | $23.55 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $48,900 | $23.49 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $48,000 | $23.07 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $47,200 | $22.68 | +3.6% |
Recently added lead instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Lead Instructor-Remote | WFH | Snow Hill, NC | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Codecampus | Lead Instructor School Year | Fresno, CA | 06/28/2025 | $48,001 |
| Kipp Public Schools | Middle School Assistant School Leader of Instruction (Immediate Opening) | Saint Louis, MO | 06/27/2025 | $50,000 |
| Msudenver | HSE Lead Spanish Instructor | Denver, CO | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| Durham Public Schools | Instructional Assistant Wrap Care Lead | Durham, NC | 06/26/2025 | $40,091 |
| South Texas College | Supplemental Instruction Leader-Direct Wage | McAllen, TX | 06/26/2025 | $32,349 |
| Kipp Dc | Assistant School Leader of Instruction-Elementary School Year) | Saint Louis, MO | 06/26/2025 | $50,000 |
| Brewster/Eascare Ambulance | Lead Paramedic Instructor | Rowe, MA | 06/26/2025 | $83,480 |
| Charter College | Lead Instructor-DMS | Oxnard, CA | 06/26/2025 | $90,000 |
| Worcester State University | Supplemental Instruction Leader (03 Student) 15 Positions-Worcester State University | Worcester, MA | 06/25/2025 | $31,305 |
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