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The average salary for a Literacy Specialist is approximately $59,520 per year, equating to around $29 per hour. Factors influencing this figure include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific educational institution type. For instance, Literacy Specialists in urban areas or those with advanced degrees often command higher salaries.
Literacy Specialists can find the most lucrative opportunities in states like California, New York, and Texas. These locations not only offer competitive salaries but also provide diverse job prospects in various educational settings, from public schools to private institutions.
With the increasing emphasis on literacy in education, the demand for qualified Literacy Specialists continues to grow. This career path not only offers a chance to make a significant impact on students' lives but also provides numerous advancement opportunities in the education sector.
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The highest-paying states for literacy specialists are New York, Maine, and California. The lowest average literacy specialist salary states are Nebraska, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $63,455 | $30.51 |
| 2 | New York | $70,990 | $34.13 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $56,489 | $27.16 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $59,895 | $28.80 |
| 5 | Montana | $58,522 | $28.14 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $56,831 | $27.32 |
| 7 | Idaho | $60,512 | $29.09 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $56,282 | $27.06 |
| 9 | Kansas | $57,678 | $27.73 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $56,972 | $27.39 |
| 11 | Maryland | $60,165 | $28.93 |
| 12 | Maine | $65,329 | $31.41 |
| 13 | Indiana | $56,983 | $27.40 |
| 14 | Washington | $65,051 | $31.27 |
| 15 | California | $65,191 | $31.34 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $57,579 | $27.68 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $57,646 | $27.71 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $50,976 | $24.51 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $56,269 | $27.05 |
| 20 | Alabama | $54,826 | $26.36 |
| 21 | Iowa | $48,429 | $23.28 |
| 22 | Texas | $52,500 | $25.24 |
| 23 | Arizona | $50,566 | $24.31 |
| 24 | Oregon | $53,634 | $25.79 |
| 25 | Florida | $49,804 | $23.94 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $54,423 | $26.16 |
| 27 | Illinois | $52,550 | $25.26 |
| 28 | Nevada | $46,117 | $22.17 |
| 29 | Alaska | $48,256 | $23.20 |
| 30 | Ohio | $50,736 | $24.39 |
| 31 | Vermont | $47,351 | $22.76 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $47,436 | $22.81 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $53,295 | $25.62 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $47,442 | $22.81 |
| 35 | Virginia | $50,248 | $24.16 |
| 36 | Delaware | $46,271 | $22.25 |
| 37 | Michigan | $44,859 | $21.57 |
| 38 | Colorado | $47,276 | $22.73 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $47,499 | $22.84 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $43,079 | $20.71 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $43,120 | $20.73 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $44,674 | $21.48 |
| 43 | Utah | $44,978 | $21.62 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $46,361 | $22.29 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $47,270 | $22.73 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $43,026 | $20.69 |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $45,313 | $21.79 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $39,450 | $18.97 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $42,930 | $20.64 |
| 50 | Missouri | $42,788 | $20.57 |
| 51 | Georgia | $34,162 | $16.42 |
The highest-paying cities for literacy specialists are New York, NY, San Rafael, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $71,058 | $34.16 |
| 2 | San Rafael, CA | $67,481 | $32.44 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $65,442 | $31.46 |
| 4 | Lewiston, ME | $65,351 | $31.42 |
| 5 | Frederick, MD | $59,920 | $28.81 |
| 6 | Helena, MT | $58,660 | $28.20 |
| 7 | Wichita, KS | $57,836 | $27.81 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $57,698 | $27.74 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $57,668 | $27.73 |
| 10 | Charleston, SC | $56,384 | $27.11 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,266 | $27.05 |
| 12 | Birmingham, AL | $54,694 | $26.30 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $52,878 | $25.42 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $52,674 | $25.32 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $50,633 | $24.34 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $50,591 | $24.32 |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | $50,581 | $24.32 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $50,390 | $24.23 |
| 19 | Richmond, VA | $49,973 | $24.03 |
| 20 | Fountain, CO | $47,344 | $22.76 |
A literacy specialist's salary ranges from $45,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $77,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| Average | $59,520 | $4,960 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
The highest paying types of literacy specialists are literacy consultant, esol instructor, and transitional studies instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Education Teacher | $41,280 | $3,440 | $19.85 | 70,775 |
| Curriculum Coordinator | $47,586 | $3,965 | $22.88 | 9,654 |
| 5th Grade Teacher | $46,300 | $3,858 | $22.26 | 57,358 |
| Adult Education Instructor | $45,926 | $3,827 | $22.08 | 43,991 |
| Education Instructor | $37,103 | $3,092 | $17.84 | 46,335 |
| First Grade Teacher | $49,757 | $4,146 | $23.92 | 70,517 |
Top companies hiring literacy specialists now:
Literacy specialist salaries at Excel Academy Charter Schools and Boston Public Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average literacy specialist salary at companies like EDC and Newton Public Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Excel Academy Charter Schools | $70,285 | $33.79 |
| 2 | Boston Public Schools | $65,421 | $31.45 |
| 3 | EDC | $64,882 | $31.19 |
| 4 | Newton Public Schools | $63,877 | $30.71 |
| 5 | International Rescue Committee | $61,524 | $29.58 |
| 6 | Broward County Public Schools | $60,602 | $29.14 |
| 7 | KIPP SoCal Public Schools | $59,585 | $28.65 |
| 8 | Rocky Mountain Prep | $59,394 | $28.55 |
| 9 | Hemet Unified School District | $59,130 | $28.43 |
| 10 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $58,636 | $28.19 |
| 11 | 826 National | $58,498 | $28.12 |
| 12 | The New York Public Library | $58,478 | $28.11 |
| 13 | YES Prep Public Schools | $58,387 | $28.07 |
| 14 | Americorps | $58,384 | $28.07 |
| 15 | Washington State University | $58,237 | $28.00 |
| 16 | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES | $56,701 | $27.26 |
| 17 | Biddeford Middle School | $56,645 | $27.23 |
| 18 | Athlos Academies | $56,214 | $27.03 |
| 19 | Gwinnett County Board of Education | $55,056 | $26.47 |
| 20 | University Settlement | $55,015 | $26.45 |
The average literacy specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail | $58,630 | $28.19 |
| 2 | Government | $57,495 | $27.64 |
| 3 | Professional | $55,468 | $26.67 |
| 4 | Education | $55,347 | $26.61 |
The average literacy specialist salary has risen by $8,581 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average literacy specialist earned $50,939 annually, but today, they earn $59,520 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for literacy specialists over the last decade.
Compare literacy specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare literacy specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,500 | $28.62 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $58,400 | $28.10 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $57,700 | $27.73 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $56,000 | $26.94 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $54,500 | $26.19 | +0.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hofstra University | Literacy Specialist | Hempstead, NY | 06/28/2025 | $73,045 |
| Real Journey Academies | Elementary Literacy Specialist | San Bernardino, CA | 06/28/2025 | $80,000 |
| Shaker | Long-Term Substitute Literacy Specialist | Cleveland, OH | 06/27/2025 | $74,610 |
| Vance County Schools | Early Literacy Specialist-Harnett County | Henderson, NC | 06/27/2025 | $68,000 |
| Archdiocese of Seattle Catholic Schools | Literacy Specialist/ESL Teacher | Bremerton, WA | 06/27/2025 | $40,000 |
| Ma Hperd | Literacy Specialist-Boston Metro | Boston, MA | 06/27/2025 | $57,234 |
| Ohio Department of Education | Long-Term Substitute Literacy Specialist | Cleveland, OH | 06/26/2025 | $74,610 |
| Bay Area Community Resources | Expanded Learning Literacy Specialist (Richmond Elementary Schools) | Richmond, CA | 06/25/2025 | $48,001 |
| Public School of North Carolina | NC DPI Early Literacy Specialist | Greenville, NC | 06/25/2025 | $68,000 |
| Rantoul City School District 137 | Literacy Specialist | Kane, IL | 06/25/2025 | $54,359 |
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