Best cities for an online instructor
The best cities for online instructors are Madison, WI, Columbus, OH, and Milwaukee, WI, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for online instructors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for online instructors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an online instructor or considering a move, this list of the best cities for online instructors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for online instructors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an online instructor. While the absolute best city for online instructors is Madison, WI, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for online instructors in 2024.
If you're looking for an online instructor job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for online instructors in 2025
1. Madison, WI
Total online instructor jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $50,090 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location quotient: 8.39 2. Columbus, OH
Total online instructor jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $41,642 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location quotient: 4.27 3. Milwaukee, WI
Total online instructor jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $50,692 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location quotient: 1.93 4. Saint Paul, MN
Total online instructor jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $46,448 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 9.91 5. Pittsburgh, PA
Total online instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $45,060 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Chicago, IL
Total online instructor jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $51,418 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location quotient: 3.85 7. Detroit, MI
Total online instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $48,274 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Lincoln, NE
Total online instructor jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $39,889 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location quotient: 13.82 9. Cleveland, OH
Total online instructor jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $43,376 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. New York, NY
Total online instructor jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $57,675 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location quotient: 1.05
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Best cities for online instructors
- Madison, WI
- Columbus, OH
- Milwaukee, WI
- Saint Paul, MN
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Lincoln, NE
- Cleveland, OH
- New York, NY
- (4 online instructor jobs)
- (5 online instructor jobs)
- (1 online instructor jobs)
- (5 online instructor jobs)
- (0 online instructor jobs)
- (10 online instructor jobs)
- (0 online instructor jobs)
- (4 online instructor jobs)
- (0 online instructor jobs)
- (9 online instructor jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for an online instructor
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison, WI | $50,090 | $36,000 | 252,551 | 4 |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $41,642 | $29,000 | 860,090 | 5 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | $50,692 | $36,000 | 595,047 | 1 |
| 4 | Saint Paul, MN | $46,448 | $33,000 | 302,398 | 5 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | $45,060 | $31,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $51,418 | $36,000 | 2,704,958 | 10 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $48,274 | $33,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 8 | Lincoln, NE | $39,889 | $29,000 | 280,364 | 4 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $43,376 | $30,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 10 | New York, NY | $57,675 | $39,000 | 8,537,673 | 9 |
| 11 | Brookhaven, NY | $58,188 | $40,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 12 | Oyster Bay, NY | $57,943 | $39,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 13 | Toledo, OH | $42,662 | $30,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 14 | Islip, NY | $58,017 | $40,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 15 | Hempstead, NY | $57,795 | $39,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $42,560 | $30,000 | 1,615,017 | 4 |
| 17 | Buffalo, NY | $57,159 | $39,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $51,233 | $35,000 | 673,184 | 7 |
| 19 | Portland, OR | $51,935 | $36,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 20 | Baltimore, MD | $48,609 | $33,000 | 614,664 | 9 |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $46,938 | $32,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 22 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,432 | $33,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 23 | Glendale, AZ | $42,573 | $30,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 24 | Chandler, AZ | $42,545 | $30,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 25 | Gilbert, AZ | $42,535 | $30,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 26 | Virginia Beach, VA | $47,970 | $33,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 27 | Mesa, AZ | $42,527 | $30,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 28 | Norfolk, VA | $47,902 | $33,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 29 | Anchorage, AK | $46,561 | $36,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 30 | Scottsdale, AZ | $42,526 | $30,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 31 | Wichita, KS | $39,702 | $29,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 32 | Chesapeake, VA | $47,725 | $33,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 33 | Tucson, AZ | $42,516 | $30,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 34 | Cincinnati, OH | $40,374 | $28,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 35 | Omaha, NE | $40,085 | $29,000 | 446,970 | - |
| 36 | New Orleans, LA | $40,938 | $30,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 37 | Austin, TX | $40,272 | $29,000 | 947,890 | 4 |
| 38 | Laredo, TX | $40,613 | $29,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 39 | Corpus Christi, TX | $40,535 | $29,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 40 | El Paso, TX | $40,377 | $29,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 41 | San Antonio, TX | $40,362 | $29,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 42 | Nashville, TN | $36,735 | $26,000 | 660,388 | 3 |
| 43 | Houston, TX | $40,302 | $29,000 | 2,303,482 | - |
| 44 | Fort Wayne, IN | $38,483 | $27,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 45 | Seattle, WA | $44,395 | $31,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 46 | Lexington, KY | $37,928 | $27,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 47 | Lubbock, TX | $39,758 | $29,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 48 | Raleigh, NC | $38,517 | $27,000 | 458,880 | 5 |
| 49 | Arlington, TX | $39,712 | $29,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 50 | Fort Worth, TX | $39,708 | $29,000 | 854,113 | - |
Highest paying cities for online instructors
| Rank | City | Avg. online instructor salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany, NY | $58,672 |
| 2 | Concord, NH | $51,877 |
| 3 | Salem, OR | $51,800 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $51,418 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $51,233 |
| 6 | Madison, WI | $50,090 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $48,609 |
| 8 | Charleston, WV | $48,302 |
| 9 | Richmond, VA | $47,999 |
| 10 | Lansing, MI | $47,888 |
| 11 | Des Moines, IA | $47,238 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $47,232 |
| 13 | Hartford, CT | $47,138 |
| 14 | Saint Paul, MN | $46,448 |
| 15 | Harrisburg, PA | $46,355 |
| 16 | Juneau, AK | $45,476 |
| 17 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $45,465 |
| 18 | Trenton, NJ | $44,920 |
| 19 | Sacramento, CA | $44,235 |
| 20 | Montgomery, AL | $43,202 |
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Updated January 8, 2025