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Best states for an online instructor
Quoted expert
Dr. Christina Fisanick
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like online instructors are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for online instructors aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for online instructor jobs.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for online instructors.We found that Vermont is the best state for online instructor jobs, whereas Oklahoma is the worst.
10 best states for online instructors in 2025
1. Vermont
Total online instructor jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $58,444 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.232. Oregon
Total online instructor jobs: 305 Average annual salary: $51,691 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.453. New York
Total online instructor jobs: 714 Average annual salary: $57,735 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.094. New Hampshire
Total online instructor jobs: 77 Average annual salary: $51,879 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 0.865. Michigan
Total online instructor jobs: 454 Average annual salary: $48,078 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.156. Virginia
Total online instructor jobs: 704 Average annual salary: $48,209 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.477. Alaska
Total online instructor jobs: 62 Average annual salary: $46,502 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.468. Iowa
Total online instructor jobs: 188 Average annual salary: $47,578 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.029. West Virginia
Total online instructor jobs: 66 Average annual salary: $49,060 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 0.8510. Rhode Island
Total online instructor jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $47,203 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
Online instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an online instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an online instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $58,444 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 48 |
| 2 | Oregon | $51,691 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 305 |
| 3 | New York | $57,735 | $40,000 | 19,849,399 | 714 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $51,879 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 77 |
| 5 | Michigan | $48,078 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 454 |
| 6 | Virginia | $48,209 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 704 |
| 7 | Alaska | $46,502 | $36,000 | 739,795 | 62 |
| 8 | Iowa | $47,578 | $34,000 | 3,145,711 | 188 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $49,060 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 66 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $47,203 | $32,000 | 1,059,639 | 69 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $50,722 | $36,000 | 5,795,483 | 202 |
| 12 | Illinois | $51,197 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 470 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $51,160 | $35,000 | 6,859,819 | 343 |
| 14 | Maryland | $48,415 | $33,000 | 6,052,177 | 317 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $43,291 | $31,000 | 755,393 | 50 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $46,688 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 464 |
| 17 | Idaho | $45,118 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 70 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $45,279 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 496 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $45,474 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 69 |
| 20 | Montana | $41,261 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 92 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $46,444 | $33,000 | 5,576,606 | 259 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $39,901 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 65 |
| 23 | Maine | $43,258 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 58 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $46,866 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 115 |
| 25 | Colorado | $41,353 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 517 |
| 26 | California | $43,842 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,733 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $50,238 | $35,000 | 693,972 | 29 |
| 28 | Alabama | $43,191 | $31,000 | 4,874,747 | 165 |
| 29 | Ohio | $42,138 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 408 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $40,914 | $30,000 | 4,684,333 | 149 |
| 31 | Washington | $44,095 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 298 |
| 32 | Arizona | $42,539 | $30,000 | 7,016,270 | 249 |
| 33 | Delaware | $41,318 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 83 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $39,418 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 104 |
| 35 | Texas | $40,045 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 911 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $38,067 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 691 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $39,974 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 91 |
| 38 | Kansas | $39,956 | $29,000 | 2,913,123 | 114 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $39,932 | $29,000 | 3,004,279 | 55 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $37,670 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 178 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $36,110 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 399 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $37,145 | $27,000 | 869,666 | 52 |
| 43 | Nevada | $37,255 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 144 |
| 44 | Utah | $38,069 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 142 |
| 45 | Georgia | $35,554 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 751 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $36,736 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 93 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $36,668 | $26,000 | 6,715,984 | 253 |
| 48 | Florida | $36,939 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 740 |
| 49 | Indiana | $37,502 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 145 |
| 50 | Missouri | $38,650 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 164 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $35,179 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 127 |
Highest paying states for online instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Online Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $58,444 |
| 2 | Oregon | $51,691 |
| 3 | New York | $57,735 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $51,879 |
| 5 | Michigan | $48,078 |
| 6 | Virginia | $48,209 |
| 7 | Alaska | $46,502 |
| 8 | Iowa | $47,578 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $49,060 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $47,203 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $50,722 |
| 12 | Illinois | $51,197 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $51,160 |
| 14 | Maryland | $48,415 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $43,291 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $46,688 |
| 17 | Idaho | $45,118 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $45,279 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $45,474 |
| 20 | Montana | $41,261 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $46,444 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $39,901 |
| 23 | Maine | $43,258 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $46,866 |
| 25 | Colorado | $41,353 |
| 26 | California | $43,842 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $50,238 |
| 28 | Alabama | $43,191 |
| 29 | Ohio | $42,138 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $40,914 |
| 31 | Washington | $44,095 |
| 32 | Arizona | $42,539 |
| 33 | Delaware | $41,318 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $39,418 |
| 35 | Texas | $40,045 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $38,067 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $39,974 |
| 38 | Kansas | $39,956 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $39,932 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $37,670 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $36,110 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $37,145 |
| 43 | Nevada | $37,255 |
| 44 | Utah | $38,069 |
| 45 | Georgia | $35,554 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $36,736 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $36,668 |
| 48 | Florida | $36,939 |
| 49 | Indiana | $37,502 |
| 50 | Missouri | $38,650 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $35,179 |
Expert opinions on the best states for online instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for online instructors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Christina Fisanick
Associate Professor of English, California University of Pennsylvania
Although employers prior to COVID-19 knew that remote work was not only possible, but in some cases even more productive than in the traditional workplace, the pandemic has reinforced the idea that employees can work from anywhere in the world. While this gives graduates the potential to work globally in a way that was never possible before, it also means that English majors in the US are now competing in a worldwide marketplace against graduates from universities not just in their region or country, but from around the globe. It is both exciting and intimidating, and we must prepare our graduates to meet the demands of this ever-expanding job market.
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Updated January 8, 2025