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Program instructor salary
Average program instructor salary
$42,380
Average Program Instructor Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Program Instructor stands at $42,380 per year. This figure represents a typical earning potential for those in this role across various educational settings. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For example, Program Instructors in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living adjustments.
Where Can a Program Instructor Earn More?
States such as California, New York, and Texas consistently offer higher salaries for Program Instructors compared to national averages. Additionally, industries like higher education and corporate training tend to provide more lucrative compensation packages. Exploring these opportunities can significantly impact your earning potential.
Highest Paying Program Instructor Jobs
Positions that require advanced qualifications or specialized skills often command higher salaries. Roles such as Curriculum Developer or Training Manager may offer competitive pay, making them attractive options for career advancement. Understanding these dynamics is essential for anyone looking to maximize their salary in this field.
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Where can a Program Instructor earn more?
Program instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average program instructor salary by state
The average program instructor salary in Hawaii, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average program instructor salary states are Maine, Montana, and Nevada.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for program instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $45,698 | $21.97 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $49,199 | $23.65 |
| 3 | Oregon | $47,182 | $22.68 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $45,176 | $21.72 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $49,027 | $23.57 |
| 6 | Iowa | $48,335 | $23.24 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $44,849 | $21.56 |
| 8 | Delaware | $43,867 | $21.09 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $43,015 | $20.68 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $47,470 | $22.82 |
| 11 | Texas | $43,589 | $20.96 |
| 12 | Alabama | $42,660 | $20.51 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $50,229 | $24.15 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $43,193 | $20.77 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $42,010 | $20.20 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $42,493 | $20.43 |
| 17 | California | $47,857 | $23.01 |
| 18 | Kansas | $42,188 | $20.28 |
| 19 | Indiana | $42,364 | $20.37 |
| 20 | Missouri | $43,334 | $20.83 |
| 21 | New York | $42,657 | $20.51 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $41,266 | $19.84 |
| 23 | Washington | $46,224 | $22.22 |
| 24 | Idaho | $39,988 | $19.23 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $39,871 | $19.17 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $39,891 | $19.18 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $39,666 | $19.07 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $40,923 | $19.67 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $40,329 | $19.39 |
| 30 | Alaska | $46,626 | $22.42 |
| 31 | Illinois | $41,012 | $19.72 |
| 32 | Utah | $39,716 | $19.09 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $39,621 | $19.05 |
| 34 | Maine | $38,704 | $18.61 |
| 35 | Florida | $40,990 | $19.71 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $40,622 | $19.53 |
| 37 | Colorado | $39,142 | $18.82 |
| 38 | Montana | $38,364 | $18.44 |
| 39 | Virginia | $42,568 | $20.47 |
| 40 | Vermont | $41,511 | $19.96 |
| 41 | Georgia | $39,851 | $19.16 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $40,430 | $19.44 |
| 43 | Massachusetts | $42,065 | $20.22 |
| 44 | Nevada | $37,318 | $17.94 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $39,158 | $18.83 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $39,968 | $19.22 |
| 47 | Maryland | $41,190 | $19.80 |
| 48 | Arizona | $34,133 | $16.41 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $36,967 | $17.77 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $39,052 | $18.77 |
| 51 | Ohio | $32,813 | $15.78 |
Highest paying cities for program instructors
The highest-paying cities for program instructors are Urban Honolulu, HI, Saint Paul, MN, and Madison, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $50,266 | $24.17 |
| 2 | Saint Paul, MN | $49,252 | $23.68 |
| 3 | Madison, WI | $48,953 | $23.54 |
| 4 | Richmond, CA | $48,874 | $23.50 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $48,268 | $23.21 |
| 6 | Bismarck, ND | $47,308 | $22.74 |
| 7 | Salem, OR | $47,177 | $22.68 |
| 8 | Juneau, AK | $46,746 | $22.47 |
| 9 | Olympia, WA | $46,282 | $22.25 |
| 10 | Lansing, MI | $45,581 | $21.91 |
| 11 | Santa Fe, NM | $45,165 | $21.71 |
| 12 | Lincoln, NE | $44,750 | $21.51 |
| 13 | Dover, DE | $43,687 | $21.00 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $43,577 | $20.95 |
| 15 | Jefferson City, MO | $43,292 | $20.81 |
| 16 | Trenton, NJ | $43,214 | $20.78 |
| 17 | Cheyenne, WY | $42,845 | $20.60 |
| 18 | Montgomery, AL | $42,462 | $20.41 |
| 19 | Richmond, VA | $42,433 | $20.40 |
| 20 | Albany, NY | $42,395 | $20.38 |
Program instructor salary details
A program instructor's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $60,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a program instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| Average | $42,380 | $3,532 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying program instructor jobs
The highest paying types of program instructors are program lead, adjunct faculty, and technical instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| Lecturer | $61,988 | $5,166 | $29.80 | 26,449 |
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Correspondence School Instructor | $42,601 | $3,550 | $20.48 | 67,548 |
| Program Lead | $100,727 | $8,394 | $48.43 | 61,632 |
| Life Skills Instructor | $30,844 | $2,570 | $14.83 | 64,039 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for program instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
David McMahan Ph.D.
Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College
Top companies hiring program instructors now:
Which companies pay program instructors the most?
Program instructor salaries at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Point72 are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average program instructor salary at companies like Ross Institute and Chicago State University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $66,118 | $31.79 |
| 2 | Point72 | $65,913 | $31.69 |
| 3 | Ross Institute | $58,824 | $28.28 |
| 4 | Chicago State University | $57,555 | $27.67 |
| 5 | Sparrow Health System | $54,917 | $26.40 |
| 6 | Holland | $53,563 | $25.75 |
| 7 | Grays Harbor College | $53,409 | $25.68 |
| 8 | Wonderful College Prep Academy | $53,241 | $25.60 |
| 9 | Andover Public Schools | $53,099 | $25.53 |
| 10 | COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND | $53,053 | $25.51 |
| 11 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $52,500 | $25.24 |
| 12 | Cleveland Clinic | $52,365 | $25.18 |
| 13 | Multnomah Education Service District | $51,800 | $24.90 |
| 14 | World Learning | $51,646 | $24.83 |
| 15 | University of California | $51,042 | $24.54 |
| 16 | MSG Entertainment | $51,022 | $24.53 |
| 17 | Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station - State Headquarters | $50,877 | $24.46 |
| 18 | Snapology | $50,460 | $24.26 |
| 19 | Xcel Energy | $50,271 | $24.17 |
| 20 | University of California-Berkeley | $50,044 | $24.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Program Instructor salary by industry
The average program instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average program instructor salary in the education industry is $44,765, the highest of any industry.
- The average program instructor salary in the finance industry is $38,462.
- Program instructors in the government industry earn an average salary of $30,849, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for program instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $44,765 | $21.52 |
| 2 | Health Care | $38,462 | $18.49 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $34,796 | $16.73 |
| 4 | Government | $30,849 | $14.83 |
High paying program instructor jobs
Program instructor salary trends
The average program instructor salary has risen by $5,204 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average program instructor earned $37,176 annually, but today, they earn $42,380 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for program instructors over the last decade.
Compare program instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average program instructor salary over time
Compare program instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Program instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,400 | $20.38 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $41,600 | $20.01 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $40,500 | $19.46 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $39,300 | $18.90 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $38,600 | $18.56 | +2.3% |
Recently added program instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.L.Bean | Outdoor Discovery Program-Fly Casting Instructor-Evergreen Walk | South Windsor, CT | 06/30/2025 | $36,209 |
| L.L.Bean | Outdoor Discovery Program SUP Instructor-Ridge | Yonkers, NY | 06/30/2025 | $36,523 |
| Atria Senior Living | Engage Life Program Instructor | Hamden, CT | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Program Instructor-Remote | WFH | Rockport, WA | 06/29/2025 | $38,088 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Instructor-Broadway Bound Summer Drama Program (Seasonal) (Pool)-Mount Wachusett Community Colleg | Gardner, MA | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Undergraduate Program Professional | Boulder, CO | 06/27/2025 | $55,120 |
| City of Henderson | Preschool Program Instructor-Seasonal* | Henderson, NV | 06/27/2025 | $26,734 |
| Suny Maritime College | Community Powerboat Programs Instructor(S)-Suny Maritime College | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $104,350 |
| University of Colorado | Undergraduate Program Professional | Boulder, CO | 06/27/2025 | $55,120 |
| State of Wisconsin | Facility Staff Training Program Instructor | Madison, WI | 06/26/2025 | $55,889 |
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