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Esl instructor salary
Average esl instructor salary
$53,226
Understanding the ESL Instructor Salary
The average salary for an ESL Instructor stands at $53,226 annually, translating to about $26 per hour. This figure varies based on factors such as location, experience, and the type of institution. For instance, instructors in high-demand areas or prestigious institutions often earn more.
Highest Paying States for ESL Instructors
States like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for ESL education. In addition, urban centers often provide better compensation than rural areas.
Job Opportunities
ESL Instructors can find positions in various settings, including public schools, private language institutions, and online platforms. The demand for skilled ESL educators continues to grow, particularly in international markets, offering diverse opportunities for those passionate about teaching language and culture.
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Where can an ESL Instructor earn more?
Esl instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average esl instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for esl instructors are California, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The lowest average esl instructor salary states are Oklahoma, Missouri, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for esl instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $70,032 | $33.67 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $70,244 | $33.77 |
| 3 | California | $84,730 | $40.74 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $70,643 | $33.96 |
| 5 | Vermont | $63,639 | $30.60 |
| 6 | Montana | $61,146 | $29.40 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $64,175 | $30.85 |
| 8 | New York | $70,039 | $33.67 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $63,456 | $30.51 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $61,983 | $29.80 |
| 11 | Utah | $66,023 | $31.74 |
| 12 | Idaho | $56,696 | $27.26 |
| 13 | Maryland | $62,071 | $29.84 |
| 14 | Delaware | $68,757 | $33.06 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $57,203 | $27.50 |
| 16 | Maine | $56,997 | $27.40 |
| 17 | Colorado | $55,878 | $26.86 |
| 18 | Oregon | $56,702 | $27.26 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $56,645 | $27.23 |
| 20 | Alaska | $56,221 | $27.03 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $60,519 | $29.10 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $54,388 | $26.15 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $67,399 | $32.40 |
| 24 | Arizona | $52,086 | $25.04 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $56,369 | $27.10 |
| 26 | Michigan | $48,886 | $23.50 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $52,933 | $25.45 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $50,960 | $24.50 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $46,788 | $22.49 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $48,906 | $23.51 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $50,601 | $24.33 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $47,801 | $22.98 |
| 33 | Kansas | $48,878 | $23.50 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $50,005 | $24.04 |
| 35 | Ohio | $48,518 | $23.33 |
| 36 | Massachusetts | $52,058 | $25.03 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $48,795 | $23.46 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $46,251 | $22.24 |
| 39 | Washington | $51,017 | $24.53 |
| 40 | Iowa | $47,874 | $23.02 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $44,310 | $21.30 |
| 42 | Virginia | $46,604 | $22.41 |
| 43 | Florida | $45,967 | $22.10 |
| 44 | Illinois | $48,342 | $23.24 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $41,559 | $19.98 |
| 46 | Alabama | $46,370 | $22.29 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $43,525 | $20.93 |
| 48 | Georgia | $40,790 | $19.61 |
| 49 | Texas | $40,920 | $19.67 |
| 50 | Missouri | $42,565 | $20.46 |
| 51 | Indiana | $32,248 | $15.50 |
Highest paying cities for esl instructors
The highest-paying cities for esl instructors are Mountain View, CA, Reno, NV, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain View, CA | $87,234 | $41.94 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $71,962 | $34.60 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $70,151 | $33.73 |
| 4 | Kearny, NJ | $63,577 | $30.57 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $62,356 | $29.98 |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,524 | $29.10 |
| 7 | Moscow, ID | $57,418 | $27.60 |
| 8 | Sioux Falls, SD | $56,842 | $27.33 |
| 9 | Greeley, CO | $55,924 | $26.89 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $52,836 | $25.40 |
| 11 | Tempe, AZ | $52,181 | $25.09 |
| 12 | Boston, MA | $52,052 | $25.02 |
| 13 | Jonesboro, AR | $50,596 | $24.32 |
| 14 | Des Plaines, IL | $48,468 | $23.30 |
| 15 | Athens, OH | $48,241 | $23.19 |
| 16 | Iowa City, IA | $47,831 | $23.00 |
| 17 | Annandale, VA | $47,514 | $22.84 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $42,424 | $20.40 |
| 19 | San Marcos, TX | $41,195 | $19.81 |
| 20 | Chamblee, GA | $40,850 | $19.64 |
Esl instructor salary details
An esl instructor's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $78,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an esl instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| Average | $53,226 | $4,436 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying esl instructor jobs
The highest paying types of esl instructors are adjunct faculty, adjunct lecturer, and lecturer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Teacher | $49,442 | $4,120 | $23.77 | 54,716 |
| Language Teacher | $51,413 | $4,284 | $24.72 | 74,479 |
| Spanish Teacher | $52,445 | $4,370 | $25.21 | 54,666 |
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| English Language Teacher | $57,831 | $4,819 | $27.80 | 74,779 |
| Social Studies Teacher | $49,725 | $4,144 | $23.91 | 94,087 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for esl instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Karla Huebner Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Wright State University
Top companies hiring esl instructors now:
Which companies pay esl instructors the most?
Esl instructor salaries at Boston Public Schools and Kern Community College District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average esl instructor salary at companies like California College of the Arts and Commonwealth are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston Public Schools | $74,476 | $35.81 |
| 2 | Kern Community College District | $71,593 | $34.42 |
| 3 | California College of the Arts | $69,744 | $33.53 |
| 4 | Commonwealth | $57,943 | $27.86 |
| 5 | Virginia's Community Colleges | $57,240 | $27.52 |
| 6 | The GEO Group | $55,976 | $26.91 |
| 7 | Greater Bergen Community Action | $55,536 | $26.70 |
| 8 | LSS INC | $55,508 | $26.69 |
| 9 | Rbscc | $55,488 | $26.68 |
| 10 | Metropolitan Learning Institute | $55,488 | $26.68 |
| 11 | SSL Americas, Inc. | $55,488 | $26.68 |
| 12 | Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr. | $55,478 | $26.67 |
| 13 | Embassy C E S | $55,395 | $26.63 |
| 14 | iBridge | $55,314 | $26.59 |
| 15 | LTC Language Solutions | $55,182 | $26.53 |
| 16 | The Waldorf School of Garden City | $55,139 | $26.51 |
| 17 | Alliance Co | $54,744 | $26.32 |
| 18 | New Mexico Junior College | $54,721 | $26.31 |
| 19 | Arkansas State University, Mountain Home | $54,591 | $26.25 |
| 20 | Vista Unified | $54,490 | $26.20 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Esl instructor salary trends
The average esl instructor salary has risen by $5,855 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average esl instructor earned $47,371 annually, but today, they earn $53,226 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for esl instructors over the last decade.
Compare esl instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average esl instructor salary over time
Compare esl instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Esl instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,200 | $25.59 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | $52,800 | $25.40 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $51,400 | $24.70 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $50,100 | $24.07 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $49,200 | $23.64 | +2.7% |
Recently added esl instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zen Languages | ESL or Spanish Instructor With Sign Language Expertise (Remote) | Miami Beach, FL | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Felician University | Temporary ESL Instructor-July, 2025 | Rutherford, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $83,480 |
| Virginia Community College System | ESL Instructor (IX Park) | Charlottesville, VA | 06/13/2025 | $67,828 |
| World Relief | ESL Instructor and Cultural Orientation Specialist | Spokane, WA | 06/11/2025 | $42,950 |
| John Wood Community College | Non-Credit Instructor ESL | Mount Sterling, IL | 05/29/2025 | $54,262 |
| North Shore Community College | Non-Credit ESL Instructor | Lynn, MA | 05/29/2025 | $83,480 |
| Reading Area Community College | ESL for The Workplace Instructor (Workforce) | Wilmington, DE | 05/28/2025 | $77,219 |
| Zen Languages | ESL or Spanish Instructor With Sign Language Expertise (Remote) | Miami Beach, FL | 05/26/2025 | $52,175 |
| Beaufort County Community College | ESL Instructor-College & Career Readiness | Washington, NC | 05/24/2025 | $38,505 |
| California Department of Education | Adult ED. ESL Instructor (Mornings) | Lake Elsinore, CA | 05/24/2025 | $96,899 |
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