Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Mathematics instructor salary
Average mathematics instructor salary
$51,311
Mathematics Instructor Salary Overview
The role of a Mathematics Instructor is crucial in shaping students' understanding and appreciation of math. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position stands at $51,311 annually. However, this figure can differ based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the educational institution type.
For instance, states like California and New York often present higher salary ranges. In California, Mathematics Instructors can earn upwards of $61,000, while New York offers competitive salaries as well. Furthermore, those with advanced degrees or specialized certifications may command higher pay rates.
In addition to base salary, benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and professional development opportunities can enhance overall compensation. Understanding these dynamics is vital for prospective instructors aiming to negotiate their salaries effectively.
As a Mathematics Instructor, your earning potential can also grow with experience. Entry-level positions may start at around $40,000, whereas seasoned educators can earn significantly more, depending on their teaching scope and institutional demands.
Let Zippia find your next mathematics instructor job
Let Zippia find your next mathematics instructor job
Where can a Mathematics Instructor earn more?
Mathematics instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average mathematics instructor salary by state
The average mathematics instructor salary in California, New York, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average mathematics instructor salary states are Missouri, Nebraska, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for mathematics instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $76,985 | $37.01 |
| 2 | Nevada | $62,036 | $29.82 |
| 3 | California | $78,677 | $37.83 |
| 4 | Vermont | $61,306 | $29.47 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $58,976 | $28.35 |
| 6 | Oregon | $61,356 | $29.50 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $64,979 | $31.24 |
| 8 | Alaska | $56,879 | $27.35 |
| 9 | Michigan | $53,992 | $25.96 |
| 10 | Delaware | $58,931 | $28.33 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $57,406 | $27.60 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $61,909 | $29.76 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $64,177 | $30.85 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $62,655 | $30.12 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $54,218 | $26.07 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $63,640 | $30.60 |
| 17 | Maine | $56,997 | $27.40 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $54,430 | $26.17 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $51,788 | $24.90 |
| 20 | Maryland | $56,768 | $27.29 |
| 21 | Washington | $56,003 | $26.92 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $51,783 | $24.90 |
| 23 | Virginia | $49,672 | $23.88 |
| 24 | Iowa | $48,759 | $23.44 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $51,731 | $24.87 |
| 26 | Colorado | $46,552 | $22.38 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $47,112 | $22.65 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $44,603 | $21.44 |
| 29 | Arizona | $49,177 | $23.64 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $48,368 | $23.25 |
| 31 | Ohio | $48,327 | $23.23 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $44,348 | $21.32 |
| 33 | Indiana | $48,865 | $23.49 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $42,265 | $20.32 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $44,796 | $21.54 |
| 36 | Montana | $39,437 | $18.96 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $44,532 | $21.41 |
| 38 | Alabama | $44,364 | $21.33 |
| 39 | Florida | $43,957 | $21.13 |
| 40 | Utah | $43,398 | $20.86 |
| 41 | Idaho | $44,610 | $21.45 |
| 42 | Kansas | $44,351 | $21.32 |
| 43 | Texas | $41,909 | $20.15 |
| 44 | Illinois | $42,987 | $20.67 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $37,305 | $17.94 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $40,615 | $19.53 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $42,321 | $20.35 |
| 48 | Georgia | $37,939 | $18.24 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $40,744 | $19.59 |
| 50 | Missouri | $40,724 | $19.58 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $39,068 | $18.78 |
Highest paying cities for mathematics instructors
The highest-paying cities for mathematics instructors are Salinas, CA, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salinas, CA | $81,933 | $39.39 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $77,104 | $37.07 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $64,222 | $30.88 |
| 4 | New Britain, CT | $62,852 | $30.22 |
| 5 | Eugene, OR | $62,573 | $30.08 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $61,780 | $29.70 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $56,801 | $27.31 |
| 8 | Troy, MI | $54,523 | $26.21 |
| 9 | Mankato, MN | $53,891 | $25.91 |
| 10 | New Orleans, LA | $51,845 | $24.93 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,465 | $23.78 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,746 | $23.44 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $48,369 | $23.25 |
| 14 | Toledo, OH | $48,363 | $23.25 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $46,484 | $22.35 |
| 16 | Durham, NC | $45,213 | $21.74 |
| 17 | Boca Raton, FL | $44,463 | $21.38 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $43,124 | $20.73 |
| 19 | Odessa, TX | $43,050 | $20.70 |
| 20 | Kearney, NE | $40,671 | $19.55 |
Mathematics instructor salary details
A mathematics instructor's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $80,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a mathematics instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| Average | $51,311 | $4,276 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying mathematics instructor jobs
The highest paying types of mathematics instructors are visiting professor, adjunct professor, and adjunct faculty.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| Adjunct Lecturer | $79,657 | $6,638 | $38.30 | 26,546 |
| Adjunct Professor | $98,821 | $8,235 | $47.51 | 22,488 |
| Visiting Professor | $116,217 | $9,685 | $55.87 | 27,139 |
| Computer Science Tutor | $30,869 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 39,719 |
| Instructor Of Spanish | $54,930 | $4,578 | $26.41 | 25,516 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for mathematics instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Coskun Cetin
Professor, California State University
There are also some industry/academic and private sector positions that are more competitive than ever. I hear some friends/colleagues changed jobs or had to find a new one). Those with strong connections and statistics/computing skills seem to find a new job much faster and better than the other ones, especially in data analytics/quant/actuary positions. I don't have numbers for starting salaries of new posts. Still, some of our graduates (who also had some certification or graduate training) started with three-digit figures in industry positions in data science, cybersecurity, etc.
So, my recommendation would be focusing on learning and improvement (e.g., through research projects, certification, or a graduate degree in data science/statistics/computer science) to prepare for a potentially more friendly market if it is difficult to find a suitable position at the moment. I expect the jobs involving cryptography, data analysis, modeling/simulations, and cybersecurity to continue to pay high salaries.
Top companies hiring mathematics instructors now:
Which companies pay mathematics instructors the most?
Mathematics instructor salaries at Cathedral High Sch and Kern Community College District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mathematics instructor salary at companies like Rowan University and Chicago State University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cathedral High Sch | $103,299 | $49.66 |
| 2 | Kern Community College District | $101,061 | $48.59 |
| 3 | Rowan University | $78,834 | $37.90 |
| 4 | Chicago State University | $78,449 | $37.72 |
| 5 | Central State University | $74,753 | $35.94 |
| 6 | California Institute of Technology | $69,177 | $33.26 |
| 7 | Ef International School of English | $68,968 | $33.16 |
| 8 | Alfred University | $68,580 | $32.97 |
| 9 | Anoka-Ramsey Community College | $67,508 | $32.46 |
| 10 | University of Michigan | $67,008 | $32.22 |
| 11 | University of New Orleans | $66,643 | $32.04 |
| 12 | Coastal Carolina Community College | $64,792 | $31.15 |
| 13 | Loyola Marymount University | $64,311 | $30.92 |
| 14 | Seattle University | $63,383 | $30.47 |
| 15 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $63,327 | $30.45 |
| 16 | Dillard University | $62,347 | $29.97 |
| 17 | Copper Mountain Community College | $62,329 | $29.97 |
| 18 | Princeton University | $61,584 | $29.61 |
| 19 | Minnesota State College Southeast | $60,885 | $29.27 |
| 20 | Shaw University | $59,759 | $28.73 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Mathematics instructor salary trends
The average mathematics instructor salary has risen by $4,856 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mathematics instructor earned $46,455 annually, but today, they earn $51,311 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for mathematics instructors over the last decade.
Compare mathematics instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average mathematics instructor salary over time
Compare mathematics instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Mathematics instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,300 | $24.67 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | $51,300 | $24.68 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $51,000 | $24.53 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $49,400 | $23.75 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $48,400 | $23.29 | +3.4% |
Recently added mathematics instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex Community College | High School Equivalency Mathematics Instructor | Bedford, MA | 06/30/2025 | $73,045 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Math Instructor-Remote | WFH | Irvine, CA | 06/29/2025 | $73,045 |
| Mathnasium | Lead Math Instructor/Tutor | Huntersville, NC | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| College of Southern Nevada | Instructor, Math Boot Camp-Summer 2025 | Alabama | 06/28/2025 | $78,263 |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Instructor of Mathematics | Covington, KY | 06/26/2025 | $41,670 |
| Kentucky Community and Technical College System | Mathematics Instructor | Louisville, KY | 06/25/2025 | $50,000 |
| Central Carolina Community College | Math Instructor (2 Vacancies | Sanford, NC | 06/24/2025 | $51,956 |
| Art of Problem Solving | Math Instructor | Princeton, NJ | 06/24/2025 | $62,610 |
| Mathnasium | Math Instructor/Tutor | Norman, OK | 06/22/2025 | $20,870 |
| Louisiana Community and Technical College System | Mathematics Instructor | Lafayette, LA | 06/21/2025 | $38,924 |
Mathematics instructor salary FAQs
Search for mathematics instructor jobs