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Russian language instructor salary

Quoted expert
Larry Herzberg Ph.D.

Average russian language instructor salary

$64,990

$31.25 hourly rate

Entry-level russian language instructor salary
$37,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Russian Language Instructor Salary

The average salary for a Russian Language Instructor is approximately $64,990 per year, translating to about $31 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the type of institution. Instructors often find positions in public schools, private language academies, and universities, each offering different salary scales.

Salary by State

Geographical location plays a critical role in determining salary levels. States with higher demand for language education often have better compensation packages. For instance, instructors in California and New York typically earn more than those in less populated areas. Understanding the salary landscape can help prospective educators make informed career choices.

Highest Paying Cities

In addition to state variations, specific cities stand out for their competitive salaries for Russian Language Instructors. Cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago frequently rank among the highest-paying locations. These urban centers not only offer higher salaries but also a vibrant cultural setting for language instruction, enhancing the learning experience for students.

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Where can a Russian Language Instructor earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
117k
97k
77k
57k
37k
17k
Columbus, OH$93,113
San Antonio, TX$47,232
Compare salary by company
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124k
104k
84k
64k
44k
24k
4k
Middlebury College$104,768
Concordia College$33,991

Average russian language instructor salary by state

The average russian language instructor salary in New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Vermont are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average russian language instructor salary states are Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for russian language instructors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Hampshire$130,084$62.54
2Vermont$119,355$57.38
3North Dakota$126,833$60.98
4Michigan$104,918$50.44
5New York$115,523$55.54
6New Jersey$109,072$52.44
7Washington$108,350$52.09
8Massachusetts$105,012$50.49
9Montana$92,313$44.38
10Alaska$106,130$51.02
11Nevada$88,932$42.76
12Delaware$88,587$42.59
13Wisconsin$98,336$47.28
14Illinois$95,864$46.09
15Minnesota$102,220$49.14
16California$91,476$43.98
17Rhode Island$96,484$46.39
18Connecticut$93,667$45.03
19Maryland$90,532$43.52
20Oregon$84,474$40.61
21Wyoming$79,866$38.40
22Pennsylvania$94,822$45.59
23Iowa$80,409$38.66
24Idaho$86,270$41.48
25Maine$90,704$43.61
26District of Columbia$98,730$47.47
27Virginia$70,037$33.67
28Colorado$66,867$32.15
29South Dakota$78,161$37.58
30Nebraska$76,975$37.01
31Indiana$79,922$38.42
32Ohio$76,084$36.58
33Kansas$65,172$31.33
34West Virginia$53,657$25.80
35Florida$58,455$28.10
36South Carolina$51,798$24.90
37North Carolina$55,170$26.52
38Louisiana$60,007$28.85
39Missouri$69,066$33.20
40Hawaii$46,897$22.55
41Utah$69,015$33.18
42Kentucky$57,668$27.73
43Arizona$59,003$28.37
44Tennessee$62,055$29.83
45Georgia$51,507$24.76
46New Mexico$41,987$20.19
47Texas$47,549$22.86
48Mississippi$47,630$22.90
49Alabama$49,045$23.58
50Arkansas$49,161$23.64
51Oklahoma$42,570$20.47

Highest paying cities for russian language instructors

The highest-paying cities for russian language instructors are Bakersfield, CA, Annapolis, MD, and Arlington, VA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Bakersfield, CA$93,113$44.77
2Annapolis, MD$89,815$43.18
3Arlington, VA$78,472$37.73
4Colorado Springs, CO$65,114$31.30
5Fayetteville, NC$54,116$26.02
6San Antonio, TX$47,232$22.71

Russian language instructor salary details

A russian language instructor's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $113,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average russian language instructor salary graph
Average russian language instructor salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a russian language instructor's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$113,000$9,417$54
75th Percentile$87,000$7,250$42
Average$64,990$5,416$31
25th Percentile$48,000$4,000$23
10th Percentile$37,000$3,083$18

Highest paying russian language instructor jobs

The highest paying types of russian language instructors are german instructor, languages and literature instructor, and adjunct spanish instructor.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Spanish Teacher$52,445$4,370$25.2154,666
Instructor Of Spanish$54,930$4,578$26.4125,516
World Language Teacher$53,288$4,441$25.6273,200
Language Teacher$51,413$4,284$24.7274,479
Foreign Language Teacher$53,918$4,493$25.9273,406
Instructor$53,426$4,452$25.6939,273

How would you rate the starting salaries for russian language instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Larry Herzberg Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Asian Languages, Director of Asian Studies, Calvin University

The prospects for a full-time tenure-track position that pays $80,000 or more for an Assistant Professor position are far dimmer than they have been for a long time. A majority of all teaching positions at U.S. colleges and universities are now adjunct positions that offer meager salaries with no benefits. It would be best if you did not consider a career in academia as someone with a Ph.D. in East Asian languages, East Asian literature or linguistics, or East Asian Studies unless you're a top graduate of a leading university and have a real passion for teaching.

Suppose you only have a B.A. in Asia-related subjects. In that case, you will need to seek a job in the business world, in government work, or in gaining expertise in computers so that you can combine your knowledge of an East Asian language with a job that pays a decent salary.

Top companies hiring russian language instructors now:

  1. Middlebury College jobs (9)
  2. Amarillo College jobs (2)
  3. Leidos jobs (2)
  4. MultiLingual Solutions jobs (5)
  5. Georgetown University jobs (2)

Which companies pay russian language instructors the most?

Russian language instructor salaries at Middlebury College and CACI International are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average russian language instructor salary at companies like ICA Language Services and University of Montana are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Middlebury College$104,768$50.37
2CACI International$69,235$33.29
3ICA Language Services$63,086$30.33
4University of Montana$47,387$22.78
5Concordia College$33,991$16.34

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$60,000$59,200$58,400$57,600$56,800$56,000
MaleFemale

Russian language instructor salary trends

The average russian language instructor salary has risen by $9,565 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average russian language instructor earned $55,425 annually, but today, they earn $64,990 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for russian language instructors over the last decade.

Compare russian language instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average russian language instructor salary over time

Compare russian language instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Russian language instructor salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$65,000$31.24-0.1%
2024$65,100$31.28+3.4%
2023$62,900$30.23+3.9%
2022$60,400$29.05+2.3%
2021$59,000$28.38+3.3%

Recently added russian language instructor salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
ICA Language ServicesRussian Language Instructor-Grit Training, Dliflc Monterey, CA (July-September 2025)Monterey, CA06/25/2025$62,610
ICA Language ServicesRussian Language Instructor-In-Person, -US Citizenship RequiredArlington, VA06/11/2025$58,436
Caci InternationalRussian/Chechen Language InstructorAnnapolis, MD05/27/2025$71,500
Caci InternationalRussian/Chechen Language InstructorAnnapolis, MD03/15/2025$71,500
Caci InternationalRussian Language InstructorAnnapolis, MD02/28/2025$71,500
Cherokee GroupLanguage Instructor-RussianMaryland02/18/2025$107,000
Concordia CollegeInstructor, Russian Immersion-Concordia Language Training CenterMoorhead, MN02/17/2025$78,263
Cherokee Nation BusinessesLanguage Instructor-RussianFort Meade, MD02/16/2025$107,000
IcalanguagesRussian Language Instructor-Post Dlpt ClassIone, CA02/15/2025$62,610
CaciRussian Language InstructorMaryland12/10/2024$71,500

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