Post job

Teaching instructor salary

Quoted expert
David McMahan Ph.D.

Average teaching instructor salary

$61,323

$29.48 hourly rate

Entry-level teaching instructor salary
$39,000 yearly salary
Updated January 8, 2025

Average Teaching Instructor Salary

The average salary for a teaching instructor in the United States stands at $61,323 per year. This figure reflects various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific educational field. Typically, instructors with advanced degrees or those in specialized subjects may earn higher salaries.

Salary by State

Salary distribution varies significantly across states. For instance, teaching instructors in California and New York often report higher earnings due to the cost of living and demand for qualified educators. Understanding these regional differences can be pivotal for job seekers aiming to maximize their earnings.

Job Opportunities

In addition to traditional teaching roles, opportunities also exist in online education and tutoring, which have become increasingly popular. As educational needs evolve, so do the roles available for instructors, providing a diverse range of career pathways.

For those considering a career as a teaching instructor, researching salary trends and job openings in specific areas is essential. This knowledge equips individuals with the insights needed to make informed decisions about their career path.

On this page
Teaching instructor salary by: 

Let Zippi find your next teaching instructor job

Floating question marks illustration

Let Zippi find your next teaching instructor job

Floating question marks illustration

Where can a Teaching Instructor earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
71k
51k
31k
11k
Columbus, OH$59,590
Asheville, NC$41,081
Compare salary by company
Vs
81k
61k
41k
21k
826
The George Washington University$66,670
West Virginia University$30,826

Teaching instructor salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor and Comparably, the average salary for a teaching instructor typically falls between $46,904 and $61,323.
zippia
$61,323yearly
glassdoor[1]
$57,382yearly
comparably[2]
$46,904yearly

Average teaching instructor salary by state

The highest-paying states for teaching instructors are Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming. The lowest average teaching instructor salary states are Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for teaching instructors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Oregon$71,472$34.36
2Wyoming$63,798$30.67
3New Mexico$63,283$30.42
4Washington$72,976$35.08
5Alaska$63,380$30.47
6New Jersey$59,810$28.75
7Pennsylvania$58,237$28.00
8Maine$63,141$30.36
9Montana$54,804$26.35
10Illinois$60,543$29.11
11California$59,086$28.41
12Maryland$59,845$28.77
13Nevada$53,528$25.73
14Arizona$56,673$27.25
15Indiana$60,263$28.97
16Utah$55,419$26.64
17Rhode Island$51,173$24.60
18New York$53,016$25.49
19Michigan$50,552$24.30
20Hawaii$60,885$29.27
21Mississippi$50,155$24.11
22New Hampshire$52,115$25.06
23Massachusetts$52,437$25.21
24Texas$48,730$23.43
25Ohio$49,999$24.04
26South Dakota$51,856$24.93
27Idaho$52,799$25.38
28Connecticut$53,583$25.76
29District of Columbia$57,326$27.56
30Vermont$48,804$23.46
31Alabama$49,391$23.75
32Colorado$46,602$22.40
33West Virginia$44,371$21.33
34Kentucky$43,387$20.86
35Delaware$47,691$22.93
36Louisiana$46,855$22.53
37Virginia$43,713$21.02
38Tennessee$44,964$21.62
39South Carolina$42,228$20.30
40Iowa$44,144$21.22
41Minnesota$47,774$22.97
42Oklahoma$46,419$22.32
43North Dakota$44,109$21.21
44Georgia$42,702$20.53
45North Carolina$40,957$19.69
46Nebraska$44,291$21.29
47Florida$41,275$19.84
48Wisconsin$44,499$21.39
49Kansas$43,838$21.08
50Missouri$43,436$20.88
51Arkansas$42,148$20.26

Highest paying cities for teaching instructors

The highest-paying cities for teaching instructors are New Brunswick, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, and Washington, DC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Brunswick, NJ$59,590$28.65
2Philadelphia, PA$58,683$28.21
3Washington, DC$57,329$27.56
4Tuscaloosa, AL$49,665$23.88
5Denver, CO$46,573$22.39
6Morgantown, WV$45,102$21.68
7Milwaukee, WI$44,873$21.57
8Richmond, VA$43,573$20.95
9Roswell, GA$43,306$20.82
10Orlando, FL$41,154$19.79
11Asheville, NC$41,081$19.75

Teaching instructor salary details

A teaching instructor's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average teaching instructor salary graph
Average teaching instructor salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a teaching instructor's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$96,000$8,000$46
75th Percentile$77,000$6,417$37
Average$61,323$5,110$29
25th Percentile$48,000$4,000$23
10th Percentile$39,000$3,250$19

Highest paying teaching instructor jobs

The highest paying types of teaching instructors are adjunct lecturer, language instructor, and adjunct english instructor.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Adjunct Lecturer$79,657$6,638$38.3026,546
Instructor, Adjunct Faculty$52,225$4,352$25.1137,739
Instructor Of Spanish$54,930$4,578$26.4125,516
Teaching Fellow$44,040$3,670$21.1740,551
Laboratory Instructor$49,931$4,161$24.0163,100
Adjunct English Instructor$55,901$4,658$26.8838,052

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

David McMahan Ph.D.

Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College

Graduates in Religious Studies don't necessarily go into careers in religion. The standard career path for those involved is going to graduate school, spending several years getting a Ph.D., and facing a tough job market. Starting salaries can vary widely depending on the college or university.

Which companies pay teaching instructors the most?

Teaching instructor salaries at The George Washington University and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average teaching instructor salary at companies like Carnegie Mellon University and Temple University are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$76,000$74,200$72,400$70,600$68,800$67,000
MaleFemale

Teaching instructor salary trends

The average teaching instructor salary has risen by $10,001 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average teaching instructor earned $51,322 annually, but today, they earn $61,323 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for teaching instructors over the last decade.

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

Average teaching instructor salary over time

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

Teaching instructor salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$61,300$29.48+2.0%
2024$60,100$28.89+7.8%
2023$55,400$26.63+3.7%
2022$53,300$25.65-5.5%
2021$56,300$27.05+10.0%

Recently added teaching instructor salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Rutgers UniversityNon-Tenure Track Teaching InstructorNewark, NJ06/06/2025$75,152
Illinois Association of SchoolFoundations of Teaching Instructor 5 Days/Week)Bloomington, IL05/24/2025$43,066
Bloomington Il School District 87Foundations of Teaching InstructorBloomington, IL05/23/2025$43,066
Field MuseumField Explorers Camp Teaching InstructorChicago, IL05/17/2025$45,914
Perry Local SchoolsPerry High School 21St. Cclc Licensed Teaching InstructorEnon, OH05/10/2025$68,871
Perry Local SchoolsPerry High School 21St. Cclc Licensed Teaching Instructor Summer 2025Perry, OH04/26/2025$83,480
SuccessacademiesQueens Borough To Experienced TeachingDay, NY03/28/2025$65,000
Field MuseumField Explorers Camp Teaching InstructorChicago, IL03/15/2025$45,914
East Carolina UniversityTeaching Instructor/Teaching Assistant ProfessorGreenville, SC03/13/2025$70,436
Illinois State UniversityGA Teaching-Mathematics (Master's)-Fall 2025/Spring 2026Kane, IL02/19/2025$39,392

Teaching instructor salary FAQs

Search for teaching instructor jobs

Browse education, training, and library jobs