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Best states for a student instructor
Quoted expert
Dr. Carrie Kondor
- Rank 1 - 10
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Do you want to become a student instructor at University of Michigan, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for student instructors that you can check out, before you begin your journey. We wanted to look at the best states for student instructors -- where there are plenty of student instructor jobs to go around and student instructors get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for student instructors.We found that Maryland is the best state for student instructor jobs, whereas Arkansas is the worst.
10 best states for student instructors in 2026
1. Maryland
Total student instructor jobs: 1,080 Average annual salary: $55,871 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
2. New York
Total student instructor jobs: 2,041 Average annual salary: $55,191 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
3. New Jersey
Total student instructor jobs: 1,506 Average annual salary: $52,508 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
4. Maine
Total student instructor jobs: 196 Average annual salary: $51,735 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
5. New Mexico
Total student instructor jobs: 330 Average annual salary: $48,293 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
6. Pennsylvania
Total student instructor jobs: 1,576 Average annual salary: $53,170 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
7. California
Total student instructor jobs: 4,031 Average annual salary: $57,157 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
8. Massachusetts
Total student instructor jobs: 1,030 Average annual salary: $56,143 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
9. Connecticut
Total student instructor jobs: 730 Average annual salary: $45,406 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
10. Idaho
Total student instructor jobs: 268 Average annual salary: $45,517 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
Student instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a student instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a student instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $55,871 | $36,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,080 |
| 2 | New York | $55,191 | $36,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,041 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $52,508 | $34,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,506 |
| 4 | Maine | $51,735 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 196 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $48,293 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 330 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $53,170 | $34,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,576 |
| 7 | California | $57,157 | $36,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,031 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $56,143 | $38,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,030 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $45,406 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 730 |
| 10 | Idaho | $45,517 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 268 |
| 11 | Texas | $48,167 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,634 |
| 12 | Illinois | $44,900 | $32,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,019 |
| 13 | Oregon | $45,771 | $32,000 | 4,142,776 | 628 |
| 14 | Arizona | $42,757 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,228 |
| 15 | Delaware | $43,158 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 286 |
| 16 | Alaska | $43,889 | $39,000 | 739,795 | 162 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $42,171 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 339 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $46,487 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 603 |
| 19 | Nevada | $40,266 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 722 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $42,615 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 193 |
| 21 | Michigan | $40,563 | $28,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,325 |
| 22 | Indiana | $44,273 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 737 |
| 23 | Vermont | $39,786 | $28,000 | 623,657 | 194 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $41,399 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 309 |
| 25 | Washington | $46,753 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 860 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $43,046 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 165 |
| 27 | Montana | $37,758 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 251 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $38,017 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,434 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $41,003 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 412 |
| 30 | Florida | $40,294 | $24,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,176 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $37,404 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 823 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $35,405 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 189 |
| 33 | Alabama | $40,782 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 473 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $47,094 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 145 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $37,403 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 138 |
| 36 | Virginia | $39,193 | $24,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,401 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $36,243 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 137 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $36,134 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,524 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $35,048 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 824 |
| 40 | Utah | $37,334 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 391 |
| 41 | Georgia | $35,499 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,480 |
| 42 | Ohio | $35,548 | $24,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,143 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $34,549 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 447 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $35,602 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 168 |
| 45 | Colorado | $31,892 | $22,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,197 |
| 46 | Iowa | $31,724 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 556 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $31,085 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 367 |
| 48 | Missouri | $33,900 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 687 |
| 49 | Kansas | $31,334 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 432 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $32,000 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 451 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $31,975 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 298 |
Highest paying states for student instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Student Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $55,871 |
| 2 | New York | $55,191 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $52,508 |
| 4 | Maine | $51,735 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $48,293 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $53,170 |
| 7 | California | $57,157 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $56,143 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $45,406 |
| 10 | Idaho | $45,517 |
| 11 | Texas | $48,167 |
| 12 | Illinois | $44,900 |
| 13 | Oregon | $45,771 |
| 14 | Arizona | $42,757 |
| 15 | Delaware | $43,158 |
| 16 | Alaska | $43,889 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $42,171 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $46,487 |
| 19 | Nevada | $40,266 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $42,615 |
| 21 | Michigan | $40,563 |
| 22 | Indiana | $44,273 |
| 23 | Vermont | $39,786 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $41,399 |
| 25 | Washington | $46,753 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $43,046 |
| 27 | Montana | $37,758 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $38,017 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $41,003 |
| 30 | Florida | $40,294 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $37,404 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $35,405 |
| 33 | Alabama | $40,782 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $47,094 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $37,403 |
| 36 | Virginia | $39,193 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $36,243 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $36,134 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $35,048 |
| 40 | Utah | $37,334 |
| 41 | Georgia | $35,499 |
| 42 | Ohio | $35,548 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $34,549 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $35,602 |
| 45 | Colorado | $31,892 |
| 46 | Iowa | $31,724 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $31,085 |
| 48 | Missouri | $33,900 |
| 49 | Kansas | $31,334 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $32,000 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $31,975 |
Expert opinions on the best states for student instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for student instructors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Carrie Kondor
Director, Linfield University
Still, I can say that I believe graduates will find more job possibilities than before, given the broader continuum of teaching environments that this pandemic has opened up!
Student instructor best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025