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U.S. Department of Education salary estimate

$57,710yearly

$27.75 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$30,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding U.S. Department of Education Salaries

The U.S. Department of Education provides various career paths with salaries that reflect the significance of education in our society. In 2025, the average salary across all positions stands at $57,710, which varies significantly depending on role, department, and location.

Highest Paying Roles

Some of the top-paying positions include roles in policy analysis, educational program management, and administrative leadership. For instance, individuals in senior management positions may earn significantly more, enhancing their earning potential.

Salary by Location

Geographic location also influences salary. For example, those working in metropolitan areas often receive higher compensation compared to rural settings. Understanding these factors can help job seekers make informed decisions.

Departmental Breakdown

Furthermore, salaries differ by department. Administrative and policy-related roles typically command higher salaries, reflecting the complexity and responsibility associated with these positions.

Highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Education

The highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Education are director, general counsel, senior attorney, and staff attorney. Director jobs at U.S. Department of Education earn an average yearly salary of $137,034, U.S. Department of Education general counsel jobs average $136,863, and U.S. Department of Education senior attorney jobs average $114,018.

The lowest paying U.S. Department of Education roles include volunteer and collections representative. U.S. Department of Education volunteer average salary is $27,003 per year. So while the average U.S. Department of Education salary is $57,710 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Education

RankJob titleAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1Director$137,034$65.88
2General Counsel$136,863$65.80
3Senior Attorney$114,018$54.82
4Staff Attorney$101,496$48.80
5Principal Investigator$99,709$47.94
6Subject Matter Expert$98,233$47.23
7Legal Extern$97,512$46.88
8Adjunct Professor$97,110$46.69
9Business Instructor$96,234$46.27
10Policy Advisor$95,406$45.87
11Assistant Professor$90,136$43.33
12Program Management Analyst$88,588$42.59
13Operations Manager$79,894$38.41
14Project Manager$78,402$37.69
15Molecular Biologist$76,434$36.75
16Programming Specialist$76,196$36.63
17Quality Assurance Analyst$75,640$36.37
18Senior Agent$74,729$35.93
19Physical Scientist$74,334$35.74
20Research Microbiologist$73,471$35.32

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Average U.S. Department of Education salary by state

U.S. Department of Education pays the highest salaries in District of Columbia due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.

RankStateAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1District of Columbia$70,226$33.76
2Massachusetts$66,518$31.98
3New York$66,058$31.76
4California$65,754$31.61
5Washington$62,888$30.23
6Colorado$61,025$29.34
7Illinois$59,055$28.39
8Texas$57,094$27.45
9Georgia$57,034$27.42
10Missouri$55,625$26.74

How much does U.S. Department of Education pay by location?

The average U.S. Department of Education salary varies by location. U.S. Department of Education salaries are the highest in Washington, DC, at $70,197 per year. U.S. Department of Education pays the second highest average salary in Monterey, CA, at $66,678 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying U.S. Department of Education locations

RankLocationAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1Washington, DC$70,197$33.75
2Monterey, CA$66,678$32.06
3Boston, MA$66,532$31.99
4Beltsville, MD$61,988$29.80
5Athens, GA$57,123$27.46
6Gainesville, FL$52,298$25.14

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U.S. Department of Education salaries by department

Salaries at U.S. Department of Education vary depending on the department you work in. U.S. Department of Education salaries in the legal department are the highest with an average salary of $104,055. Employees in the engineering department at U.S. Department of Education receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $95,070 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at U.S. Department of Education include the administrative and the customer service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $35,939 and $36,005, respectively.

Average U.S. Department of Education salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1Legal$104,055$50.03
2Engineering$95,070$45.71
3IT$72,594$34.90
4Finance$71,691$34.47
5Non Profit/Government$68,185$32.78
6Research & Development$68,011$32.70
7Education$66,401$31.92
8Plant/Manufacturing$62,678$30.13
9Art/Design$59,378$28.55
10Accounting$59,314$28.52
11Marketing$53,889$25.91
12Customer Service$36,006$17.31
13Administrative$35,940$17.28

How much does U.S. Department of Education pay by department?

Best paying U.S. Department of Education administrative salaries

RankPositionAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1Field Reviewer$52,087$25.04
2Program Support Assistant$38,897$18.70
3Program Support Clerk$37,718$18.13
4Record Management Specialist$35,304$16.97
5Administrative Specialist$34,753$16.71
6Student Internship$34,305$16.49
7Office Secretary$34,292$16.49
8Project Management Internship$33,450$16.08
9Copy Operator$32,767$15.75
10Clerk Typist$31,236$15.02
11Office Assistant$30,503$14.66
12Test Administrator$29,341$14.11
13Receptionist$27,950$13.44

Best paying U.S. Department of Education education salaries

RankPositionAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1Elementary School Principal$102,683$49.37
2College Dean$101,315$48.71
3Adjunct Professor$97,110$46.69
4Business Instructor$96,234$46.27
5Adjunct Faculty$92,552$44.50
6Assistant Professor$90,136$43.33
7Upward Bound Director$84,951$40.84
8Training Specialist$78,019$37.51
9Employee Development Specialist$76,517$36.79
10Training Manager$75,181$36.14
11Foreign Language Instructor$74,155$35.65
12Education Consultant$73,450$35.31
13Educational Adviser$71,557$34.40
14Curriculum Director$71,103$34.18
15Technical Services Librarian$56,137$26.99
16Teacher$50,723$24.39
17Education Internship$43,249$20.79
18Educator$42,378$20.37
19Student Support Services$39,945$19.20
20Student Representative$38,208$18.37

Best paying U.S. Department of Education finance salaries

RankPositionAverage U.S. Department of Education salaryHourly rate
1Contracts Manager$97,405$46.83
2Policy Advisor$95,406$45.87
3Agricultural Economist$92,934$44.68
4Contracts Specialist$90,080$43.31
5Program Management Analyst$88,588$42.59
6Assistant Director Of Finance$84,016$40.39
7Consultant$75,976$36.53
8Specialist-Small Business$74,405$35.77
9Program Analyst$72,809$35.00
10Collection Supervisor$68,612$32.99
11Risk Management Internship$57,463$27.63
12Loan Counselor$51,592$24.80
13Collections Manager$46,874$22.54
14Advising Assistant$44,785$21.53
15Loan Administrator$43,420$20.88
16Finance Aid Advisor$39,552$19.02
17Claim Processor$38,749$18.63

U.S. Department of Education competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at U.S. Department of Education competitors, like National Academy of Public Administration, Ohio Department of Health, and U.S. Department of Labor, vary. National Academy of Public Administration employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $63,498. The average salary at Ohio Department of Health is $63,321 per year, and the average salary at U.S. Department of Labor is $60,643 per year.

Highest paying U.S. Department of Education competitors

Recently added U.S. Department of Education salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
General AttorneyColumbia, SC06/26/2025$106,382
General AttorneyBoise, ID06/26/2025$106,382
General AttorneyMinneapolis, MN06/26/2025$106,382
General AttorneyLos Angeles, CA06/26/2025$106,382
General AttorneyNew Orleans, LA06/26/2025$106,382

What employees say about salary at U.S. Department of Education

Employee reviews
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4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2021
Pros of working at U.S. Department of Education

continues Professional Development

Cons of working at U.S. Department of Education

none

U.S. Department of Education benefits

Medical insurance, Free housing and Transportation

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3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2021
Pros of working at U.S. Department of Education

As a teacher, I enjoyed impacting the lives of my students. I also enjoyed planning and organizing lessons, being able to express creative ideas and coordinating events and performances.

Cons of working at U.S. Department of Education

Limited resources and lack of support from administration.

U.S. Department of Education benefits

My favorite perk is the short hours, vacation time and summers off.

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2020
Pros of working at U.S. Department of Education

Great environment.

Cons of working at U.S. Department of Education

Low pay increase. Required own car.

U.S. Department of Education benefits

Great hours and great staff.

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros of working at U.S. Department of Education

I enjoy working with the students and staff

Cons of working at U.S. Department of Education

It is quite challenging sharing a space with three schools.

U.S. Department of Education benefits

My salary affords me to live a balance lifestyle.

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4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros of working at U.S. Department of Education

Impacting lives of children

Cons of working at U.S. Department of Education

It is a very large system

U.S. Department of Education benefits

The flexible work schedule

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros of working at U.S. Department of Education

I love working with Students. Teaching is my passion since I was little. None of my family were teacher

Cons of working at U.S. Department of Education

Traveling

U.S. Department of Education benefits

Health Care

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Frequently asked questions about U.S. Department of Education salaries

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of U.S. Department of Education, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about U.S. Department of Education. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at U.S. Department of Education. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by U.S. Department of Education. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of U.S. Department of Education and its employees or that of Zippia.

U.S. Department of Education may also be known as or be related to U.S. Department Of Education, U.S. Department of Education and U.s. Department Of Education.