Working in education can often involve hard work and long hours, but it doesn’t necessarily have to result in a small pay packet at the end of the month. Indeed, you can make a six-figure salary in the field. And there are plenty of options to consider besides teaching, too.
If you’re considering a rewarding career in education (whether in or outside the classroom), you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve pulled the most up-to-date surveys of the highest-paying jobs in education in the world, along with their average salaries, using data from Indeed, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nexford University, University of Massachusetts Global and the SCI Journal to provide you with some inspiration.
Without further ado, here are the 25 best-paying careers in education that might help you find your true calling.
25. Test preparation tutors
Average salary: $56,980/year
Test preparation tutors are focused on supporting students in their preparations for exams like the SAT, GMAT or medical tests. You’ll help students understand the types of exam questions they’ll face, equip them with useful strategies, and develop customized study plans.
To become a test preparation tutor, gain expertise in your chosen subject, obtain the right qualifications, and practice tutoring with private clients.
24. Educational consultants
Average salary: $60,190/year
Educational consultants advise parents and institutions on academic planning and readiness, college admissions, curriculum development, or learning strategies. This role requires previous experience in an educational setting, specializing in a niche area of education. If you’re choosing to freelance, meanwhile, building a client base through effective networking is essential.
23. Adult basic and secondary education teachers
Average salary: $60,560/year
If you’re passionate about helping adults grow and develop, then this could be the role for you. Adult education teachers help adults learn literacy, numeracy and high school-level skills. The role requires an understanding of teaching principles, as well as a teaching degree and an acute awareness of adult education programs.
22. School administrators
Average salary: $61,770/year
School administrators need to be a bit of a “jack of all trades”, as their duties involve managing overall school operations, including budgetary direction, staffing, student affairs and the educational curriculum. The role will require you to have experience as a teacher — maybe even as a principal — as well as business acumen and top-notch relationship management ability.
21. After-school program directors
Average salary: $62,320/year
After-school program directors are valued for their ability to create engaging atmospheres outside of the classroom that can help students become well-rounded individuals. The role involves creating engaging extracurricular activities, while considering staffing needs, budget and student safety. Experience in an educational setting and leadership skills are essential for success in this role, as is experience in non-profit organizations.
20. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers
Average salary: $63,670/year
These teachers provide the all-important foundational learning, social and emotional development experience for young children, teaching subjects such as math and science at an entry-level scope. To become a kindergarten or elementary school teacher, complete your training and certification, and then gain classroom experience through apprenticeships and internships.
19. Middle school teachers
Average salary: $64,290/year
Middle school teachers educate students in grades 6 to 8, focusing on specific subjects and a deeper level of teaching while remaining focused on social and emotional needs. Preparing for the role will require a similar level of training and certification as kindergarten and elementary school teachers, while gaining a good level of classroom experience at the relevant grade level.
18. Librarians
Average salary: $64,370/year
If you’re a self-proclaimed bookworm, this job is right up your alley! You’ll be involved in the management of a school library’s records and catalog materials, while making sure resources are easily accessible for students. You might even have some downtime to read your favorite classics — and yes, this job does require a degree: one in library science.
17. Private tutors
Average salary: $65,100/year
If you prefer one-to-one interaction with students and an atypical or freelance working pattern, as opposed to standing in front of a classroom, you could consider becoming a private tutor. To succeed in this profession, you must be extremely knowledgeable in your chosen subject and have a business mindset to network as well as manage and market your services. You could also be involved in home-schooling.
16. High school teachers
Average salary: $65,220/year
As a high school teacher, you’ll be responsible for teaching a specific subject to a class of teenagers. You’ll support, observe and record the progress of your students while also preparing them for higher education and their working life. This is a critical area of the teaching field, as it’s where pupils begin to learn transferable skills that they’re able to use throughout their lives, including communication and teamwork skills.
15. Admissions directors
Average salary: $65,520/year
The admissions director provides the all-important link between students and placements into schools or universities. You’ll oversee application processes, enrollment strategies and qualification criteria. The role will require experience in administration roles in education, as well as a degree in education, and previous work history or training in academic counseling. Leadership skills and a high level of resilience will be important for success, too.
14. Special education teachers
Average salary: $65,910/year
If you want to devote your work life to making a real change in people’s lives, this job is ideal for you. Special education teachers work with students with physical or mental disabilities, and they create specialized curricula to meet pupils’ goals and work with parents to monitor students’ progress. The position requires training and certification in the same way as any other teaching role.
13. Curriculum developers
Average salary: $67,942/year
Curriculum developers usually begin their careers as teachers but, with experience, can then advance to developing, testing and implementing a new curriculum for a specific subject, with the goal being to improve student experience. The job may also include teacher training, selection of textbooks, and assessment and practice through student testing.
12. Bilingual education teachers
Average salary: $70,930/year
As a bilingual education teacher, you’ll have the option to work with children and adults, either in an institution or privately, using your native language and a second language to help people learn. You might also have the opportunity to work abroad as part of a TEFL program, where you’ll be able to teach English as a foreign language to non-native English speakers.
11. Instructional coordinators
Average salary: $74,260/year
Whereas curriculum developers establish curricula in general, instructional coordinators develop lesson plans and instructional designs to ensure the curriculum is taught in the right way. The role will require a degree in instructional design or teaching, as well as significant teaching experience. You might be based in schools and colleges but can also work in the L&D department of a non-education-related business.
10. Education policy analysts
Average salary: $78,330/year
If you’re looking for a unique education role that can make a lasting difference, then becoming an education policy analyst might be the one for you. This position advises schools, organizations and governments on educational matters and helps develop meaningful strategic interventions. The role will require a degree in education or policy, as well as development of analytical skills.
9. Superintendents
Average salary: $82,700/year
A superintendent’s responsibilities are focused on financial budgeting and managing the overall operations of a school. They oversee the curriculum and focus on their staff’s career advancement, as well as ensure the school is performing according to standard. You’ll need a doctorate in education and experience within a leadership role in an educational field.
8. Postsecondary educational administrators
Average salary: $86,320/year
Postsecondary educational administrators oversee a specific area of college or university operations, such as admissions, student affairs, faculty, or maybe even an academic program. The role requires at least a master’s degree in education along with significant educational and teaching experience at a postsecondary level.
7. Speech therapists
Average salary: $86,850/year
In this highly educational therapy role, you’ll focus on improving people’s verbal communication skills as well as helping to prevent swallowing disorders in patients. You’ll need to have great interpersonal skills and be able to work with people from all walks of life, including trauma patients. To work in this role, you’ll usually need a master’s degree in speech therapy.
6. Associate professors
Average salary: $93,140/year
Associate or assistant professors are a mid-level teaching role in a college or university, often with a high level of focus on academic research and support, as well as teaching. You’ll generally have years of experience in your chosen field and an in-depth knowledge of the subject you’re teaching. Most universities require associate professors to have a PhD in their chosen subject.
5. Child psychologists
Average salary: $101,530/year
A child psychologist has a highly responsible and important role, diagnosing and treating emotional, behavioral and developmental issues in children. The role is critical for young persons’ development and consequently will require a degree in psychology and the completion of a related doctoral program. You’ll need to gain clinical experience through internships, obtain licensure, and undertake relevant work experience.
4: School principals
Average salary: $103,460/year
If you’ve worked in education for a long time and feel that you have the skills and knowledge to singlehandedly manage an entire school, you could consider applying for the role of a school principal. You’ll generally be responsible for overseeing the operation of the school, while ensuring teachers are meeting guidelines and pupils are focusing on their advancement.
3. College professors
Average salary: $115,900/year
Professors are senior teachers who are usually based in a college or university. They’re required to teach specialized material to a very high level of detail and competence and, as such, need a master's in education and usually a doctoral degree in their chosen subject. To get into the role, you’ll need to become a lecturer first and then work your way up to associate professor.
2. Deans
Average salary: $128,800/year
In a university or college, the academic dean is the head of a specific school or faculty, and typically reports to a chief academic officer. In practice, a dean has a high level of autonomy and is similar to a school principal. Deans oversee the academic and student services and research initiatives. To be successful in this role, you’ll need heaps of experience and a doctorate behind you.
1. Chief academic officers
Average salary: $137,300/year
A chief academic officer is the highest level of manager in a college or university. This education job pays the most, as you’ll be tasked with overseeing education standards in large institutions, as well as be responsible for financial management, admissions, human resources, student relations, communications and PR, and much more. The role is highly strategic, and whereas a strong background in education and experience in teaching is beneficial, business degrees or an MBA will also be very useful.
Final thoughts
The education sector might not be perceived as the best-paying industry in the world, but it can offer the tenacious and career-focused jobseeker a well-paid job. The best-paying jobs in education will require plenty of experience and, of course, a lot of training and qualifications in themselves.
If you’re prepared to enter the career for the long haul and do what it takes to succeed in education, then not only will you enjoy a well-paying career but also get access to different types of jobs, all of which can make a real difference to people’s lives.
Are you considering any of the 25 highest-paying jobs in education featured in our list? Let us know in the comments section below.
This article is a partial update of an earlier version originally published in 2018 by Joanna Zambas.