Whether you picture hard-working teachers buying school supplies for their students or genius professors shaping future leaders, it’s fair to say education encompasses a wide variety of jobs. So much so that there’s room to specialize and pursue your passion.
Historically, teachers’ pay is a rather contentious topic. The average teacher salary is about $2,000 less than a decade ago after adjusting for inflation. Despite this, many of these jobs are rewarding in more ways than one. In other words, education can be very lucrative—particularly within specialty fields.
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Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying education jobs in Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage. Keep reading to discover the highest and lowest paying education jobs in your city.
Education Images // Getty Images
#44. Substitute teachers, short-term
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $20,750
– #402 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,450
National
– Annual mean salary: $38,410
– Employment: 374,620
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Prescott, AZ ($64,310)
— Appleton, WI ($63,310)
— Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($58,770)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
#43. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $27,890
– #276 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 5,880
National
– Annual mean salary: $31,760
– Employment: 1,187,270
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($46,390)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,820)
Unsplash
#42. Library technicians
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $32,490
– #238 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260
National
– Annual mean salary: $39,070
– Employment: 73,000
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950)
— Napa, CA ($57,890)
CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images
#41. Preschool teachers, except special education
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $32,540
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,770
National
– Annual mean salary: $36,460
– Employment: 391,670
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990)
— Ocean City, NJ ($49,720)
— Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)
Pixabay
#40. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $34,410
– #90 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $41,170
– Employment: 121,290
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Arecibo, PR ($62,080)
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,560)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($59,380)
Brian S. Hagberg // Wikimedia Commons
#39. Self-enrichment teachers
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $34,900
– #373 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 910
National
– Annual mean salary: $49,230
– Employment: 216,910
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350)
— Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650)
— Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#38. Tutors
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $38,270
– #145 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 640
National
– Annual mean salary: $41,780
– Employment: 147,100
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Pittsfield, MA ($82,910)
— Santa Fe, NM ($68,440)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,110)
StockphotoVideo // Shutterstock
#37. Museum technicians and conservators
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $40,690
– #41 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50
National
– Annual mean salary: $52,030
– Employment: 10,960
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,670)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($73,740)
— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($68,180)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#36. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $50,530
– #127 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100
National
– Annual mean salary: $60,650
– Employment: 38,260
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($96,640)
— Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,290)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,740)
Jeff Reed // flickr
#35. Archivists
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $50,780
– #30 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
National
– Annual mean salary: $61,880
– Employment: 6,120
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($84,080)
— Ann Arbor, MI ($79,270)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($75,800)
Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
#34. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $50,910
– #301 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,130
National
– Annual mean salary: $64,490
– Employment: 120,730
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($95,420)
— Kingston, NY ($92,160)
— Salinas, CA ($90,490)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#33. Special education teachers, preschool
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $52,590
– #70 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60
National
– Annual mean salary: $71,970
– Employment: 21,130
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($101,190)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($100,010)
— Worcester, MA-CT ($97,900)
The Boston Globe // Getty Images
#32. Elementary school teachers, except special education
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $53,210
– #345 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 7,790
National
– Annual mean salary: $67,080
– Employment: 1,329,280
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,860)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($91,430)
— Salinas, CA ($91,280)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
#31. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $53,430
– #345 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 3,190
National
– Annual mean salary: $66,880
– Employment: 592,000
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bakersfield, CA ($109,060)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($107,280)
— Yuba City, CA ($94,480)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
#30. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $54,440
– #286 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,270
National
– Annual mean salary: $67,090
– Employment: 187,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($102,210)
— Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,730)
— Chico, CA ($88,430)
Canva
#29. Special education teachers, middle school
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $55,350
– #210 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 340
National
– Annual mean salary: $68,860
– Employment: 79,070
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($117,940)
— Worcester, MA-CT ($94,630)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($94,140)
B Brown // Shutterstock
#28. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $55,430
– #346 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 6,450
National
– Annual mean salary: $69,530
– Employment: 1,020,240
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,010)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($101,980)
— Bakersfield, CA ($97,490)
Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
#27. Special education teachers, secondary school
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $55,920
– #272 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 630
National
– Annual mean salary: $70,100
– Employment: 145,690
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($110,320)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($106,590)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($103,540)
industryviews // Shutterstock
#26. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $56,230
– #221 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 780
National
– Annual mean salary: $68,960
– Employment: 84,360
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,160)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,490)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($115,060)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
#25. Librarians and media collections specialists
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $57,440
– #206 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 660
National
– Annual mean salary: $64,180
– Employment: 127,790
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($94,230)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,990)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($89,220)
Kenny Holston // flickr
#24. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $57,470
– #62 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50
National
– Annual mean salary: $79,080
– Employment: 13,860
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($136,830)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($123,660)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($121,590)
Marcwathieu // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Curators
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $60,180
– #42 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60
National
– Annual mean salary: $63,880
– Employment: 11,030
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($96,990)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($94,020)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,680)
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industryviews // Shutterstock
#22. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $60,730
– #133 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480
National
– Annual mean salary: $63,130
– Employment: 105,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Rosa, CA ($116,850)
— Champaign-Urbana, IL ($97,110)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($95,200)
United States Department of Agriculture // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $62,880
– #23 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50
National
– Annual mean salary: $97,520
– Employment: 8,570
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,040)
— Fort Collins, CO ($114,930)
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($105,250)
Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr
#20. Instructional coordinators
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $62,960
– #290 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,540
National
– Annual mean salary: $70,560
– Employment: 184,740
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salem, OR ($93,890)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($93,760)
— Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,430)
Florida Fish and Wildlife // flickr
#19. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $64,370
– #54 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30
National
– Annual mean salary: $81,730
– Employment: 13,790
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($161,540)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($152,830)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($132,020)
COD Newsroom // Flickr
#18. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $65,390
– #130 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380
National
– Annual mean salary: $82,680
– Employment: 58,480
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($162,660)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,980)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($132,320)
Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr
#17. Communications teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $65,820
– #84 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110
National
– Annual mean salary: $84,580
– Employment: 27,330
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($149,400)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($127,260)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($124,320)
uroburos // pixabay
#16. Geography teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $66,530
– #21 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $88,150
– Employment: 3,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($140,130)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,200)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,120)
Shane Global // flickr
#15. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $75,350
– #44 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130
National
– Annual mean salary: $82,990
– Employment: 19,640
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($149,170)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($130,560)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($129,250)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#14. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $77,060
– #86 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 270
National
– Annual mean salary: $87,980
– Employment: 44,140
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($157,340)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($149,220)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($138,090)
University of the Fraser Valley // flickr
#13. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $78,210
– #53 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200
National
– Annual mean salary: $88,260
– Employment: 20,850
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($147,650)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($129,190)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($127,730)
Fabrice Florin // flickr
#12. Education teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $80,820
– #33 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380
National
– Annual mean salary: $76,990
– Employment: 58,780
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($119,140)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($112,130)
— Salt Lake City, UT ($110,160)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#11. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $84,150
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150
National
– Annual mean salary: $89,610
– Employment: 37,600
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($152,280)
— Auburn-Opelika, AL ($145,360)
— Tuscaloosa, AL ($144,170)
Suzannekweiss // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $85,330
– #46 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 400
National
– Annual mean salary: $82,040
– Employment: 68,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($146,700)
— Charlottesville, VA ($109,450)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($109,310)
Fae // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $87,630
– #46 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260
National
– Annual mean salary: $88,390
– Employment: 36,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($141,130)
— Iowa City, IA ($131,770)
— Ann Arbor, MI ($117,020)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
#8. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $87,940
– #24 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 450
National
– Annual mean salary: $86,240
– Employment: 94,720
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($180,910)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($160,360)
— Bakersfield, CA ($151,060)
ESB Professional // Shutterstock
#7. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $88,320
– #36 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $102,840
– Employment: 10,250
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($152,120)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($149,790)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($147,770)
Tulane Public Relations // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $89,630
– #23 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90
National
– Annual mean salary: $87,850
– Employment: 12,550
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($143,100)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($139,630)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($119,830)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#5. Physics teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $92,620
– #38 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90
National
– Annual mean salary: $99,480
– Employment: 12,460
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($148,140)
— San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($144,580)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($142,450)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
#4. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $93,540
– #32 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 230
National
– Annual mean salary: $94,060
– Employment: 20,260
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($140,550)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($136,870)
— Salt Lake City, UT ($135,160)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
#3. Business teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $102,190
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 540
National
– Annual mean salary: $105,720
– Employment: 79,640
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Auburn-Opelika, AL ($175,640)
— Ann Arbor, MI ($175,080)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($154,600)
Canva
#2. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $108,720
– #79 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 530
National
– Annual mean salary: $133,310
– Employment: 191,830
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($226,440)
— Jackson, MS ($202,690)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($183,250)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#1. Political science teachers, postsecondary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
– Annual mean salary: $111,460
– #10 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100
National
– Annual mean salary: $98,980
– Employment: 14,060
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($155,350)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($150,290)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($140,340)
