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.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying education jobs in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 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.
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Providence that don’t require a college degree


Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
#41. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $35,800
– #66 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,560
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)

CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images
#40. Preschool teachers, except special education
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $36,270
– #170 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,820
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)

Education Images // Getty Images
#39. Substitute teachers, short-term
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $38,260
– #124 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,340
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)

Brian S. Hagberg // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Self-enrichment teachers
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $42,360
– #177 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 960
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)

Pixabay
#37. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $47,150
– #25 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60
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)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Providence metro area

StockphotoVideo // Shutterstock
#36. Museum technicians and conservators
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $48,480
– #27 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160
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)

Unsplash
#35. Library technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $50,460
– #17 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140
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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#34. Tutors
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $52,430
– #14 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170
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)

industryviews // Shutterstock
#33. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $52,930
– #252 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370
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)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#32. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $59,380
– #64 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Providence, according to Tripadvisor

Simon Fraser Universtiy // flickr
#31. Instructional coordinators
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $67,190
– #213 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,160
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
#30. Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $68,790
– #40 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
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)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock
#29. Librarians and media collections specialists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $69,280
– #55 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 750
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)

Marcwathieu // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Curators
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $71,320
– #15 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
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)

Jeff Reed // flickr
#27. Archivists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $71,600
– #6 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Providence, according to Tripadvisor

B Brown // Shutterstock
#26. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $73,590
– #89 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 5,810
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)

The Boston Globe // Getty Images
#25. Elementary school teachers, except special education
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $74,210
– #66 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 4,750
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)

DGLimages // Shutterstock
#24. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $75,530
– #48 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,000
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)

Lopolo // Shutterstock
#23. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $76,730
– #56 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,560
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)

Photographee.eu // Shutterstock
#22. Special education teachers, secondary school
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $78,060
– #52 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 750
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)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Providence metro area

Iam_Anupong // Shutterstock
#21. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $79,620
– #26 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480
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)

Fabrice Florin // flickr
#20. Education teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $80,630
– #34 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 360
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)

Canva
#19. Special education teachers, middle school
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $81,020
– #23 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 400
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)

Mark Warner // Flickr
#18. Social work teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $81,360
– #13 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
National
– Annual mean salary: $77,650
– Employment: 12,280
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($112,000)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($106,460)
— Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA ($96,040)

industryviews // Shutterstock
#17. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $85,110
– #30 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250
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)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in Providence, according to Tripadvisor

Suzannekweiss // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $86,560
– #44 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260
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)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock
#15. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $90,900
– #19 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 370
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)

Fae // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $91,750
– #30 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150
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)

Shane Global // flickr
#13. Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $92,920
– #13 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150
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)

Monica Volpin // pixabay
#12. Library science teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $98,100
– #5 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30
National
– Annual mean salary: $80,850
– Employment: 4,330
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($154,890)
— Tuscaloosa, AL ($104,810)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($102,320)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Providence, according to Tripadvisor

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#11. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $98,160
– #38 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200
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)

COD Newsroom // Flickr
#10. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $99,640
– #9 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290
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)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#9. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $106,470
– #20 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190
National
– Annual mean salary: $98,710
– Employment: 47,690
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($181,560)
— Visalia-Porterville, CA ($166,470)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($152,140)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#8. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $108,060
– #14 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 250
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)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock
#7. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $114,650
– #10 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
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)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Providence

Irina.stelea // Wikimedia Commons
#6. History teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $115,860
– #6 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200
National
– Annual mean salary: $86,460
– Employment: 18,590
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($148,420)
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($129,020)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,560)

University of the Fraser Valley // flickr
#5. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $116,300
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160
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)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#4. Architecture teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $122,110
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
National
– Annual mean salary: $98,600
– Employment: 5,950
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($155,970)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,550)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($142,180)

Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
#3. Business teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $123,650
– #24 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 450
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
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $128,240
– #39 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380
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)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Providence metro area

GaudiLab // Shutterstock
#1. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $130,000
– #13 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210
National
– Annual mean salary: $115,590
– Employment: 35,440
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Ann Arbor, MI ($157,030)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($154,130)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($153,050)

