Highest-Paid Jobs in the US Education Sector

Careers in the U.S. education sector include working in middle schools, high schools, and higher education through various channels, such as schools, colleges, training centers, and universities. 

Highest Paid Jobs in the US Education Sector 

The median annual salary for those working in this sector is $52,380, as of 2020. An average that is higher than the median annual salary for all occupations in the United States.  

Aside from teaching jobs, the list also includes training and library occupations. 

Post-Secondary Teacher

Post-secondary teachers teach subjects that are beyond the high school level. Thus, there’s a wide variety of academic and technical subjects that they teach. They also work with students to improve their skills and knowledge on their chosen careers through the classes that they take. Moreover, postsecondary teachers may delve into research to publish their own books and scholarly papers. 

Post-secondary teachers have the highest salary on this list. In fact, in 2020, the average annual salary of a post-secondary teacher is around $80,790. 

Instructional Coordinator

Instructional coordinators are in charge of overseeing school curriculums and standards in teaching by developing materials and implementing them with teachers and principals. Instructional coordinators also evaluate the developed material’s effectiveness. In order to do this, they analyze students’ test data, discuss and assess curriculum standards with other members of the school, review textbooks and other educational materials, and so on. 

As of 2020, instructional coordinators make around $66,970 per year. 

High School Teacher

High school teachers are in charge of preparing their students from grades 9 to 12 for life after graduation. They teach academic subjects and skills that students can use once they pursue higher education, or choose to enter the workforce. Some of the jobs high school teachers do include the following: 

• Prepare lessons
• Assess students’ strengths and weaknesses
• Grade their students’ assignments and exams
• Communicate with parents regarding a student’s progress
• Prepare students before they take standardized tests 

As of 2020, a high school teacher makes around $62,870 per year. 

Special Education Teacher

Special education teachers specifically work with students who have mental, learning, emotional and physical disabilities. Thus, they teach lessons in general education and adapt them to their students’ needs. Moreover, they also develop individualized education programs (IEP) to suit each student’s needs and plan activities that are specific to each student’s abilities. 

Most of the time, special education teachers also teach students between preschool and high school. 

Teachers in special education make around $61,420 per year as of 2020. 

Librarians and Library Media Specialists 

Librarians and library media specialists assist people in finding information and conducting their research for both personal and professional use.

Their job includes creating and using the library’s database, organizing library materials for easier search, teaching about information resources, preparing the budget for the library, and so on. Moreover, their duties may vary depending on their work setting, such as a public library, school library, and medical library. 

Librarians and library specialists make around $60,820 per year. 

Know which degrees to take to get a job in the U.S. education sector. Browse through MSM Unify’s article and list of courses now. If you are still unsure about studying in the United States but want to know which higher education institutions in the US offer free tuition, check out our article on this topic.