15 Highest-Paying Jobs With a Teaching Degree for 2025

Teaching jobs are not known for being the highest-paid jobs around, but they can be very rewarding, and some positions may earn you a very comfortable income.

If you're thinking about obtaining a teaching degree, you may be wondering about the highest-paying teaching jobs and which education degree jobs are available. Teaching does not have a reputation for being one of the high-paying bachelor's degree jobs around today, but it is a rewarding career with the potential to let individuals earn a comfortable living — and some jobs can pay salaries in the six digits.

Below, we'll provide more details on the highest-paying teaching jobs and their average salaries.

Highest-Paying Teaching Jobs

The following high-paying jobs in the education field are all potential options when you have an undergraduate teaching degree, or a combination of undergraduate and graduate-level education. Note that you may need state certifications and licenses to obtain any of the following jobs in the education sector, depending on the location.

The following salary information was sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which provides official data on wages, employment trends, and job outlooks across various industries, in addition to estimated salaries from Indeed.com. Please note that these salaries are based on national averages. The actual salary will vary depending on experience level, geographic area, and other factors.

1. School Superintendent

Median Salary: $149,159

As one of the highest-paying teaching jobs, a career as a school superintendent can be very rewarding. Typically, you'll need a bachelor's degree in teaching or education, several years of experience teaching, and a few years of administrative experience. Many school superintendents have doctoral degrees and significant school administration knowledge.

School superintendents are responsible for entire school districts. They make decisions for school districts and create policies for the good of the district's educational system for public and private schools.

2. School Principal

Median Salary: $103,460

School principals often have a bachelor's degree in teaching or education, as well as a master's degree in administration or educational leadership. They're responsible for all aspects of a school's operations, and they may oversee budgets, curriculum creation, special education programs, and hiring or training tasks. They also represent the school in public events or media.

3. College Education Administrator

Median Salary: $102,610

College education administrators work in universities and colleges. They use their knowledge of teaching, education processes, and administrative tasks to support educational programs.

Typically, a master's degree and experience within the education sector are required to achieve this career; still, some may start as teachers with a bachelor's degree and work their way up.

4. Assistant Principal

Median Salary: $85,733

Assistant principals work directly with school principals to support the planning and direction of educational programs. There may be one or more assistant principals within a school, depending on the school district and the needs of the school.

Most assistant principals have a degree in education and additional experience in leadership or a master's degree in educational leadership.

5. College Professor

Median Salary: $84,380

Also referred to as postsecondary teachers, college professors teach students at colleges and universities. They provide more in-depth instruction into specific subjects and classroom hours are typically accompanied by grading, creating lesson plans, and holding office hours for students.

Many college professors have doctoral degrees, but several schools hire professors with master's degrees, or sometimes a bachelor's degree if they have significant teaching experience.

6. Instructional Coordinator

Median Salary: $74,620

A strong background in teaching and school administration is essential if you want to be an instructional coordinator. Many individuals pursuing this career have a master's degree, as well as a bachelor's degree.

Instructional coordinators oversee and develop teaching standards for schools, and they also test the effectiveness of different curriculums and educational initiatives.

7. Special Education Teacher

Median Salary: $65,910

Special education teachers work closely with students with disabilities, including learning, mental, physical, and emotional disabilities. These teachers adapt lessons to meet the needs of students and ensure students move through general education curriculum. Special education teachers may work in public or private schools.

If you want to pursue this role, you'll need a bachelor's degree in teaching or special education, in addition to meeting state licensing requirements for this career.

8. High School Teacher

Median Salary: $65,220

To be a high school teacher, you'll need a bachelor's degree in teaching or education, along with applicable state licenses or certifications. You will also need a strong background in the subject that you are teaching.

High school teachers specialize in one or more subjects and teach several classes throughout the day. They must also grade papers and create lesson plans.

9. Librarian

Median Salary: $64,370

Librarians and library media specialists can work in public schools, private schools, colleges and universities, or community libraries. Being a librarian requires good communication skills and the ability to organize and categorize books. Librarians also host library education events and teach students how to use library systems.

You will need a master's degree in library science at most community libraries, but you can work in a school library with just a bachelor's degree and applicable teaching licenses.

10. Middle School Teacher

Median Salary: $64,290

Similar to high school teachers, middle school teachers need a bachelor's degree in teaching or education and state-level licenses or certifications. They teach students general education basics and prepare them for high school.

Many middle school teachers conduct several classes throughout the day — in addition to monitoring school activities, grading papers, and developing lesson plans. Preparing students for standardized testing is also a big responsibility for middle school teachers.

11. Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher

Median Salary: $63,670

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers work closely with children throughout the day, so knowledge of early childhood education is necessary. Teachers will instruct their students on basic knowledge and various subjects throughout the day, preparing them for more advanced schooling and ensuring students meet certain knowledge benchmarks.

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree in teaching or education and the proper teaching licenses.

12. Career and Technical Teachers

Median Salary: $63,580

Career and technical teachers work in middle schools, high schools, and colleges to teach vocational and technical subjects. Common classes they may teach include auto repair, culinary arts, and first aid courses.

Most career and technical teachers will need a bachelor's degree in teaching or another subject and significant experience in the field they wish to teach. Some public schools may require that these teachers receive adequate state licensing.

13. School Counselor

Median Salary: $61,710

School counselors may also double as career counselors, and these professionals can be called academic advisors when they work in colleges. School counselors work directly with students to help them choose career paths, provide guidance within the academic world, and support student success.

You will typically need a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in school counseling or a related field plus applicable certifications, to achieve this career.

14. English as a Second Language Teacher

Median Salary: $60,560

English as a second language (ESL) teachers are responsible for teaching adults and college students how to speak English and the basics of the English language; these teachers may work in elementary, middle, and high schools in certain communities.

ESL teachers need a bachelor's degree in teaching or education, in addition to the proper licenses. A focus on teaching non-native English speakers or significant experience in this field is preferred.

15. Private Tutor

Median Salary: $39,580 (part-time)

Private tutors have less stringent education requirements than other types of teaching jobs. Though their salary averages to nearly $40,000, most of these tutors only work part-time, which means they can earn high hourly rates. Often, college students work part-time as private tutors and can become professional private tutors in a specific subject once they graduate or gain work experience in that area.

Tutors may set their own rates if they're self-employed, or they may work for a school or other educational organization. Depending on the content taught, most private tutors will have a bachelor's degree in the subject, though state licensing typically isn't necessary.

FAQs About Top-Paying Teaching Jobs

Top-paying teaching jobs can raise some questions, especially when it comes to degree requirements. Below, we'll answer your most frequently asked questions.

What Can You Do With an Education Degree?

Careers in education are fulfilling for many, and there are several different career paths you can take within the education field once you have an education degree. If you want to work in education but not as a teacher specifically, you can consider many other roles as an education degree can help pave the way to being an academic advisor, a career counselor, or an instructional coordinator for educational programs.

What Other Jobs Can I Do With a Teaching Degree?

When looking for jobs with a teaching degree, it's important to keep in mind your preferences and whether or not you want a job outside of the classroom. There are plenty of avenues a teaching degree can take you down, including jobs like being a principal, an educational consultant, a career counselor, or a private tutor.

What Is the Highest-Paying Job in Education?

The highest paying job in education you can obtain is that of school superintendent. They can earn a salary in the six digits.

School superintendents oversee school districts and make important decisions that influence entire school districts and the educational policies of the schools within a district. It can take several years and lots of experience in the educational sector to achieve this career.

Explore Teaching Degree Programs

If you are interested in high paying education jobs, explore various teaching degree programs and the jobs you can get with a teaching degree. At Learn.org, we provide plenty of information on online and in-person teaching degree programs that can help you achieve your goals &emdash; look through the programs on our website to find the ideal teaching degree program for your needs.