
Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Portland, Maine
Highest and lowest paying education jobs in Portland, Maine
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 median annual salary across all teaching professions is $57,949—about $3,000 below the median annual salary of all working professionals with a bachelor’s degree or higher. 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 Portland-South Portland, ME using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2019 annual mean wage. Keep reading to discover the highest- and lowest-paying education jobs in your city.

#30. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $27,290
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,460
- Employment: 587,120
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salisbury, MD-DE ($58,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,870)
--- Salinas, CA ($49,790)

#29. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $37,250
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,330
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,640
- Employment: 1,346,910
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($41,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($41,430)
--- New Bedford, MA ($41,360)

#28. Library technicians
- Annual mean salary: $37,310
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,950
- Employment: 88,720
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($58,980)
--- Iowa City, IA ($54,140)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($52,650)

#27. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $38,920
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
- Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($55,430)
--- Laredo, TX ($50,350)
--- Waterbury, CT ($49,840)
#26. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $44,130
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,420
- Employment: 112,210
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($92,930)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($90,500)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($89,100)

#25. Self-enrichment teachers
- Annual mean salary: $45,350
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,120
- Employment: 252,780
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($65,570)
--- Warner Robins, GA ($65,340)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($64,710)

#24. Curators
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,130
- Employment: 12,890
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($82,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,640)
--- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ($76,200)
#23. Librarians and media collections specialists
- Annual mean salary: $56,400
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,920
- Employment: 135,690
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($89,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,390)
--- Merced, CA ($87,800)

#22. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Annual mean salary: $57,150
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $64,420
- Employment: 193,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Merced, CA ($93,990)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,040)
--- Fresno, CA ($89,480)

#21. Instructional coordinators
- Annual mean salary: $57,620
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,180
- Employment: 176,690
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($117,990)
--- New Haven, CT ($111,750)
--- Warner Robins, GA ($103,980)

#20. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,210
- Employment: 124,290
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Merced, CA ($97,220)
--- Modesto, CA ($91,230)
--- Kingston, NY ($89,850)

#19. Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $58,470
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,720
- Employment: 15,880
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($132,460)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($101,230)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($94,590)

#18. Special education teachers, middle school
- Annual mean salary: $59,950
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,740
- Employment: 85,840
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($86,410)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($85,440)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($85,340)
#17. Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
- Annual mean salary: $60,050
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,980
- Employment: 51,950
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($94,920)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($92,360)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($90,000)

#16. Elementary school teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $60,690
- #151 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,370
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,930
- Employment: 1,430,480
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kingston, NY ($92,090)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($90,270)
--- Merced, CA ($89,910)

#15. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $60,940
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,330
- Employment: 51,150
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($143,390)
--- Fresno, CA ($127,330)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,750)

#14. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $61,390
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,930
- Employment: 1,035,850
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bakersfield, CA ($97,680)
--- Fresno, CA ($93,410)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,350)

#13. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- Employment: 143,170
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,500)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($93,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,110)

#12. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- Annual mean salary: $61,660
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,290
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,550
- Employment: 622,330
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kingston, NY ($91,610)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,350)
--- El Centro, CA ($89,610)

#11. Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $63,090
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,220
- Employment: 94,060
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($119,250)
--- Rochester, NY ($114,810)
--- Provo-Orem, UT ($112,520)

#10. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $63,740
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,560
- Employment: 61,300
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rochester, NY ($108,450)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($107,300)
--- Toledo, OH ($106,940)

#9. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $64,230
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $85,240
- Employment: 13,850
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($121,440)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($119,800)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($118,900)
#8. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $65,950
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $87,530
- Employment: 37,480
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($129,120)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($128,700)
--- Fresno, CA ($127,520)

#7. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $69,150
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,700
- Employment: 53,090
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($143,420)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($142,610)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($140,810)

#6. English language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $70,050
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,180
- Employment: 67,930
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($138,190)
--- Fresno, CA ($128,540)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($121,070)

#5. History teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $73,980
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,210
- Employment: 21,030
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($144,240)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($127,460)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($114,750)

#4. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $76,100
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,440
- Employment: 83,920
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($177,360)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($154,210)
--- Tuscaloosa, AL ($141,870)

#3. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $76,260
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,970
- Employment: 23,490
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($155,290)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($134,000)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($133,610)

#2. Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $84,730
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,690
- Employment: 11,020
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($147,800)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($146,430)
--- Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI ($138,680)

#1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $111,100
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $121,620
- Employment: 201,920
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jacksonville, FL ($202,430)
--- Jackson, MS ($185,500)
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($184,130)



