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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Here's what the national average hides about Postsecondary Teacher pay: The national median salary for Postsecondary Teachers in 2026 is $89,940, with entry-level positions averaging $64,757 and senior roles reaching $127,715. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Santa Clara pays a median of $167,410, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Positioned in Education within the broader Education industry, Postsecondary Teachers typically hold Master's or PhD. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is campus/hybrid. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$97,628 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Postsecondary Teacher in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $167,410 — $97,628 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($69,782). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The three-tier salary picture for Postsecondary Teachers in 2026: $64,757 at entry (P10), $89,940 at midpoint, and $127,715 at the senior end (P90). But raw salary is only half the story. The $62,958 range from bottom to top isn't just experience — it's geography, specialization, and industry mixed together. The median itself lands $9,573 above the national median household income of $80,367.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Santa Clara, Irvine, San Francisco) averages $158,466, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Jackson, Macon) averages $71,498. The $86,968 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Postsecondary Teacher in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $167,410 — $97,628 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($69,782). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Postsecondary Teacher is $64,757, while senior-level (P90) earners average $127,715. That $62,958 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
Hawaii pays the highest average median salary for Postsecondary Teachers at $114,251 across 1 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Hampshire at $93,831) is $20,420.
At the 90th percentile, Postsecondary Teachers pull in an average of $127,715. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $64,757 | $89,940 | $127,715 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £35,173 | £48,852 | £69,369 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$64,367 | CA$89,398 | CA$126,946 |
| Australia | 13 | A$75,824 | A$105,312 | A$149,542 |
| Sweden | 24 | 418,792 kr | 581,656 kr | 825,952 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1 | $82,261 | $114,251 | $162,236 |
| California | 61 | $73,908 | $102,650 | $145,764 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $71,249 | $98,957 | $140,519 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $69,381 | $96,362 | $136,834 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $67,558 | $93,831 | $133,240 |
| Washington | 8 | $66,207 | $91,953 | $130,574 |
| Oregon | 5 | $65,468 | $90,928 | $129,118 |
| Colorado | 11 | $65,123 | $90,448 | $128,436 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $65,088 | $90,399 | $128,367 |
| New York | 5 | $64,776 | $89,966 | $127,752 |
| Illinois | 5 | $64,630 | $89,763 | $127,464 |
| Nevada | 5 | $63,889 | $88,734 | $126,003 |
| Virginia | 7 | $63,852 | $88,683 | $125,931 |
| Idaho | 3 | $63,852 | $88,683 | $125,931 |
| Utah | 4 | $63,321 | $87,945 | $124,882 |
| Florida | 22 | $63,261 | $87,863 | $124,765 |
| Arizona | 12 | $63,199 | $87,776 | $124,643 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $63,123 | $87,671 | $124,493 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $62,395 | $86,659 | $123,056 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $61,969 | $86,068 | $122,216 |
| Michigan | 6 | $61,898 | $85,969 | $122,077 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $61,867 | $85,927 | $122,016 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $61,738 | $85,747 | $121,761 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $60,754 | $84,380 | $119,820 |
| Alaska | 1 | $60,754 | $84,380 | $119,820 |
| Iowa | 2 | $60,754 | $84,380 | $119,820 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $60,754 | $84,380 | $119,820 |
| Montana | 1 | $60,754 | $84,380 | $119,820 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $59,923 | $83,227 | $118,182 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $59,843 | $83,115 | $118,023 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $59,836 | $83,105 | $118,009 |
| Texas | 40 | $59,754 | $82,992 | $117,849 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $59,554 | $82,714 | $117,453 |
| Georgia | 6 | $59,387 | $82,482 | $117,124 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $59,311 | $82,376 | $116,974 |
| Indiana | 3 | $59,154 | $82,158 | $116,665 |
| Alabama | 5 | $58,494 | $81,241 | $115,362 |
| Ohio | 6 | $58,364 | $81,061 | $115,107 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $58,323 | $81,005 | $115,027 |
| Maryland | 1 | $58,262 | $80,920 | $114,906 |
| Missouri | 4 | $58,218 | $80,857 | $114,818 |
| Kansas | 4 | $58,081 | $80,667 | $114,548 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $57,838 | $80,330 | $114,069 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $57,534 | $79,908 | $113,470 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $53,828 | $74,761 | $106,161 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $51,337 | $71,301 | $101,247 |
The state salary map for Postsecondary Teachers: Hawaii at $114,251, California at $102,650, Massachusetts at $98,957 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($71,301), Arkansas ($74,761), Nebraska ($79,908) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $42,950.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Santa Clara ($167,410 nominal, 198 cost index) delivers $84,551 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oceanside California | $123,617 | 146 | $84,669 | $75,009 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $167,410 | 198 | $84,551 | $99,117 |
| 3 | Boston Massachusetts | $127,667 | 151 | $84,548 | $82,728 |
| 4 | Huntington Beach California | $142,855 | 169 | $84,530 | $85,599 |
| 5 | Fremont California | $149,606 | 177 | $84,523 | $89,316 |
| 6 | Irvine California | $155,512 | 184 | $84,517 | $92,567 |
| 7 | Bellevue Washington | $142,771 | 169 | $84,480 | $104,541 |
| 8 | Thousand Oaks California | $135,767 | 161 | $84,327 | $81,697 |
| 9 | Los Angeles California | $123,954 | 147 | $84,322 | $75,194 |
| 10 | Anaheim California | $123,110 | 146 | $84,322 | $74,730 |
The $62,958 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Postsecondary Teacher career. Senior-level earners make 2.0× what entry-level professionals do — a solid progression that justifies the upfront investment. In the Education sector, growing, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Postsecondary Teachers is $89,940 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $64,757, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $127,715.
The highest-paying city for Postsecondary Teachers is Santa Clara, California with a median salary of $167,410. The top 3 cities are Santa Clara ($167,410), Irvine ($155,512), San Francisco ($152,475). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Postsecondary Teacher salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $69,782. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Postsecondary Teachers (10th percentile) average $64,757 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $120,535. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Postsecondary Teachers average $127,715 nationally — $62,958 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Postsecondary Teachers can earn up to $237,722.
The top-paying states for Postsecondary Teachers are Hawaii ($114,251 median), California ($102,650 median), Massachusetts ($98,957 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Postsecondary Teacher involves Master's or PhD. The field is in the Education sector (Education), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically campus/hybrid.
With a national median of $89,940 and representation across 288 metro areas, Postsecondary Teacher offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $62,958 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.