Side-by-side distribution
Instructional Designer
$90,656
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 33.8%
- Live roles
- 296
School Administrator
$96,647
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47.7%
- Live roles
- 44
Highest-paying jobs
Instructional Designer
Senior Learning Designer, Indian Languages
Instructional Systems Designer
Instructional Systems Designer
Learning Experience Designer - Sales Enablement
Sr. Instructional Designer, Learning Operations
Learning Experience Designer
Instructional Designer
Instructional Designer, Senior
Cyber Instructional System Designer, Senior
Highest-paying jobs
Elementary School Principal (2027-2028)
Middle School Principal (2027-2028)
Principal / Head of School
2026-27 Middle School Assistant Principal of STEM
Assistant Principal of Specialized Services - 2026/2027 School Year
Middle School Assistant Principal (2027-2028)
Director of Development for Principal Gifts at Cockrell School
IEP and Student Services Administrator, Weekdays, The Ridge School
PNCA Dean of Students for Community Care & Inclusion
Founding Principal (AMS Ft. Smith) 2027-2028 School Year
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
General Assembly
|
$104,000 | 6 |
|
Leidos
|
$115,888 | 5 |
|
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$113,700 | 4 |
Qualtrics
|
$75,000 | 3 |
Anduril Industries
|
$118,750 | 2 |
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
|
$102,275 | 2 |
T-Mobile
|
$101,250 | 2 |
Metropolis
|
$80,000 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Zeta Charter Schools
|
$152,500 | 3 |
|
Masterycharter
|
$92,988 | 2 |
ACCEL Schools
|
$81,250 | 2 |
|
The University of Texas at Austin
|
$70,920 | 2 |
|
Brilla Schools
|
$130,440 | 1 |
| IS International Schools Partnership | $126,008 | 1 |
|
Willamette University
|
$107,500 | 1 |
| AS AMS Schools | $102,500 | 1 |
Instructional Designer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $101,250 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $82,500 | 3 |
| New York | $80,000 | 5 |
School Administrator salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $130,440 | 5 |
Instructional Designer vs School Administrator: which pays more?
The median for Instructional Designer is $90,656 per year (typically $75,000–$110,585), versus $96,647 for School Administrator ($69,200–$116,775). That puts School Administrator about 7% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Instructional Designer and School Administrator are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.