Side-by-side distribution
Instructional Designer
$87,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.1%
- Live roles
- 302
Teacher
$45,760
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 57.4%
- Live roles
- 3,548
Highest-paying jobs
Instructional Designer
Senior Instructional Designer
Senior Learning Designer, Indian Languages
Instructional Systems Designer
Senior Instructional Systems Designer (ISD)
Learning Experience Designer
Learning Experience Designer
PSL&D Instructional Designer
Learning Experience Designer
Instructional Designer
Highest-paying jobs
NEW SCHOOL - Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
GA PreK Assistant Teacher
Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
Infant / Toddler Teacher
Preschool Teacher / Lead Teacher
Lead GA Pre-K Teacher
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Leidos
|
$115,888 | 6 |
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$113,700 | 5 |
Esri
|
$91,000 | 5 |
| UO University of Wisconsin–Madison | $60,000 | 4 |
Anduril Industries
|
$123,000 | 3 |
BMO
|
$99,000 | 2 |
Loblaw
|
$80,750 | 2 |
Metropolis
|
$80,000 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Bright Horizons
|
$42,172 | 595 |
| KI KinderCare | $41,298 | 138 |
ACCEL Schools
|
$44,750 | 110 |
| SI Stride, Inc. | $47,500 | 88 |
| CC Chesterfield County Public Schools | $72,500 | 81 |
Kreyco
|
$39,000 | 76 |
Acelero Learning
|
$39,655 | 71 |
Sunshine House
|
$33,280 | 52 |
Instructional Designer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $102,500 | 3 |
| New York | $98,350 | 7 |
| Denver | $91,000 | 5 |
| Los Angeles | $82,500 | 3 |
Instructional Designer vs Teacher: which pays more?
The median for Instructional Designer is $87,000 per year (typically $70,050–$115,888), versus $45,760 for Teacher ($39,000–$61,514). That puts Instructional Designer about 90% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Instructional Designer and Teacher 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.