Side-by-side distribution
Instructional Designer
$85,050
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 12.2%
- Live roles
- 147
School Administrator
$100,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 45.9%
- Live roles
- 37
Highest-paying jobs
Instructional System Designer
Instructional Designer, RapidLearning
Learning Experience Designer
Instructional Designer
Instructional Designer ( onsite)
Senior Learning Experience Designer
Senior Learning Experience Designer
Principal Learning Experience Designer
Sr. Instructional Designer
Learning Experience Designer
Highest-paying jobs
Elementary School Principal NYC | Charter School Leadership
Middle School Principal NYC | Charter School Leadership
ReGeneration Schools (Chicago), Elementary School Principal
2026-27 Middle School Assistant Principal of STEM
2026-27 Middle School Assistant Principal of Student Services
Founding Assistant Principal NYC | K–1 Charter School
Middle School STEM Assistant Principal | NYC
Assistant Principal Humanities NYC | Middle School Leadership
High School Assistant Principal (26-27)
Elementary School Principal (2026-2027 SY)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$118,500 | 2 |
|
Modern Family Law
|
$80,000 | 2 |
FreedomCare
|
$75,000 | 2 |
|
Helion
|
$136,000 | 1 |
|
MKS2 Technologies
|
$125,000 | 1 |
|
IMC
|
$125,000 | 1 |
|
Twilio
|
$112,230 | 1 |
| ML Mission Lane | $109,625 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Zeta Charter Schools
|
$117,500 | 5 |
Masterycharter
|
$5,000 | 4 |
|
Brilla Schools
|
$130,440 | 2 |
|
Alpha Public Schools
|
$90,433 | 2 |
ACCEL Schools
|
$67,500 | 2 |
|
Edgility Search
|
$135,000 | 1 |
|
Democracy Prep Public Schools
|
$94,350 | 1 |
School Administrator salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $130,440 | 6 |
Instructional Designer vs School Administrator: which pays more?
The median for Instructional Designer is $85,050 per year (typically $75,625–$113,558), versus $100,000 for School Administrator ($55,000–$130,440). That puts School Administrator about 18% 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.