Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors (SOC 25-3011) earn a median $61,540 a year ($29.59 an hour) in the United States, with 37,310 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors do
Instructors in this occupation teach basic education, literacy, or English as a second language to adults and out-of-school youths, and they teach classes that lead to a high school equivalency credential. They observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress and suggest improvements, observe students to determine qualifications, limitations, abilities, and interests, set clear objectives for lessons, units, and projects, and adapt teaching methods and materials to varying needs and abilities. They prepare materials and classrooms, instruct individuals and groups through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations, and plan and conduct a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time. They also encourage students to explore learning opportunities that prepare them for further education. Titles include adult basic education instructor, adult education coordinator, and adult education specialist. The work differs from K-12 teaching because the learners are adults and out-of-school youth.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Academic Specialist, Adult Basic Education Instructor, Adult Basic Education Teacher, Adult Basic Studies Teacher, Adult Education Coordinator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.10 | $23.61 | $29.59 | $37.35 | $47.13 | $31.66 | 37,310 |
| Annual | $41,810 | $49,100 | $61,540 | $77,690 | $98,030 | $65,860 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $26.89 | $33.05 | $49.05 | $60.14 | $63.23 | $47.06 | 1,660 | 0.09 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $55,930 | $68,750 | $102,030 | $125,090 | $131,510 | $97,890 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $19.72 | $28.78 | $38.99 | $45.41 | $50.20 | $37.22 | 1,350 | 0.32 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $41,030 | $59,870 | $81,100 | $94,450 | $104,410 | $77,410 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $23.73 | $30.00 | $37.79 | $39.75 | $50.30 | $36.86 | 200 | 0.41 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $49,360 | $62,390 | $78,600 | $82,670 | $104,630 | $76,660 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.52 | $30.99 | $37.50 | $46.47 | $61.97 | $41.77 | 2,810 | 0.29 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $48,930 | $64,460 | $78,010 | $96,650 | $128,900 | $86,880 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.25 | $29.59 | $36.92 | $40.58 | $48.21 | $36.51 | 2,880 | 0.98 | 4.06 |
| Annual | $50,430 | $61,540 | $76,800 | $84,410 | $100,280 | $75,930 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $19.44 | $22.16 | $24.91 | $29.80 | $34.68 | $26.01 | 3,720 | 0.75 | 3.14 |
| Annual | $40,440 | $46,090 | $51,810 | $61,980 | $72,130 | $54,100 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $22.80 | $25.23 | $28.33 | $30.29 | $37.17 | $28.89 | 3,670 | 0.37 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $47,430 | $52,490 | $58,920 | $63,010 | $77,310 | $60,080 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.25 | $29.59 | $36.92 | $40.58 | $48.21 | $36.51 | 2,880 | 0.98 | 4.06 |
| Annual | $50,430 | $61,540 | $76,800 | $84,410 | $100,280 | $75,930 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.52 | $30.99 | $37.50 | $46.47 | $61.97 | $41.77 | 2,810 | 0.29 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $48,930 | $64,460 | $78,010 | $96,650 | $128,900 | $86,880 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $22.76 | $23.76 | $29.99 | $39.60 | $47.34 | $32.12 | 1,970 | 0.32 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $47,330 | $49,410 | $62,370 | $82,360 | $98,470 | $66,810 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Modesto, CA | Hourly | $24.00 | $45.36 | $62.06 | $62.23 | $62.23 | $51.96 | 70 | 0.36 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $49,910 | $94,350 | $129,080 | $129,450 | $129,450 | $108,070 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $30.93 | $46.97 | $57.50 | $62.36 | $62.36 | $52.65 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $64,340 | $97,690 | $119,590 | $129,710 | $129,710 | $109,520 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $26.58 | $36.72 | $51.64 | $62.40 | $62.63 | $48.89 | 170 | 0.11 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $55,280 | $76,380 | $107,420 | $129,800 | $130,270 | $101,690 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $33.82 | $43.90 | $50.87 | $51.81 | $55.64 | $48.46 | 320 | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $70,350 | $91,310 | $105,820 | $107,770 | $115,740 | $100,800 | ||||
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | Hourly | $39.45 | $49.48 | $49.48 | $61.03 | $61.03 | $52.30 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $82,050 | $102,920 | $102,920 | $126,950 | $126,950 | $108,790 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $26.13 | $35.05 | $40.38 | $49.44 | $62.28 | $43.92 | 2,750 | 0.29 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $54,340 | $72,900 | $83,980 | $102,840 | $129,550 | $91,360 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $26.26 | $29.77 | $38.08 | $44.57 | $48.53 | $37.67 | 2,040 | 1.04 | 4.35 |
| Annual | $54,630 | $61,920 | $79,210 | $92,710 | $100,940 | $78,350 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $23.95 | $25.61 | $30.29 | $30.29 | $39.71 | $29.76 | 1,780 | 0.63 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $49,810 | $53,260 | $63,010 | $63,010 | $82,600 | $61,900 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $23.04 | $23.96 | $29.99 | $39.99 | $47.34 | $33.02 | 1,510 | 0.33 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $47,930 | $49,830 | $62,370 | $83,180 | $98,470 | $68,670 | ||||
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Hourly | $21.83 | $22.10 | $27.65 | $29.80 | $35.19 | $26.88 | 1,120 | 0.83 | 3.44 |
| Annual | $45,410 | $45,970 | $57,510 | $61,980 | $73,180 | $55,910 | ||||
Top industries employing adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors
Elementary and Secondary Schools employ 36.6% of adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors nationally (13,660 jobs) at a median $63,010 a year ($30.29 an hour), followed by Junior Colleges (25.6%) and Other Schools and Instruction (10.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 13,660 | 36.6% | $63,010 | $30.29 |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 9,540 | 25.6% | $61,250 | $29.45 |
| Other Schools and Instruction NAICS 611600 | 4,080 | 10.9% | $53,850 | $25.89 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 1,870 | 5.0% | $72,650 | $34.93 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 1,850 | 5.0% | $73,920 | $35.54 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (37,310). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $59,720 for adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors in May 2021 and $61,540 in May 2025, with employment of 38,260 and 37,310.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $59,720 | $28.71 | 38,260 |
| May 2022 | $58,590 | $28.17 | 36,490 |
| May 2023 | $60,560 | $29.11 | 36,890 |
| May 2024 | $59,950 | $28.82 | 36,260 |
| May 2025 | $61,540 | $29.59 | 37,310 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $49.05 | $102,030 | $55,930 | $131,510 | 1,660 | 0.09 | 0.38 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $38.99 | $81,100 | $41,030 | $104,410 | 1,350 | 0.32 | 1.31 |
| 3 | Delaware profile | $37.79 | $78,600 | $49,360 | $104,630 | 200 | 0.41 | 1.70 |
| 4 | New York profile | $37.50 | $78,010 | $48,930 | $128,900 | 2,810 | 0.29 | 1.21 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $36.92 | $76,800 | $50,430 | $100,280 | 2,880 | 0.98 | 4.06 |
| 6 | Connecticut profile | $34.70 | $72,180 | $39,680 | $99,470 | 410 | 0.24 | 1.00 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $48,930 | $98,940 | 1,310 | 0.37 | 1.54 |
| 8 | Louisiana profile | $32.15 | $66,870 | $42,860 | $83,250 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.21 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $31.59 | $65,700 | $43,330 | $116,910 | 510 | 0.26 | 1.08 |
| 10 | West Virginia profile | $31.27 | $65,050 | $47,840 | $70,790 | 250 | 0.36 | 1.49 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $31.24 | $64,980 | $44,250 | $96,060 | 1,050 | 0.36 | 1.49 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $31.03 | $64,540 | $47,570 | $104,190 | 700 | 0.17 | 0.71 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $30.98 | $64,440 | $52,980 | $72,480 | 50 | 0.08 | 0.31 |
| 14 | North Dakota profile | $30.68 | $63,820 | $47,310 | $85,510 | 180 | 0.42 | 1.75 |
| 15 | District of Columbia profile | $30.26 | $62,940 | $48,670 | $102,810 | 570 | 0.81 | 3.36 |
| 16 | South Carolina profile | $30.26 | $62,940 | $41,600 | $79,380 | 480 | 0.21 | 0.88 |
| 17 | Vermont profile | $30.05 | $62,500 | $42,220 | $94,820 | 70 | 0.21 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $29.99 | $62,370 | $47,330 | $98,470 | 1,970 | 0.32 | 1.34 |
| 19 | Massachusetts profile | $29.95 | $62,290 | $48,490 | $98,890 | 1,420 | 0.39 | 1.63 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $29.69 | $61,750 | $32,570 | $91,670 | 570 | 0.18 | 0.74 |
| 21 | Tennessee profile | $29.01 | $60,340 | $48,960 | $97,920 | 240 | 0.07 | 0.30 |
| 22 | Maryland profile | $28.82 | $59,950 | $43,140 | $65,540 | 450 | 0.16 | 0.67 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $28.80 | $59,900 | $39,600 | $78,420 | 560 | 0.13 | 0.53 |
| 24 | Florida profile | $28.33 | $58,920 | $47,430 | $77,310 | 3,670 | 0.37 | 1.54 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $28.31 | $58,880 | $54,840 | $76,580 | 330 | 0.51 | 2.13 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | $28.20 | $58,660 | $41,880 | $78,760 | 650 | 0.20 | 0.85 |
| 27 | Rhode Island profile | $27.74 | $57,690 | $49,310 | $79,660 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.51 | $57,230 | $42,990 | $86,320 | 790 | 0.13 | 0.54 |
| 29 | Montana profile | $27.16 | $56,500 | $47,760 | $77,900 | 110 | 0.22 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Wyoming profile | $25.03 | $52,060 | $46,190 | $62,050 | 100 | 0.34 | 1.41 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $25.01 | $52,030 | $39,290 | $64,080 | 160 | 0.11 | 0.47 |
| 32 | Oklahoma profile | $24.92 | $51,840 | $39,050 | $71,910 | 300 | 0.17 | 0.72 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $24.91 | $51,810 | $40,440 | $72,130 | 3,720 | 0.75 | 3.14 |
| 34 | Missouri profile | $24.89 | $51,770 | $37,720 | $80,840 | 620 | 0.21 | 0.88 |
| 35 | Colorado profile | $24.60 | $51,170 | $40,030 | $79,200 | 820 | 0.29 | 1.19 |
| 36 | Idaho profile | $24.06 | $50,040 | $43,740 | $77,260 | 270 | 0.31 | 1.31 |
| 37 | Mississippi profile | $23.99 | $49,900 | $38,020 | $67,360 | 240 | 0.21 | 0.87 |
| 38 | Utah profile | $23.89 | $49,680 | $48,140 | $60,690 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.13 |
| 39 | Texas profile | $23.79 | $49,490 | $38,640 | $63,790 | 1,830 | 0.13 | 0.54 |
| 40 | New Mexico profile | $23.64 | $49,170 | $42,070 | $83,490 | 210 | 0.24 | 1.00 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $23.58 | $49,040 | $28,080 | $85,680 | 130 | 0.12 | 0.52 |
| 42 | Nevada profile | $23.53 | $48,930 | $45,300 | $69,750 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.12 |
| 43 | Alabama profile | $23.49 | $48,870 | $37,770 | $63,410 | 470 | 0.22 | 0.92 |
| 44 | Iowa profile | $23.08 | $48,010 | $37,110 | $64,710 | 370 | 0.24 | 0.98 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $34,460 | $58,880 | 470 | 0.10 | 0.40 |
| 46 | Ohio profile | $22.69 | $47,190 | $36,670 | $76,460 | 750 | 0.13 | 0.56 |
| 47 | Kentucky profile | $21.63 | $44,990 | $38,790 | $61,360 | 350 | 0.17 | 0.72 |
| 48 | Hawaii profile | $21.44 | $44,600 | $38,390 | $68,270 | 300 | 0.47 | 1.97 |
| 49 | Arkansas profile | $20.79 | $43,240 | $30,250 | $66,870 | 230 | 0.17 | 0.72 |
| 50 | South Dakota profile | $17.19 | $35,760 | $34,950 | $63,270 | 100 | 0.22 | 0.91 |
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-3011 Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-3011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-3011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.