ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Stacker) — Whether you picture hard-working teachers buying school supplies for their students or genius professors shaping future leaders, it’s fair to say education encompasses a wide variety of jobs. So much so that there’s room to specialize and pursue your passion.

Historically, teachers’ pay is a rather contentious topic. The average teacher salary is about $2,000 less than a decade ago after adjusting for inflation. Despite this, many of these jobs are rewarding in more ways than one. In other words, education can be very lucrative—particularly within specialty fields.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest-paying education jobs in Albuquerque, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage. Keep reading to discover the highest and lowest paying education jobs in your city.

24. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

ABQ annual mean salary: $25,180 (#392 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 2,890
National annual mean salary: $31,760 — Employment: 1,187,270
Metros with highest average pay: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($46,390); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,820)

23. Preschool teachers, except special education

ABQ annual mean salary: $31,070 (#351 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 1,250
National annual mean salary: $36,460 — Employment: 391,670
Metros with highest average pay: Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990); Ocean City, NJ ($49,720); Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)

22. Substitute teachers, short-term

ABQ annual mean salary: $31,700 (#222 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 480
National annual mean salary: $38,410 — Employment: 374,620
Metros with highest average pay: Prescott, AZ ($64,310); Appleton, WI ($63,310); Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($58,770)

21. Tutors

ABQ annual mean salary: $38,340 (#144 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 150
National annual mean salary: $41,780 — Employment: 147,100
Metros with highest average pay: Pittsfield, MA ($82,910); Santa Fe, NM ($68,440); Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($60,110)

20. Library technicians

ABQ annual mean salary: $40,690 (#92 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 220
National annual mean salary: $39,070 — Employment: 73,000
Metros with highest average pay: Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($61,740); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,950); Napa, CA ($57,890)

19. Museum technicians and conservators

ABQ annual mean salary: $42,600 (#37 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 30
National annual mean salary: $52,030– Employment: 10,960
Metros with highest average pay: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,670); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($73,740); Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($68,180)

18. Self-enrichment teachers

ABQ annual mean salary: $43,280 (#157 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 390
National annual mean salary: $49,230 — Employment: 216,910
Metros with highest average pay: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,350); Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($66,650); Utica-Rome, NY ($63,470)

17. Teaching assistants, postsecondary

ABQ annual mean salary: $47,940 (#20 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 340
National annual mean salary: $41,170 — Employment: 121,290
Metros with highest average pay: Arecibo, PR ($62,080); Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($59,560); Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($59,380)

16. Special education teachers, middle school

ABQ annual mean salary: $50,900 (#275 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 170
National annual mean salary: $68,860 — Employment: 79,070
Metros with highest average pay: San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($117,940); Worcester, MA-CT ($94,630); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($94,140)

15. Kindergarten teachers, except special education

ABQ annual mean salary: $52,410 (#261 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 400
National annual mean salary: $64,490 — Employment: 120,730
Metros with highest average pay: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($95,420); Kingston, NY ($92,160); Salinas, CA ($90,490)

14. Curators

ABQ annual mean salary: $53,100 (#62 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 50
National annual mean salary: $63,880 (Employment: 11,030)
Metros with highest average pay: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($96,990); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($94,020); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($86,680)

13. Librarians and media collections specialists

ABQ annual mean salary: $53,520 (#306 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 240
National annual mean salary: $64,180 — Employment: 127,790
Metros with highest average pay: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($94,230); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,990); Kennewick-Richland, WA ($89,220)

12. Elementary school teachers, except special education

ABQ annual mean salary: $56,830 (#280 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 2,580
National annual mean salary: $67,080 — Employment: 1,329,280
Metros with highest average pay: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,860); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($91,430); Salinas, CA ($91,280)

11. Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

ABQ annual mean salary: $57,130 (#263 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 1,430
National annual mean salary: $66,880 — Employment: 592,000
Metros with highest average pay: Bakersfield, CA ($109,060); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($107,280); Yuba City, CA ($94,480)

10. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

ABQ annual mean salary: $59,860 (#146 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 160
National annual mean salary: $63,130 — Employment: 105,440
Metros with highest average pay: Santa Rosa, CA ($116,850); Champaign-Urbana, IL ($97,110); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($95,200)

9. Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

ABQ annual mean salary: $60,270 (#245 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 2,640
National annual mean salary: $69,530 — Employment: 1,020,240
Metros with highest average pay: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,010); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($101,980); Bakersfield, CA ($97,490)

8. Instructional coordinators

ABQ annual mean salary: $62,420 (#303 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 340
National annual mean salary: $70,560 — Employment: 184,740
Metros with highest average pay: Salem, OR ($93,890); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($93,760); Kennewick-Richland, WA ($91,430)

7. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school

ABQ annual mean salary: $62,710 (#140 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 60
National annual mean salary: $68,960 — Employment: 84,360
Metros with highest average pay: San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,160); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,490); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($115,060)

6. Special education teachers, secondary school

ABQ annual mean salary: $63,420 (#139 highest pay among all metros) Employment: 280
National annual mean salary: $70,100 — Employment: 145,690
Metros with highest average pay: San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($110,320); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($106,590); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($103,540)

5. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

ABQ annual mean salary: $63,640 (#133 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 180
National annual mean salary: $67,090 — Employment: 187,070
Metros with highest average pay: Salinas, CA ($102,210); Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($92,730); Chico, CA ($88,430)

4. Farm and home management educators

ABQ annual mean salary: $67,550 (#15 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 40
National annual mean salary: $58,040 — Employment: 10,620
Metros with highest average pay: Roanoke, VA ($109,110); Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC ($93,140); Richmond, VA ($92,090)

3. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

ABQ annual mean salary: $77,590 (#104 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 70
National annual mean salary: $89,610 — Employment: 37,600
Metros with highest average pay: Visalia-Porterville, CA ($152,280); Auburn-Opelika, AL ($145,360); Tuscaloosa, AL ($144,170)

2. Business teachers, postsecondary

ABQ annual mean salary: $98,760 (#98 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 160
National annual mean salary: $105,720 — Employment: 79,640
Metros with highest average pay: Auburn-Opelika, AL ($175,640); Ann Arbor, MI ($175,080); Visalia-Porterville, CA ($154,600)

1. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary

ABQ annual mean salary: $133,110 (#33 highest pay among all metros) — Employment: 550
National annual mean salary: $133,310 — Employment: 191,830
Metros with highest average pay: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($226,440); Jackson, MS ($202,690); Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($183,250)