Career comparison
Education Professor vs. High School Teacher
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Education professors earn more at the median ($75,350 vs. $72,040), while high school teachers usually get to work faster (4 years plus licensing of training). Education professors prepare future teachers and research how people learn. High school teachers teach teenagers a subject and prepare them for college, careers and life.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Education Professor | High School Teacher | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $75,350 | $72,040 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,530 – $126,860 | $48,780 – $107,600 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.5% (about as fast as average) | -0.2% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 5,300 | 63,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 8+ years including teaching | 4 years plus licensing |
| Key credential | Ed.D. or Ph.D. | State teaching license |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, K–12 schools and offices.. | High school teachers work in classrooms and labs, with after-school activities, meetings and events.. |
What each job does
Education Professor
- Teach teacher preparation courses
- Supervise student teachers
- Conduct education research
- Partner with schools
- Advise students
High School Teacher
- Plan and teach lessons in a subject
- Grade assignments and exams
- Prepare students for state and AP exams
- Manage classroom behavior
- Differentiate instruction
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, helping others, creative work, and high-pay. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose education professor if…
- I’m an experienced teacher
- I want to train teachers
- I like research
Choose high school teacher if…
- I love my subject
- I enjoy working with teenagers
- I can manage a classroom
Still torn? Take the Education Professor fit quiz and the High School Teacher fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, education professor or high school teacher?
Education Professors earn more at the median: $75,350 versus $72,040 for high school teachers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
High School Teachers typically train faster (4 years plus licensing) than education professors (8+ years including teaching).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects education professors to grow +2.5% from 2025–35, compared with -0.2% for high school teachers.