Ranked list · updated 2026-10-09
Highest-paying teaching & education credentials
42 teaching & education credentials are ranked below by the median annual wage published for the occupation each one unlocks. Every figure is quoted from the source named inside that credential's own guide, and the exam fee shown beside it comes from the awarding body.
- Credentials ranked
- 42
- Exam fees
- $10–$425
- Field
- Teaching & Education
Which teaching & education credentials lead to the highest published pay?
The 42 credentials below are ordered by the median annual wage published for the occupation each one unlocks. The order is computed from the researched guides; the sentence printed for each credential is that guide's own sourced headline, reproduced verbatim so its attribution stays attached to the number.
| # | Credential | Published median for the occupation it unlocks (quoted) | Exam fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412) | $104,070 median for school principals (BLS, May 2024) — the administrator pay the 5412 unlocks | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 2 | Praxis School Psychologist (5403) | $94,310 median for psychologists (BLS, May 2024) — the broad occupation that includes school psychologists | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 3 | Praxis Reading Specialist (5302) | Instructional coordinators earned a May 2024 BLS median of $74,720, and the Praxis Reading Specialist score is the licensure gate for K-12 reading specialist, coach, and coordinator roles. | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 4 | Praxis Special Education: Foundational Knowledge (5355) | $67,510 median for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 5 | Praxis Professional School Counselor (5422) | $65,140 median for school and career counselors and advisors (BLS, May 2024) — the exam is the licensing gate for the job | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 6 | National Evaluation Series Essential Academic Skills | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$50-$100 per subtest | 2026-08 |
| 7 | Praxis Algebra I (5162) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 8 | Praxis Biology: Content Knowledge (5236) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) — and Praxis Biology is the licensure gate, not the pay driver, for secondary science teaching | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 9 | Praxis Chemistry: Content Knowledge (5246) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS SOC 25-2031, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 10 | Praxis Economics (5911) | High school teachers earned a May 2024 BLS median of $64,580, and the Praxis Economics score is the licensure gate for high school economics teaching roles. | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 11 | Praxis English Language Arts: Content and Analysis (5039) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 12 | Praxis English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 13 | Praxis English to Speakers of Other Languages (5362) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS SOC 25-2031, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 14 | Praxis General Science: Content Knowledge (5436) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) — SOC 25-2031 | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 15 | Praxis Geography (5921) | High school teachers earned a May 2024 BLS median of $64,580, and the Praxis Geography score is the licensure gate for geography teaching roles. | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 16 | Praxis Geometry (5163) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 17 | Praxis Government/Political Science (5931) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 18 | Praxis Health Education (5551) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS SOC 25-2031, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 19 | Praxis Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5165) | Expect high-school-teacher pay at a May 2024 median of $64,580 (BLS) — Praxis 5165 is the mathematics licensure gate for secondary math teachers, and math-teacher roles sit at the top of the teaching pay range | ~$130-160 | 2026-08 |
| 20 | Praxis Middle School English Language Arts (5047) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS SOC 25-2031, May 2024) | ~$156 | 2026-08 |
| 21 | Praxis Middle School Mathematics (5164) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 22 | Praxis Middle School Science (5442) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 23 | Praxis Middle School Social Studies (5089) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 24 | Praxis Physical Education: Content Knowledge (5091) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 25 | Praxis Physics: Content Knowledge (5266) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 | 2026-08 |
| 26 | Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 5-9 (5623) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS SOC 25-2031, May 2024) | ~$156 | 2026-08 |
| 27 | Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (5624) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 (confirm the current fee at ets.org/praxis) | 2026-08 |
| 28 | Praxis Social Studies (5581) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 29 | Praxis Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (5383) | $64,580 median for high school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 30 | Google Certified Educator Level 1 | The Level 1 certification evidences classroom tech skill: kindergarten and elementary teachers earned a $62,340 median in May 2024 (BLS) | ~$10 | 2026-08 |
| 31 | Google Certified Educator Level 2 | No direct occupation — Google Certified Educator is a skills credential for teachers, and the reference pay is the classroom-teacher median of $62,340 (elementary, BLS May 2024) or $64,580 (high school) | $25 | 2026-08 |
| 32 | Microsoft Certified Educator | MCE evidences technology integration skill: kindergarten and elementary teachers earned a $62,340 median in May 2024 (BLS) | $50-$150 | 2026-08 |
| 33 | Praxis Communication and Literacy Combined (5753) | $62,340 median for kindergarten and elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 34 | Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Combined (5752) | $62,340 median for elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | $150 combined (or $90 per subtest taken separately) | 2026-08 |
| 35 | Praxis Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (5018) | $62,340 median for elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$156 (confirm the current fee at ets.org/praxis) | 2026-08 |
| 36 | Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001) | $62,340 median for elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | $180 combined (or $64 per subtest taken separately) | 2026-08 |
| 37 | Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (5622) | $62,340 median for elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | ~$130 (confirm the current fee at ets.org/praxis) | 2026-08 |
| 38 | Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) | $62,340 median for kindergarten and elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 39 | Praxis Teaching Reading: K-12 (5206) | $62,340 median for kindergarten and elementary school teachers (BLS, May 2024) | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 40 | Praxis Music: Content Knowledge (5113) | K-12 teachers earned May 2024 BLS medians of $62,310-$64,580 by grade band, and the Praxis Music score is the licensure gate for school music teaching roles. | Varies by location and currency — confirm on the official registration page | 2026-08 |
| 41 | Child Development Associate — Preschool | Expect preschool-teacher pay at a May 2024 median of $37,120 (BLS) — the CDA is the early-childhood field’s most recognised credential, and it improves employability and positioning for the occupation rather than setting pay directly | ~$425 application | 2026-08 |
| 42 | Praxis Early Childhood Education (5025) | Expect preschool-teacher pay at a May 2024 median of $37,120 (BLS) — Praxis 5025 is the early-childhood licensure test many states require, and the occupation behind it is growing | ~$130-160 | 2026-08 |
What does this ranking actually measure?
Ranked by the median annual wage published for the occupation each credential unlocks, most recent figure per occupation, quoted from the source named in the guide (usually the BLS occupational series). A credential is the entry ticket to an occupation, not a pay guarantee: these are occupation medians, not starting salaries.
Each row also carries the month its guide was last checked against the primary source, so you can see how current the figure is before you rely on it. Fees and pass rules change; the guide linked from every row carries the authoritative reference.
Where does this field sit in the site-wide ranking?
The main ranking pools all 424 credential-with-median pairs across 15 fields, so a credential that leads this page may still sit outside the site-wide top 25 — and a credential outside this page's top few may rank highly overall. Use whichever view matches the question you are answering.
- All fields, site-wide ranking 424 ranked
- Accounting & Tax 8 ranked
- Admissions & Academic Testing 33 ranked
- Allied Health & Medical Support 43 ranked
- Finance & Securities 20 ranked
- Fitness, Wellness & Personal Care 27 ranked
- Food Safety & Hospitality 17 ranked
- Government & Public Safety 18 ranked
- Healthcare & Clinical Licensure 10 ranked
- Insurance & Risk 7 ranked
- IT, Cloud & Cybersecurity 122 ranked
- Project Management & Business 22 ranked
- Trades, Construction & Engineering 24 ranked
- Transportation & Aviation 16 ranked
- Workplace Safety 15 ranked
Frequently asked questions
How many teaching & education credentials are ranked here?
42 of this field's published guides carry a citable occupation median and are ranked below. Site-wide, 424 credentials across 15 fields are ranked, so this page is a subset of the main list rather than an alternative to it.
What does a teaching & education credential cost to attempt?
Exam fees across this field's ranked credentials run from about $10 to $425. Fee is what the exam costs to sit; the median quoted for each row is what the occupation pays once you hold the credential, and the two do not move together.
Is the highest-paying teaching & education credential the right one to start with?
Not necessarily. The ranking orders by the median for the occupation each credential unlocks, and several of the credentials here are sequential steps in the same career path rather than competing alternatives — one may be the prerequisite for another on this list. Read the guide for a credential's eligibility rules before treating its position here as a starting recommendation.
Why is a credential I expected to see missing?
Only credentials with a published occupation median appear. A credential whose guide does not carry a citable median is left out rather than estimated, and any credential whose researched text marks its exam as retired, withdrawn or no longer obtainable is removed — pointing at a dead exam in a recommendation list would be actively misleading.