Teacher Pay By State

Last updated November 24, 2024

Teacher Salaries
Top
Last
Public School Teacher Salaries
1.New YorkNew York$92,222
2.MassachusettsMassachusetts$88,903
3.CaliforniaCalifornia$87,275
4.WashingtonWashington$81,586
5.ConnecticutConnecticut$81,185
6.New JerseyNew Jersey$79,045
7.Rhode IslandRhode Island$76,852
8.MarylandMaryland$75,766
9.AlaskaAlaska$73,722
10.PennsylvaniaPennsylvania$72,428
11.IllinoisIllinois$72,301
12.OregonOregon$69,671
13.MinnesotaMinnesota$68,491
14.HawaiiHawaii$67,000
15.DelawareDelaware$65,647
16.MichiganMichigan$65,198
17.OhioOhio$63,153
18.VermontVermont$62,866
19.New HampshireNew Hampshire$62,783
20.GeorgiaGeorgia$61,249
21.WyomingWyoming$60,820
22.WisconsinWisconsin$60,453
23.VirginiaVirginia$59,965
24.IowaIowa$59,262
25.TexasTexas$58,887
26.MaineMaine$58,757
27.UtahUtah$58,619
28.ColoradoColorado$58,481
29.NevadaNevada$57,804
30.NebraskaNebraska$57,420
31.AlabamaAlabama$55,834
32.North DakotaNorth Dakota$55,769
33.KansasKansas$54,815
34.OklahomaOklahoma$54,804
35.ArizonaArizona$54,580
36.KentuckyKentucky$54,574
37.New MexicoNew Mexico$54,272
38.IdahoIdaho$54,232
39.IndianaIndiana$54,126
40.North CarolinaNorth Carolina$53,644
41.MontanaMontana$53,628
42.TennesseeTennessee$53,619
43.South CarolinaSouth Carolina$53,393
44.ArkansasArkansas$52,486
45.MissouriMissouri$52,481
46.LouisianaLouisiana$52,376
47.FloridaFlorida$51,230
48.West VirginiaWest Virginia$50,315
49.South DakotaSouth Dakota$49,761
50.MississippiMississippi$47,162

Introduction

As the adage goes, 'Knowledge is power.' In the United States, the responsibility of shaping the next generation into knowledgeable, responsible citizens largely falls on teachers. Yet, there exist substantial disparities in teachers' pay across the nation.

A review of the data reveals that:

  • New York state pays the highest average salary to its public school teachers at $92,222 per year, followed by Massachusetts and California, where teachers earn on average $88,903, and $87,275 respectively.
  • On the other end of the scale, Mississippi and South Dakota have the lowest average teacher salary, less than $50,000 annually, with teachers earning on average $47,162 and $49,761 respectively.
  • There is a significant income disparity between the highest and lowest-paid teachers across the states. The average salary of a teacher in New York, the highest-paying state, is nearly double that of a teacher in Mississippi, the lowest-paying state.
  • Surprisingly, some states renowned for their high cost of living, such as Florida, pay comparatively lower salaries to their teachers. Florida sits at rank 47, with an average teacher salary of $51,230.

Highest Paying States for Teachers

The list of the ten highest paying states for teachers is led by New York, where the average annual teacher salary amounts to a notable $92,222. This is a considerable figure, notably above the national average K-12 teacher salary of $66,397.

Following New York, Massachusetts, and California are the second and third highest-paying states for teachers, respectively. The average teacher salary in Massachusetts stands at $88,903 while California provides an average salary of $87,275 to its educators.

Washington and Connecticut take the fourth and fifth spots on the list, with the average teacher earning $81,586 and $81,185 respectively. New Jersey, known for its strong focus on quality education, features sixth on the list with an average teacher salary of $79,045, followed closely by Rhode Island at $76,852.

Maryland, where the average teacher earns $75,766 a year, nests at eighth on the list. Alaska, with its challenging geographical location, pays its teachers an average salary of $73,722, emerging ninth in the list. Lastly, Pennsylvania wraps up the top ten highest paying states for teachers with an average annual teacher salary of $72,428.

Highest Paying States for Teachers:

  1. New York - $92,222
  2. Massachusetts - $88,903
  3. California - $87,275
  4. Washington - $81,586
  5. Connecticut - $81,185
  6. New Jersey - $79,045
  7. Rhode Island - $76,852
  8. Maryland - $75,766
  9. Alaska - $73,722
  10. Pennsylvania - $72,428

Lowest Paying States for Teachers

Topping this list is Mississippi, with a marked low average teacher salary of $47,162. South Dakota is second from the bottom, with an average teacher salary of $49,761. Not far ahead is West Virginia, where teachers fetch an average compensation of $50,315 annually, placing it third from the bottom.

In some states with notably high living expenses, teacher salaries seem to detach from this trend. For instance, Florida ranks as the fourth-lowest state in terms of teacher remuneration, offering its tutors an average salary of $51,230 per year, significantly lower considering the state's cost of living.

Further down the scale, we see Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas, where teachers earn an average of $52,376, $52,481, and $52,486, respectively. South Carolina, Tennessee, and Montana follow with slightly higher averages ranging from $53,393 - $53,628.

Lowest Paying States for Teachers:

  1. Mississippi - $47,162
  2. South Dakota - $49,761
  3. West Virginia - $50,315
  4. Florida - $51,230
  5. Louisiana - $52,376
  6. Missouri - $52,481
  7. Arkansas - $52,486
  8. South Carolina - $53,393
  9. Tennessee - $53,619
  10. Montana - $53,628

By Region

Alabama

See Less

Ranked in U.S.

#31

Alaska

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#9

Arizona

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#35

Arkansas

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#44

California

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#3

Colorado

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#28

Connecticut

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#5

Delaware

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#15

Florida

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#47

Georgia

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#20

Hawaii

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#14

Idaho

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#38

Illinois

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#11

Indiana

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#39

Iowa

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#24

Kansas

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#33

Kentucky

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#36

Louisiana

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#46

Maine

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#26

Maryland

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#8

Massachusetts

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#2

Michigan

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#16

Minnesota

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#13

Mississippi

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#50

Missouri

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#45

Montana

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#41

Nebraska

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#30

Nevada

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#29

New Hampshire

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#19

New Jersey

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#6

New Mexico

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#37

New York

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#1

North Carolina

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#40

North Dakota

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#32

Ohio

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#17

Oklahoma

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#34

Oregon

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#12

Pennsylvania

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#10

Rhode Island

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#7

South Carolina

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#43

South Dakota

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#49

Tennessee

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#42

Texas

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#25

Utah

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#27

Vermont

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#18

Virginia

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#23

Washington

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#4

West Virginia

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#48

Wisconsin

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#22

Wyoming

See More

Ranked in U.S.

#21

Table

Region ↕Teacher Salaries↕
Alabama iconAlabama$55,834
Alaska iconAlaska$73,722
Arizona iconArizona$54,580
Arkansas iconArkansas$52,486
California iconCalifornia$87,275
Colorado iconColorado$58,481
Connecticut iconConnecticut$81,185
Delaware iconDelaware$65,647
Florida iconFlorida$51,230
Georgia iconGeorgia$61,249
Hawaii iconHawaii$67,000
Idaho iconIdaho$54,232
Illinois iconIllinois$72,301
Indiana iconIndiana$54,126
Iowa iconIowa$59,262
Kansas iconKansas$54,815
Kentucky iconKentucky$54,574
Louisiana iconLouisiana$52,376
Maine iconMaine$58,757
Maryland iconMaryland$75,766
Massachusetts iconMassachusetts$88,903
Michigan iconMichigan$65,198
Minnesota iconMinnesota$68,491
Mississippi iconMississippi$47,162
Missouri iconMissouri$52,481
Montana iconMontana$53,628
Nebraska iconNebraska$57,420
Nevada iconNevada$57,804
New Hampshire iconNew Hampshire$62,783
New Jersey iconNew Jersey$79,045
New Mexico iconNew Mexico$54,272
New York iconNew York$92,222
North Carolina iconNorth Carolina$53,644
North Dakota iconNorth Dakota$55,769
Ohio iconOhio$63,153
Oklahoma iconOklahoma$54,804
Oregon iconOregon$69,671
Pennsylvania iconPennsylvania$72,428
Rhode Island iconRhode Island$76,852
South Carolina iconSouth Carolina$53,393
South Dakota iconSouth Dakota$49,761
Tennessee iconTennessee$53,619
Texas iconTexas$58,887
Utah iconUtah$58,619
Vermont iconVermont$62,866
Virginia iconVirginia$59,965
Washington iconWashington$81,586
West Virginia iconWest Virginia$50,315
Wisconsin iconWisconsin$60,453
Wyoming iconWyoming$60,820
Keep reading

Additional Education Datasets

Average Act Score By State

Average Act Score By State

Average IQ By State

Average IQ By State

Average IQ by Country

Average IQ by Country

Common Core States

Common Core States

Dumbest Countries

Dumbest Countries

Dumbest States

Dumbest States