Here’s How Much Teachers Make in Every State
They instruct future generations but don't always get paid well.
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Education can be expensive, but how much of that money trickles down into teachers’ paychecks?
Teachers in states across the country have been going on strike this year to demand higher wages. So, how much do teachers make? Using the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, GOBankingRates compiled the average teacher salary by state and included average elementary, middle school and high school salaries. Keep reading to see what the average teacher’s salary is in your state. You might be surprised to find that, in some states, teachers make more than most Americans.
How Much Teachers Make in Alabama
- Average teacher’s salary: $49,487
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $49,040
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $49,630
- High school teacher’s salary: $49,790
Although not the highest pay for teachers in the U.S., there’s potential to make over $50,000 as a middle school special education teacher in Alabama. Fortunately, the cost of living in the state is also low.
How Much Teachers Make in Alaska
- Average teacher’s salary: $80,627
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $77,030
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $79,430
- High school teacher’s salary: $85,420
If you want to get a higher paycheck, head to Alaska. This state is among the highest paying, especially for high school teaching positions.
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How Much Teachers Make in Arizona
- Average teacher’s salary: $45,313
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $44,220
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $43,670
- High school teacher’s salary: $48,050
Arizona is one of the lowest-paying states for teachers, but things are looking up. The governor recently agreed to a 20 percent raise for protesting teachers. The bump will get teachers’ pay closer to the average household income in Arizona of more than $70,000.
How Much Teachers Make in Arkansas
- Average teacher’s salary: $49,410
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $48,110
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $49,130
- High school teacher’s salary: $50,990
Education administrators at elementary and high schools earn an annual mean wage of $79,600, making those positions more lucrative.
How Much Teachers Make in California
- Average teacher’s salary: $76,523
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $77,990
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $74,190
- High school teacher’s salary: $77,390
California is the only state on the West Coast among the top-paying teacher salaries. The Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine region ranks high in particular for pay. Even though California teachers earn more than in other states, their salaries are still less than the low-income threshold of $83,450 in Orange County, which is one of the most expensive counties in the state.
How Much Teachers Make in Colorado
- Average teacher’s salary: $53,210
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $52,390
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $52,780
- High school teacher’s salary: $54,460
About 22 percent of Colorado teachers take on a second job compared to 16 percent nationally, according to Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization that covers education.
How Much Teachers Make in Connecticut
- Average teacher’s salary: $78,567
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $77,900
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $78,990
- High school teacher’s salary: $78,810
The pay for teachers in Connecticut is the third-highest in the country. BLS research indicated the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Waterbury and Danbury metro areas are among the highest paying.
How Much Teachers Make in Delaware
- Average teacher’s salary: $62,260
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $60,600
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $62,540
- High school teacher’s salary: $63,640
How much do teachers make a year in Delaware? The state had the 15th-highest average pay in the country. Delaware also offers monetary incentives, according to Join Delaware Schools.
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How Much Teachers Make in Florida
- Average teacher’s salary: $49,973
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $48,340
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $49,780
- High school teacher’s salary: $51,800
Although Florida is the third-largest state by population in the U.S., it has the 11th-lowest average teacher pay.
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How Much Teachers Make in Georgia
- Average teacher’s salary: $56,103
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $54,870
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $56,590
- High school teacher’s salary: $56,850
Georgia ranks 27th for pay, which puts it in the bottom half of the country. Most of the teaching positions are in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area.
How Much Teachers Make in Hawaii
- Average teacher’s salary: $59,507
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $59,790
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $59,480
- High school teacher’s salary: $59,250
With only a handful of major cities in Hawaii, you can expect to find teaching positions in non-metropolitan areas. The state ranks 19th for average teacher salaries, and this relatively low pay makes it challenging when the cost of living in Hawaii is so high.
How Much Teachers Make in Idaho
- Average teacher’s salary: $49,743
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $47,630
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $53,060
- High school teacher’s salary: $48,540
Idaho has the 10th-lowest teacher salaries in the country. It’s expected, though, that teachers will experience a boost in pay over the next five years.
How Much Teachers Make in Illinois
- Average teacher’s salary: $65,877
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $62,620
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $66,630
- High school teacher’s salary: $68,380
Illinois has the 11th-highest average teacher pay. When compared to the 50 largest school districts across the country, Chicago public schools pay the highest educator salaries.
How Much Teachers Make in Indiana
- Average teacher’s salary: $51,463
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $50,310
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $51,410
- High school teacher’s salary: $52,670
Inflation-adjusted salaries in Indiana have dropped by more than 13 percent over the last 15 years, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
How Much Teachers Make in Iowa
- Average teacher’s salary: $54,587
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $53,710
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $55,560
- High school teacher’s salary: $54,490
Iowa ranks 29th-highest for teacher salaries. Comparatively, the state ranks in the top 10 when adjusted for the cost of living, according to NPR.
How Much Teachers Make in Kansas
- Average teacher’s salary: $50,437
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $50,200
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $50,640
- High school teacher’s salary: $50,470
Teacher salaries in Kansas lag behind other regional states, and it’s the ninth-lowest-paying state for high school teachers. The good news is the governor has called for a $600 million increase in yearly public school funding over five years to boost pay.
How Much Teachers Make in Kentucky
- Average teacher’s salary: $54,080
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $53,140
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $53,800
- High school teacher’s salary: $55,300
Salaries for teachers in Kentucky fall below the national average of $58,198. You can likely live comfortably on a teacher’s salary in Kentucky due to its low cost of living.
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How Much Teachers Make in Louisiana
- Average teacher’s salary: $49,420
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $48,310
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $49,250
- High school teacher’s salary: $50,700
Louisiana has the seventh-lowest teacher salaries in the country. This may be the reason why the state has some of the worst schools in the country, according to Education Week.
How Much Teachers Make in Maine
- Average teacher’s salary: $53,070
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $53,190
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $53,080
- High school teacher’s salary: $52,940
Maine’s schools outperform the majority of states, even if teacher pay isn’t among the highest. The state lags behind other New England states, however.
How Much Teachers Make in Maryland
- Average teacher’s salary: $67,173
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $67,340
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $65,110
- High school teacher’s salary: $69,070
Montgomery County and Howard County are home to schools that pay teachers the highest salaries in Maryland, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.
How Much Teachers Make in Massachusetts
- Average teacher’s salary: $75,720
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $76,590
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $74,400
- High school teacher’s salary: $76,170
Massachusetts ranks No. 5 in the country for the highest average teacher’s salary. The state is also considered to have the best schools in the country, according to Education Week’s annual ranking.
How Much Teachers Make in Michigan
- Average teacher’s salary: $63,417
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $62,720
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $64,620
- High school teacher’s salary: $62,910
Salaries for public school teachers in Michigan have been declining, according to the Michigan Public Schools District. At least the state has affordable rental prices.
How Much Teachers Make in Minnesota
- Average teacher’s salary: $64,520
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $63,490
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $64,780
- High school teacher’s salary: $65,290
If you’re going to teach in Minnesota, head to the St. Paul area. According to the StarTribune, teachers in St. Paul made greater than $75,000 in 2016.
How Much Teachers Make in Mississippi
- Average teacher’s salary: $45,277
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $44,230
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $45,230
- High school teacher’s salary: $46,370
Much of the South pays a lower-than-average teacher wage. In fact, teachers in Mississippi earn the third-lowest average salary in the country.
How Much Teachers Make in Missouri
- Average teacher’s salary: $52,347
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $52,700
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $52,620
- High school teacher’s salary: $51,720
Teacher salaries in Missouri aren’t impressive, especially for high school teachers. The state ranks 35th overall.
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How Much Teachers Make in Montana
- Average teacher’s salary: $52,603
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $52,610
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $53,910
- High school teacher’s salary: $51,290
If you want to make more money in Montana as an educator, work in administration. The mean wage for an education administrator for elementary and secondary school is $83,120.
How Much Teachers Make in Nebraska
- Average teacher’s salary: $57,103
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $56,070
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $59,370
- High school teacher’s salary: $55,870
The base salary for teachers in Nebraska is considerably lower than the mean. For teachers in Omaha, for example, the base is $41,150, according to the Nebraska State Education Association.
How Much Teachers Make in Nevada
- Average teacher’s salary: $56,803
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $55,700
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $57,500
- High school teacher’s salary: $57,210
Nevada is truly middle ground for teacher pay — it ranks 25th in the country. Because salaries are so much higher than in Arizona (47th in the country), some teachers have been enticed to cross state lines.
How Much Teachers Make in New Hampshire
- Average teacher’s salary: $59,073
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $57,470
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $59,680
- High school teacher’s salary: $60,070
New Hampshire ranks 21st out of all states when it comes to average teacher’s salary, and it’s just higher than the $58,198 national average.
How Much Teachers Make in New Jersey
- Average teacher’s salary: $72,460
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $69,500
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $71,450
- High school teacher’s salary: $76,430
New Jersey teachers do well for themselves, ranking sixth-highest nationally for overall pay. There are challenges with living in the state, however. For one, New Jersey is the worst state for first-time homebuyers.
How Much Teachers Make in New Mexico
- Average teacher’s salary: $56,613
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $59,060
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $54,720
- High school teacher’s salary: $56,060
The New Mexico governor recently signed a bill to increase the lowest teacher salary from $34,000 to $36,000.
How Much Teachers Make in New York
- Average teacher’s salary: $81,613
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $80,540
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $80,940
- High school teacher’s salary: $83,360
New York has the highest wages for teachers in the country.
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How Much Teachers Make in North Carolina
- Average teacher’s salary: $45,917
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $45,690
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $45,690
- High school teacher’s salary: $46,370
North Carolina is the fifth-lowest-paying state for teachers. Overall though, the financial situation of the state is improving.
How Much Teachers Make in North Dakota
- Average teacher’s salary: $52,790
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $51,090
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $55,880
- High school teacher’s salary: $51,400
North Dakota ranks 33rd for average teacher pay.
How Much Teachers Make in Ohio
- Average teacher’s salary: $60,203
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $59,950
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $59,850
- High school teacher’s salary: $60,810
Ohio pays teachers favorably and above the national average of $58,198. The state ranks 18th for overall average teaching salaries.
How Much Teachers Make in Oklahoma
- Average teacher’s salary: $41,483
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $40,530
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $42,040
- High school teacher’s salary: $41,880
The average salary for teachers in Oklahoma is the lowest in the country. There has been progress in Oklahoma, however. State legislators approved a $6,100 pay raise for teachers in March, though this will only boost pay to the sixth-lowest in the country.
How Much Teachers Make in Oregon
- Average teacher’s salary: $69,643
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $65,640
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $73,630
- High school teacher’s salary: $69,660
Oregon teachers have the seventh-highest average salaries in the country. Elementary school teachers are relatively underpaid, earning an average salary that’s the 10th-highest.
How Much Teachers Make in Pennsylvania
- Average teacher’s salary: $65,553
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $65,370
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $65,270
- High school teacher’s salary: $66,020
Pennsylvania teachers have the 12th-highest average teaching salaries out of all 50 states. For teachers in Philadelphia, the rent in the city is affordable, but the cost of living is still much higher than the national average.
How Much Teachers Make in Rhode Island
- Average teacher’s salary: $67,050
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $67,990
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $65,540
- High school teacher’s salary: $67,620
Rhode Island ranks 10th in the country for teacher salaries. Teachers will need the income, as Rhode Island is not a tax-friendly state — its sales tax tends to be higher and its property tax rate is the 10th highest in the U.S.
How Much Teachers Make in South Carolina
- Average teacher’s salary: $52,290
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $50,510
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $52,400
- High school teacher’s salary: $53,960
South Carolina rewards those willing to teach in rural and low-income areas. The Cherokee County School District, for example, offers a signing bonus of up to $10,000, reported the Post and Courier.
How Much Teachers Make in South Dakota
- Average teacher’s salary: $42,023
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $41,570
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $42,520
- High school teacher’s salary: $41,980
South Dakota is the second-lowest-paying state for teachers. However, teacher salary did increase by nearly 9 percent in 2017.
How Much Teachers Make in Tennessee
- Average teacher’s salary: $50,590
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $50,320
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $50,060
- High school teacher’s salary: $51,390
Shelby County, home to Memphis, is the highest-paying county in the state for teachers, with the average salary at $57,843, according to the Tennessee Education Association.
How Much Teachers Make in Texas
- Average teacher’s salary: $57,087
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $56,760
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $56,670
- High school teacher’s salary: $57,830
The Texas Education Agency reported that the 2017 to 2018 starting salary schedule for a new teacher with no experience was only $28,080.
How Much Teachers Make in Utah
- Average teacher’s salary: $55,460
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $54,750
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $56,090
- High school teacher’s salary: $55,540
Although Utah ranks 28th in the country for highest average teacher pay, it ranks second in the region behind Wyoming.
How Much Teachers Make in Vermont
- Average teacher’s salary: $60,533
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $61,090
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $58,920
- High school teacher’s salary: $61,590
Vermont teachers receive the 17th-highest average salary in the country. The state is one of just two where median household income for middle-class families grew between 1999 and 2014, another GOBankingRates study found.
How Much Teachers Make in Virginia
- Average teacher’s salary: $68,707
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $68,460
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $67,770
- High school teacher’s salary: $69,890
Alexandria City Schools offered the highest average salaries for the 2018 fiscal year, according to the Virginia Department of Education. The average pay was $76,251.
How Much Teachers Make in Washington
- Average teacher’s salary: $63,477
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $62,580
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $63,090
- High school teacher’s salary: $64,760
The Washington Education Association is hoping to receive a big bump in pay through negotiations in coming months after legislators recently approved billions in educational funding. Right now, the state has the 14th-highest average salary for teachers in the country.
How Much Teachers Make in West Virginia
- Average teacher’s salary: $45,697
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $45,530
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $45,000
- High school teacher’s salary: $46,560
West Virginia teachers recently went on strike and closed schools in demand for better wages. The state pays the 46th-lowest salary in the nation.
How Much Teachers Make in Wisconsin
- Average teacher’s salary: $57,607
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $56,940
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $58,560
- High school teacher’s salary: $57,320
The average teacher’s salary in Wisconsin is in the middle of the pack, but some districts pay substantially more. For example, Elmbrook School District pays teachers an average of $80,865, according to Niche’s 2018 rankings.
How Much Teachers Make in Wyoming
- Average teacher’s salary: $59,387
- Elementary school teacher’s salary: $58,420
- Middle school teacher’s salary: $59,960
- High school teacher’s salary: $59,780
Wyoming teacher pay and average household income are quite similar when compared nationally. Teacher salary ranks 20th in the country, and Wyoming has the 22nd-highest average household income.
How the States Compare
Higher salaries for teachers are clustered in states in the West and Northeast, while states that pay the least are spread across the country.
Click through to see the best college in every state that costs less than $20K a year.
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Methodology: GOBankingRates determined teacher’s pay in every state by analyzing the mean wage of elementary, middle, and secondary (high school) teachers and calculated the average of those three salaries. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2017 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.
About the Author
Lia Sestric
You can follow her on Twitter @liasestric and Facebook @LSHWrites. Lia can be reached by email lia.sestric@gmail.com.
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