Teacher Salaries in the United States of America

As a teacher, I believe it is important to stay on top of salaries nationwide.

While the national average for K-12 teachers is $64,524, it varies significantly by state. Remember that this is average; many of us don’t make anything close to this number, even with years of experience and multiple advanced degrees. While some states provide good raises for advanced degrees, like New York and Massachusetts, some states or Counties don’t provide any raises, or they are so tiny that there is not much difference in a master’s or doctorate’s pay.

In the United States of America, we have a significant teacher shortage; some states, including Texas & Florida, have raised the starting salary to make it more appealing for a new teacher to join the profession. However, most School districts in Florida give very little or no increase in salary with years of experience. This results in teachers leaving after a couple of years because their compensation is falling behind the cost of living.

I have made salary schedules for lots of counties below, and they are sorted by state. Please check your state to find your county. I also included the difference in pay when you get further degrees and if it would make sense to get your Master’s or Doctorate in relation to pay increase.

United States of America Average Teacher Salary Chart 2023:

State	Teacher Salary
New York	$92,222
Massachusetts	$88,903
California	$87,275
Washington	$81,586
Connecticut	$71,185
New Jersey	$69,045
Rhode Island	$76,852
Maryland	$75,766
Alaska	$73,722
Pennsylvania	$72,428
Illinois	$72,301
Oregon	$69,671
Minnesota	$68,491
Hawaii	$67,000
Delaware	$65,647
Michigan	$65,198
Ohio	$63,153
Vermont	$62,866
New Hampshire	$62,783
Georgia	$61,249
Wyoming	$60,820
Wisconsin	$60,453
Virginia	$59,965
Iowa	$59,262
Texas	$68,887
Maine	$58,757
Utah	$58,619
Colorado	$68.568
Nevada	$57,804
Nebraska	$57,420
Alabama	$55,834
North Dakota	$55,769
Kansas	$54,815
Oklahoma	$54,804
Arizona	$58.568
Kentucky	$54,574
New Mexico	$54,272
Idaho	$54,232
Indiana	$54,126
North Carolina	$53,644
Montana	$53,628
Tennessee	$53,619
South Carolina	$53,393
Arkansas	$52,486
Missouri	$52,481
Louisiana	$52,376
Florida	$51,230
West Virginia	$50,315
South Dakota	$49,761
Mississippi	$47,162

 Highest-Paid States for Teachers

Here are the ten states with the highest teacher pay:

1. New York
2. Massachusetts
3. California
4. Washington
5. Connecticut
6. New Jersey
7. Rhode Island
8. Maryland
9. Alaska
10. Pennsylvania

Teachers in these states are more likely to earn relatively high salaries early in their careers. However, when looking at state-specific salary data, it’s important to remember that the cost of living in some states is significantly higher than in others. For example, living in the District of Columbia or California is generally much more expensive than living in states such as Mississippi or Arkansas.

Higher wages do not benefit teachers in states with higher living costs; it simply means that numbers alone do not always tell the whole story. When considering potential places to live and work as a teacher, it is critical to consider several factors.

Teacher salaries rise over time as teachers improve their skills and become master educators. However, there is also variation in pay levels based on where teachers live in a state, how much funding a particular school district receives, and other factors.

Teachers are more likely to be paid more if they live in high-income urban areas and have extensive teaching experience. However, living and working in these states is not a guarantee that you will make a certain amount of money as a teacher; these are averages based on various factors.

Lowest-Paid States for Teachers

How much do teachers earn per year in less prosperous states? Teachers who live and work in states with lower average pay may encounter issues caused and exacerbated by a lack of funds. Places where teachers are underpaid, are frequently also places where schools have limited funding to begin with, which can impact students’ education and teachers’ livelihoods.

Low wages can be particularly challenging for teachers trying to launch their careers.

The five lowest-paying states based on starting salary are

1. Montana
2. Missouri
3. Arkansas
4. Colorado
5. Nebraska

Although teachers in these states do not earn as much as teachers elsewhere in the country, they have a lower cost of living. There is also variation in each condition that affects how much money a single teacher can make. Nonetheless, even for experienced teachers, some states pay less. The five lowest-paying conditions regarding top teacher salaries are

1. Arkansas
2. Missouri
3. Oklahoma
4. Louisiana
5. Idaho

Of course, there is more to being a teacher than money. Teachers are needed everywhere, and many people choose to become teachers for reasons that have little to do with monetary compensation and much more to do with assisting a younger generation to learn. However, earning a living wage is an essential part of any career, so there are numerous factors to consider when deciding where to become a teacher.

How has teacher pay changed over time?

From 2010 to 2021, national teacher salaries fell by about 3%. However, six states saw significant reductions in teacher pay of more than 10%: Indiana, Florida, Wyoming, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

However, in some states, such as South Dakota, Vermont, and California, teacher salaries increased by less than 7%. And Washington State stands out for having increased teacher pay by nearly 23.5% between 2010 and 2021.

Teachers in the United States can find comparatively good-paying jobs in most states, but with salary pay shifting downward, will it be enough to retain a stable teaching population in the future? That is a separate question that depends on various factors.

Factors Impacting Teachers’ Annual Salary

Aside from location, numerous other factors influence teacher salary that must be considered. For example, how do elementary teacher salaries compare to the average middle school or high school teacher salaries?

There is also a difference between the salaries of private school teachers and public school teachers. However, this distinction is much hazier because private schools’ educational approaches vary widely across the country.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has data on this, and it turns out that private school teachers earn significantly less than public school teachers: private school teachers make just over $36,000 per year compared to the $40,000 to $50,000 range we’ve detailed here for public school teachers.

However, public school teachers are frequently required to pass additional tests such as the Praxis, TeXeS, or CSET/CBEST. Private school teachers may be exempt from these tests depending on the school where they work.

Teachers’ experience levels and personal approaches to professional development also play a role. Experienced teachers have different pay structures as compared to inexperienced teachers.

Concluding thoughts:

The average teacher’s pay varies from state to state, but several other factors play a role. For example, teachers’ levels of experience, background education, education sector (public or private), etc., also play a significant role in designing the pay structure of a particular teacher.