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New York
$92,222
Massachusetts
$88,903
California
$87,275
District of Columbia
$82,523
Washington
$81,586
Connecticut
$81,185
New Jersey
$79,045
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
$58,887
Maine
$58,757
Utah
$58,619
Colorado
$58,481
Nevada
$57,804
Nebraska
$57,420
Alabama
$55,834
North Dakota
$55,769
Kansas
$54,815
Oklahoma
$54,804
Arizona
$54,580
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
Teacher Pay by State 2024
Many teachers are underpaid in the U.S. While the national average K-12 teacher salary is $66,397, this varies significantly by state. Unfortunately, many teachers are underpaid for taking on one of the most important tasks for a new generation: educating our youth.
Some of the best states for teachers are Washington, Utah, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Of these states, Washington, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are among the ten highest-paying states for teachers.
Like any other profession, the average salaries of teachers vary from state to state. This isn't just a small difference either. Average teacher salaries in the U.S. range from $47,162 in Mississippi to $92,222 in New York. Additionally, these salaries can be as much as 28% lower than the average salary of a full-time, year-round employee.
The highest pay in the nation for new teachers is in New York, where the average teacher salary is $92,222. New York's average teacher salary is about 11.5% higher than the average earnings of a full-time, year-round employee. Massachusetts and California follow, with $88,903 and $87,275 respectively.
Mississippi has the lowest average teacher salary of $47,162, followed by South Dakota with $49,761. These are the only states with average teacher salaries under $50,000 a year. Other states with lower average teacher salaries are West Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas.
State | Average Teacher Pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $92,222 |
| Massachusetts | $88,903 |
| California | $87,275 |
| District of Columbia | $82,523 |
| Washington | $81,586 |
| Connecticut | $81,185 |
| New Jersey | $79,045 |
| Rhode Island | $76,852 |
| Maryland | $75,766 |
| Alaska | $73,722 |
It's crucial to note that these are overall average teacher salaries. Starting teacher salaries are much lower and are often far below the livable wage in many states. The District of Columbia and New Jersey are the only states with starting teacher salaries over $50,000, with $55,209 and $51,443. Unfortunately, the livable wage is $68,000 in D.C. and $56,000 in New Jersey. Montana has the lowest starting salary at $31,418, which is still below its livable wage of $47,000. Thirty-four U.S. states have starting teacher salaries below $40,000 a year.
Below is a table of each state's average teacher salary and its comparison to the average full-time, year-round worker's salary and past salaries, and the average starting teacher salaries.
Teacher Pay by State 2024
State | Average Teacher Pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $92,222 |
| Massachusetts | $88,903 |
| California | $87,275 |
| District of Columbia | $82,523 |
| Washington | $81,586 |
| Connecticut | $81,185 |
| New Jersey | $79,045 |
| 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 | $58,887 |
| Maine | $58,757 |
| Utah | $58,619 |
| Colorado | $58,481 |
| Nevada | $57,804 |
| Nebraska | $57,420 |
| Alabama | $55,834 |
| North Dakota | $55,769 |
| Kansas | $54,815 |
| Oklahoma | $54,804 |
| Arizona | $54,580 |
| 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 |
| United States | $62,812 |
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