Teacher Salary by State
Average public school teacher salaries ranged from $54,975 in Mississippi to $103,552 in California in 2024–25, while the national average was $74,495 and average starting pay was $48,112.
Data checked November 4, 2026 · Comparison year: 2024–25
This comparison covers all 50 states and Washington, D.C., using NEA’s 2026 reports. Both columns cover 2024–25. These are historical salary figures, not 2026–27 job offers. Average salary describes the teaching workforce; starting salary describes entry pay for a bachelor’s degree and no prior experience.
Teacher salary by state
Average salary covers the teaching workforce; starting salary is the entry benchmark for a bachelor’s degree and no experience. All figures are annual U.S. dollars before deductions. Rank 1 is the highest average among 51 jurisdictions. † identifies estimates discussed below.
Enter one state, or separate state names with commas to compare them.
Swipe horizontally to see all salary columns. State names stay visible.
| State | Average salary | Average starting salary | Average salary rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,985 | $47,955 | 35 |
| Alaska | $81,450 | $53,650 | 11 |
| Arizona | $64,291 | $44,869 | 31 |
| Arkansas | $59,193 | $50,076 | 45 |
| California | $103,552 | $59,424 | 1 |
| Colorado | $72,781 | $45,489 | 19 |
| Connecticut | $89,593† | $51,053 | 6 |
| Delaware | $76,570 | $49,344 | 14 |
| District of Columbia | $95,077† | $64,640 | 4 |
| Florida | $56,663 | $49,435 | 50 |
| Georgia | $71,524 | $48,722 | 21 |
| Hawaii | $75,860 | $51,835 | 16 |
| Idaho | $62,786 | $46,253 | 36 |
| Illinois | $78,495† | $46,655 | 13 |
| Indiana | $61,661 | $45,958 | 38 |
| Iowa | $65,312 | $48,139 | 30 |
| Kansas | $61,470 | $44,163 | 39 |
| Kentucky | $60,594 | $41,901 | 42 |
| Louisiana | $56,785 | $46,850 | 49 |
| Maine | $65,621 | $44,152 | 29 |
| Maryland | $87,409 | $57,293 | 7 |
| Massachusetts | $93,554 | $54,216 | 5 |
| Michigan | $71,023 | $43,093 | 22 |
| Minnesota | $76,234 | $46,477 | 15 |
| Mississippi | $54,975 | $43,814 | 51 |
| Missouri | $57,366 | $40,682 | 48 |
| Montana | $59,305† | $36,682 | 44 |
| Nebraska | $63,326 | $39,561 | 34 |
| Nevada | $74,812 | $49,731 | 17 |
| New Hampshire | $69,432 | $44,010 | 25 |
| New Jersey | $84,974† | $58,727 | 9 |
| New Mexico | $69,736 | $54,372 | 24 |
| New York | $98,655 | $51,612 | 2 |
| North Carolina | $60,323 | $44,952 | 43 |
| North Dakota | $60,704 | $45,252 | 41 |
| Ohio | $70,586 | $42,222 | 23 |
| Oklahoma | $61,931 | $41,294 | 37 |
| Oregon | $81,657 | $46,854 | 10 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,078 | $52,198 | 12 |
| Rhode Island | $85,772† | $48,242 | 8 |
| South Carolina | $64,050 | $48,426 | 32 |
| South Dakota | $58,486 | $47,196 | 46 |
| Tennessee | $61,222 | $47,230 | 40 |
| Texas | $63,749 | $49,465 | 33 |
| Utah | $72,882 | $57,849 | 18 |
| Vermont | $71,871 | $46,963 | 20 |
| Virginia | $69,254 | $50,448 | 26 |
| Washington | $96,589 | $60,658 | 3 |
| West Virginia | $58,099 | $45,294 | 47 |
| Wisconsin | $67,794 | $43,288 | 27 |
| Wyoming | $65,668 | $51,776 | 28 |
Table sources: NEA Rankings & Estimates, Table B-6, printed p. 18 (August 2026 revision); NEA Teacher Salary Benchmark Report, Table ST-2, printed p. 11 (April 2026). Starting values are reported district benchmarks; they are not estimates of actual earnings for all newly hired teachers.
† NEA flags Connecticut, D.C., Montana, and Rhode Island as estimates in Table B-6. Its state notes also identify ACS-based salary estimates for Illinois and New Jersey; both are marked here for transparency. Other entries are published without an estimate flag in B-6 and remain subject to state reporting differences and revision.
Key findings
- Highest average salaries: California ($103,552), New York ($98,655), and Washington ($96,589). D.C. ranks fourth at $95,077.
- Lowest average salaries: Mississippi ($54,975), Florida ($56,663), and Louisiana ($56,785).
- Starting pay changes the comparison. D.C. has the highest starting benchmark ($64,640); Washington leads the 50 states ($60,658). Montana has the lowest ($36,682).
- A high workforce average does not guarantee high entry pay. New York ranks second in average salary, but its starting benchmark ($51,612) is below Washington’s. Compare the column that fits your career stage.
Findings use the two NEA tables linked above. Nominal pay rankings do not establish which state is best for teachers.
Starting pay has risen, but purchasing power has not kept pace
Swipe horizontally to see the full chart, or open the chart data below.
Starting pay increased from $37,093 to $48,112 over this period. In 2024–25 purchasing power, however, the earlier salary was worth $50,138. A larger dollar amount does not necessarily buy more.
View the chart data
| School year | Nominal starting salary | In 2024–25 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | $37,093 | $50,138 |
| 2015–16 | $37,643 | $50,374 |
| 2016–17 | $38,701 | $50,962 |
| 2017–18 | $39,254 | $50,247 |
| 2018–19 | $40,142 | $50,551 |
| 2019–20 | $41,182 | $51,528 |
| 2020–21 | $41,814 | $49,642 |
| 2021–22 | $42,875 | $46,673 |
| 2022–23 | $44,548 | $47,096 |
| 2023–24 | $46,526 | $47,768 |
| 2024–25 | $48,112 | $48,112 |
How to interpret teacher salary figures
- Experience and education
- Many schedules use experience steps and education lanes. A state with more experienced teachers can have a higher average even when a particular district’s entry offer is modest. Advanced degrees, graduate credits, or credentials may qualify for additional pay, depending on local rules.
- District salary schedules
- A statewide average is not a salary offer or a statewide minimum. Districts within a state can pay differently. For example, North Carolina DPI explains that local school systems may add supplements to the state salary.
- Contract length and payment calendar
- Compare required workdays and duties. A longer contract may pay more while requiring more work. Receiving a school-year salary over 12 months does not itself make it a 12-month work contract.
- Living costs and take-home pay
- Housing, transportation, childcare, taxes, and employee deductions affect what a salary provides. Compare costs in the actual communities you are considering. The state ranks above use nominal dollars and are not cost-of-living adjusted.
- Benefits and supplemental pay
- These figures are gross salaries, not total compensation or take-home pay. Review employer benefits separately. Coaching, summer work, extra duties, and bonuses may add pay, but should not be assumed to be included or guaranteed.
How to find your likely salary
- Find the district’s current schedule. Search “[district name] teacher salary schedule [school year].” Check its human resources page, collective bargaining agreement, or compensation handbook and confirm the effective date.
- Confirm your experience step. Ask HR how many prior years it will recognize, including out-of-state, private-school, or part-time experience. Do not assume every year transfers.
- Confirm your education lane. Check degree and credit requirements, credential supplements, documentation deadlines, and whether coursework needs prior approval.
- Compare the complete offer. Check workdays, payment timing, insurance premiums, retirement contributions and vesting, leave, local supplements, and extra-duty pay. Separate recurring salary from one-time bonuses.
- Get placement in writing. Request the annual base salary, credited experience, lane, contract length, and guaranteed supplements before accepting.
Related reading: The Financial Tradeoffs of Pursuing a Career in Education.
Sources and methodology
Average salaries: NEA Rankings of the States 2025 and Estimates of School Statistics 2026, August 2026 revision, Table B-6. The series covers public elementary and secondary classroom teachers; it is distinct from NEA’s broader instructional-staff series. NEA gathers state education agency data and supplements missing information. Salaries are annual gross pay before deductions.
Starting salaries: NEA 2024–2025 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report, published April 2026, ST-2. Benchmarks generally come from district schedules and are unweighted district averages. Coverage varies: 11,365 of 14,186 tracked districts reported starting pay. Independent charter districts are excluded from this dataset. D.C.’s starting benchmark represents its reporting district, not every public charter employer.
Years and ranks: All state table values cover 2024–25. Rows are alphabetical; ranks order average salaries from highest to lowest, include D.C., and exclude the separate federal category. No ties occur. Starting pay does not determine rank. No missing state values were filled or substituted.
Limitations: State reporting definitions and charter coverage differ. Arizona’s average excludes charter salaries; North Carolina excludes charter schools and bonuses but includes local supplements. Missouri’s average excludes Teacher Baseline Salary Grant payments. Starting-pay reporting changes affect comparisons over time. The two columns describe different populations and cannot show how much an individual teacher’s pay will grow.
More recent estimates: The same Rankings & Estimates report projects a $76,552 national average for 2025–26 (Table E-6). That estimate is separate from this same-year comparison because the latest starting-pay report covers 2024–25. Neither figure establishes 2026–27 salaries.
Release history: NEA’s 2026 educator-pay collection was published April 10, 2026 and last updated September 10, 2026. Its research page identifies the August revision for Florida and Tennessee. The table uses that revision, not the initial April average-salary figures.