Teacher pay varies enormously by state and is a perennial policy debate. Here’s a comprehensive data breakdown.
Average Teacher Salary by State
| Rank | State | Average Salary | Starting Salary | Cost-of-Living Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $95,966 | $48,000 | $82,800 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $92,307 | $47,500 | $82,560 |
| 3 | California | $90,531 | $51,000 | $79,832 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $89,000 | $47,000 | $82,791 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $88,500 | $52,000 | $81,944 |
| 6 | Washington | $85,350 | $45,000 | $80,519 |
| 7 | Maryland | $82,000 | $46,000 | $77,725 |
| 8 | Oregon | $81,200 | $42,000 | $78,454 |
| 9 | Alaska | $80,500 | $49,000 | $77,404 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $79,800 | $44,000 | $78,621 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $78,500 | $43,500 | $82,632 |
| 12 | Illinois | $76,000 | $41,000 | $78,756 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $75,500 | $46,500 | $39,139 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $74,800 | $41,500 | $77,113 |
| 15 | Delaware | $74,000 | $42,500 | $74,747 |
| 16 | Michigan | $73,500 | $39,500 | $80,065 |
| 17 | Vermont | $73,000 | $38,500 | $71,569 |
| 18 | Ohio | $72,500 | $38,000 | $79,670 |
| 19 | Virginia | $72,000 | $43,000 | $73,096 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $71,500 | $38,500 | $71,144 |
| 21 | Colorado | $71,000 | $38,000 | $67,619 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $70,200 | $38,000 | $75,484 |
| 23 | Georgia | $69,500 | $39,000 | $78,266 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $69,000 | $37,000 | $74,595 |
| 25 | Iowa | $68,500 | $37,500 | $76,794 |
| — | National Average | $69,544 | $42,845 | $69,544 |
| 26 | Nevada | $68,000 | $42,000 | $71,204 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $67,500 | $37,000 | $75,000 |
| 28 | Indiana | $67,000 | $36,500 | $75,281 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $66,500 | $44,000 | $71,123 |
| 30 | Texas | $66,000 | $38,500 | $73,497 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $65,500 | $37,000 | $74,011 |
| 32 | Montana | $65,000 | $33,500 | $68,783 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $64,500 | $36,000 | $72,067 |
| 34 | Maine | $64,000 | $35,500 | $62,439 |
| 35 | Kansas | $63,500 | $37,500 | $72,571 |
| 36 | Utah | $63,000 | $41,000 | $64,286 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $62,500 | $36,000 | $68,833 |
| 38 | Arizona | $62,000 | $38,500 | $63,590 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $61,500 | $36,500 | $66,848 |
| 40 | Missouri | $61,000 | $34,000 | $69,476 |
| 41 | Idaho | $60,500 | $38,000 | $64,362 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $60,000 | $38,500 | $66,445 |
| 43 | Alabama | $59,500 | $37,000 | $68,786 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $59,000 | $41,000 | $64,481 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $58,500 | $35,000 | $64,641 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $57,500 | $36,500 | $66,017 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $56,800 | $36,000 | $66,124 |
| 48 | Florida | $55,500 | $40,000 | $57,813 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $55,000 | $34,500 | $64,554 |
| 50 | Colorado (rural) | $52,000 | $32,000 | $49,524 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,843 | $33,000 | $55,240 |
See where your income ranks with our income percentile calculator to see how the numbers apply to your situation. Open calculator
Teacher Salary by Experience
| Years of Experience | Average Salary | vs. Starting (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting (0-3 years) | $42,845 | Baseline |
| 4-9 years | $52,000 | +21% |
| 10-14 years | $62,000 | +45% |
| 15-19 years | $70,000 | +63% |
| 20-24 years | $76,000 | +77% |
| 25+ years | $82,000 | +91% |
| Maximum (top of scale) | $90,000-$120,000 | +110-180% |
Most teacher pay scales take 25-30 years to reach the maximum. In contrast, many private-sector careers reach top pay within 10-15 years.
See also:2024 US Average Annual Income By State·Average Income by Age in America (2026)·Average Income by Education Level (2026)
Teacher Pay Penalty
The “teacher pay penalty” measures how much less teachers earn compared to other college-educated workers:
| Year | Average Teacher Pay | Comparable Private-Sector Pay | Pay Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | $52,000 | $54,000 | -3.7% |
| 2000 | $56,000 | $62,000 | -9.7% |
| 2005 | $60,000 | $70,000 | -14.3% |
| 2010 | $63,000 | $76,000 | -17.1% |
| 2015 | $65,000 | $82,000 | -20.7% |
| 2020 | $67,000 | $88,000 | -23.9% |
| 2024 | $69,544 | $94,500 | -26.4% |
The pay penalty has worsened from 3.7% in 1996 to 26.4% today.
States With Largest Pay Penalty
| State | Teacher Avg. | Comparable Worker Avg. | Pay Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $71,000 | $105,000 | -32.4% |
| Arizona | $62,000 | $91,000 | -31.9% |
| Virginia | $72,000 | $104,000 | -30.8% |
| Oklahoma | $57,500 | $82,000 | -29.9% |
| Florida | $55,500 | $78,000 | -28.8% |
Teacher Benefits: The Full Picture
| Benefit | Teachers | Private Sector (Avg.) |
|---|---|---|
| Pension/retirement | Defined benefit (most states) | 401(k) with match |
| Healthcare premium (employee share) | $1,800/month family (employee pays ~$400-$600) | ~$6,200/year employee share |
| Summer break | 10-12 weeks (unpaid in most states) | 2-3 weeks PTO |
| Sick days | 10-15/year | 8-10/year |
| Job security (tenure) | After 3-5 years | At-will employment |
| Student loan forgiveness | PSLF eligible (after 10 years) | Usually not eligible |
| Pension value | ~$25,000-$45,000/year in retirement | Depends on savings |
When benefits are included, the total compensation gap narrows to about -10% to -15%.
Teacher Shortage Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Unfilled teaching positions (2024-25) | ~55,000 |
| Positions filled by underqualified teachers | ~270,000 |
| Annual teacher attrition rate | 8% |
| Teachers who leave within first 5 years | 44% |
| States with emergency certifications | 36 states |
| Subject areas with worst shortages | Math, science, special education, ESL |
Why Teachers Leave
| Reason | % Citing |
|---|---|
| Low pay | 65% |
| Stressful work conditions | 55% |
| Lack of administrative support | 45% |
| Student behavior issues | 40% |
| Too many working hours (avg. 54 hrs/week) | 38% |
| Better opportunities elsewhere | 35% |
| Political interference in curriculum | 28% |
| Lack of autonomy | 25% |