Here’s How Much Teachers Are Paid in Every State

The coronavirus pandemic rages on, but one way or another, teachers returned to work last fall and have continued doing their jobs throughout this school year.

Elementary school teachers in the U.S. earned an average annual wage of $63,930 as of 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Middle school teachers earned an average of $63,550 at that same time. High school teachers averaged $65,930 per year.

But teacher pay varies considerably state. States also vary as to which level pays best. Often, elementary school teachers make less than their middle school and high school counterparts, but not always.

Following are the average annual wages for elementary, middle and high school teachers in each state. The states are ranked based on elementary-school pay.

50. Mississippi

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $44,060
• Employment: 12,340

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $48,170
• Employment: 6,180

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $46,580
• Employment: 8,850

49. South Dakota

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $44,110
• Employment: 4,070

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $44,990
• Employment: 1,920

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $44,610
• Employment: 3,500

48. West Virginia

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $45,390
• Employment: 5,330

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $47,570
• Employment: 5,160

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $47,610
• Employment: 4,460

47. Arizona

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $45,600
• Employment: 23,290

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $45,120
• Employment: 12,330

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,320
• Employment: 16,990

46. Oklahoma

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $45,970
• Employment: 17,980

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $46,360
• Employment: 8,320

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $47,320
• Employment: 11,680

45. North Carolina (tie)

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $48,560
• Employment: 42,520

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $49,620
• Employment: 18,770

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $49,930
• Employment: 24,030

44. Louisiana

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $48,630
• Employment: 23,670

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $49,790
• Employment: 7,600

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,090
• Employment: 14,810

43. Arkansas

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $48,800
• Employment: 13,010

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,720
• Employment: 6,450

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $51,870
• Employment: 11,940

42. Idaho

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $48,880
• Employment: 8,380

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,970
• Employment: 1,820

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,640
• Employment: 6,210

41. Alabama

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,270
• Employment: 23,650

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $51,600
• Employment: 10,310

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $51,950
• Employment: 15,230

40. Kansas

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,650
• Employment: 16,340

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,500
• Employment: 6,630

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,050
• Employment: 12,310

39. Missouri

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,920
• Employment: 22,850

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $51,930
• Employment: 11,080

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $50,980
• Employment: 30,640

38. Montana

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,160
• Employment: 4,920

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,710
• Employment: 2,070

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,360
• Employment: 3,670

37. Indiana

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,570
• Employment: 25,530

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,450
• Employment: 11,320

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,150
• Employment: 21,180

36. Kentucky

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,660
• Employment: 19,270

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,830
• Employment: 8,160

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,100
• Employment: 12,280

35. Maine

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $52,860
• Employment: 5,780

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,740
• Employment: 3,230

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,260
• Employment: 5,400

34. South Carolina

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,450
• Employment: 22,550

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,180
• Employment: 9,790

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,730
• Employment: 14,050

33. Tennessee

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,540
• Employment: 30,620

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,880
• Employment: 13,240

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,060
• Employment: 20,690

32. Iowa

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $53,950
• Employment: 18,720

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,250
• Employment: 7,920

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,570
• Employment: 11,950

31. Colorado

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $54,670
• Employment: 25,740

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $54,940
• Employment: 12,980

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,370
• Employment: 17,580

30. Florida

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,210
• Employment: 77,170

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,640
• Employment: 33,600

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $57,880
• Employment: 50,640

29. North Dakota

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $55,630
• Employment: 4,450

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $59,700
• Employment: 1,380

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,250
• Employment: 2,800

28. Texas

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,280
• Employment: 131,880

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,290
• Employment: 64,340

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,000
• Employment: 107,190

27. Nevada

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $56,980
• Employment: 10,480

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $59,150
• Employment: 4,000

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,090
• Employment: 5,760

26. New Mexico

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $57,330
• Employment: 7,650

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $49,570
• Employment: 3,250

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $57,410
• Employment: 6,880

25. Wisconsin

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $57,980
• Employment: 28,240

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,940
• Employment: 13,800

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $59,180
• Employment: 17,880

24. Georgia

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,190
• Employment: 50,250

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,830
• Employment: 28,440

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $59,860
• Employment: 26,500

23. Wyoming

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $58,940
• Employment: 2,550

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $61,340
• Employment: 1,090

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $61,400
• Employment: 1,690

22. New Hampshire

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $59,930
• Employment: 6,070

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $60,290
• Employment: 3,100

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $60,720
• Employment: 5,000

21. Nebraska

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $60,390
• Employment: 9,810

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $62,130
• Employment: 4,310

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $60,500
• Employment: 6,890

20. Utah

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $60,660
• Employment: 13,110

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,720
• Employment: 6,540

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $61,050
• Employment: 8,920

19. Minnesota

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,250
• Employment: 22,420

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $64,790
• Employment: 9,730

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $64,960
• Employment: 20,130

18. Illinois

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,280
• Employment: 64,270

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,630
• Employment: 21,700

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $74,340
• Employment: 44,810

17. Hawaii

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,360
• Employment: 5,780

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,520
• Employment: 2,090

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $62,580
• Employment: 4,320

16. Vermont

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,480
• Employment: 3,770

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $61,470
• Employment: 1,030

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $66,660
• Employment: 2,770

15. Delaware

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,970
• Employment: 3,800

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $64,800
• Employment: 2,200

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $66,920
• Employment: 3,330

14. Ohio

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $64,090
• Employment: 57,220

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,510
• Employment: 30,880

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $64,410
• Employment: 47,510

13. Michigan

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,050
• Employment: 37,130

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $64,920
• Employment: 13,910

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $63,000
• Employment: 22,820

12. Washington

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,390
• Employment: 30,440

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $70,970
• Employment: 9,430

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $71,690
• Employment: 14,810

11. Pennsylvania

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,630
• Employment: 57,100

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,330
• Employment: 26,460

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $66,920
• Employment: 46,130

10. Virginia

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,690
• Employment: 38,700

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $71,920
• Employment: 18,300

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,070
• Employment: 25,620

9. Oregon

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $69,980
• Employment: 15,950

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $70,660
• Employment: 6,250

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $71,780
• Employment: 8,840

8. New Jersey

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $71,880
• Employment: 40,640

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $73,380
• Employment: 26,590

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $78,090
• Employment: 30,230

7. Rhode Island

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $72,310
• Employment: 4,100

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $75,130
• Employment: 1,670

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $75,950
• Employment: 4,840

6. Maryland

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $75,380
• Employment: 28,610

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $74,400
• Employment: 14,890

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $77,050
• Employment: 17,150

5. Alaska

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $75,860
• Employment: 3,820

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $80,730
• Employment: 1,160

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $75,820
• Employment: 2,790

4. Connecticut

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $78,070
• Employment: 15,930

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $79,510
• Employment: 8,320

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $78,540
• Employment: 15,820

3. Massachusetts

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $82,450
• Employment: 31,430

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $80,520
• Employment: 15,910

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $81,070
• Employment: 27,120

2. California

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $82,560
• Employment: 164,910

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $80,160
• Employment: 39,780

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $85,080
• Employment: 109,840

1. New York

Elementary school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $82,830
• Employment: 92,560

Middle school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $87,050
• Employment: 42,010

High school teachers:

• Average annual wage: $87,240
• Employment: 75,360

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