The average salary for an elementary school teacher in the United States is around $40,475 per year.
Avg Salary
Elementary school teachers earn an average yearly salary of $40,475.
Wages typically start from $29,848 and go up to $54,886.
37% below national average Updated in 2023
Elementary school teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$26.39 per hour
$54,886 per year
Senior-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$22.84 per hour
$47,512 per year
Mid-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$19.46 per hour
$40,475 per year
Junior-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$16.58 per hour
$34,480 per year
Starting level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$14.35 per hour
$29,848 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Elementary school teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $80,020 |
| Connecticut | $79,120 |
| Massachusetts | $79,120 |
| New York | $78,920 |
| Washington | $78,780 |
| District of Columbia | $77,490 |
| Alaska | $77,270 |
| Rhode Island | $76,880 |
| Oregon | $76,430 |
| Maryland | $76,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,560 |
| New Jersey | $73,910 |
| Ohio | $64,410 |
| Virginia | $63,670 |
| Delaware | $63,530 |
| Hawaii | $63,110 |
| Minnesota | $62,140 |
| Illinois | $61,680 |
| Michigan | $61,640 |
| New Hampshire | $61,220 |
| Vermont | $61,220 |
| Georgia | $61,030 |
| Texas | $60,900 |
| Nebraska | $60,700 |
| Wisconsin | $60,700 |
| Florida | $60,670 |
| Wyoming | $60,650 |
| Nevada | $60,600 |
| Utah | $60,240 |
| New Mexico | $60,180 |
| Maine | $60,130 |
| Colorado | $60,040 |
| Iowa | $59,430 |
| Kentucky | $59,260 |
| South Carolina | $57,960 |
| Alabama | $50,300 |
| Kansas | $50,130 |
| Tennessee | $50,130 |
| North Dakota | $49,760 |
| Montana | $49,480 |
| Idaho | $48,990 |
| Louisiana | $48,650 |
| Guam | $48,490 |
| Indiana | $48,370 |
| West Virginia | $48,290 |
| Oklahoma | $48,150 |
| North Carolina | $48,130 |
| Arkansas | $48,090 |
| Arizona | $47,960 |
| South Dakota | $47,960 |
| Missouri | $47,950 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $47,350 |
| Mississippi | $47,280 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,780 |
How do elementary school teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
Elementary school teachers earn 9% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than professors but more than childcare program administrators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Professor salary | $52K |
| Special education teacher salary | $54K |
| Librarian salary | $55K |
| Career counselor salary | $48K |
| High school teacher salary | $47K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $40K |
| Art teacher salary | $45K |
| School counselor salary | $38K |
| Teacher salary | $38K |
| Childcare program administrator salary | $31K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)