There are currently an estimated 1,410,900 elementary school teachers in the United States. The elementary school teacher job market is expected to grow by 7.4% between 2016 and 2026.

How employable are elementary school teachers?

CareerExplorer rates elementary school teachers with a B- employability rating, meaning this career should provide good employment opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, it is expected the US will need 107,700 elementary school teachers. That number is based on 104,000 additional elementary school teachers, and the retirement of 3,700 existing elementary school teachers.

Are elementary school teachers in demand?

The majority of job openings for elementary school teachers will result from the need to replace the large number of teachers expected to retire over the next decade. Additional jobs, many of them in poor urban schools, will be created by younger teachers who leave the profession for other careers. Entrants into the field will increase their chance of employment if they possess expertise in mathematics, bilingual, or ESL (English as a second language) education, subject areas for which qualified teachers have been traditionally in demand.

What’s the supply of elementary school teachers?

The elementary school teacher industry is concentrated in California, Texas, New York

Elementary School Teacher job market by state

State Name Employed Elementary School Teachers
California 157,240
Texas 140,310
New York 80,930
Florida 72,560
Illinois 72,270
Georgia 55,360
Pennsylvania 54,140
Ohio 49,030
New Jersey 42,520
North Carolina 40,580
Michigan 38,080
Virginia 35,540
Wisconsin 29,520
Tennessee 29,030
Massachusetts 28,720
Missouri 27,420
Indiana 27,010
Colorado 26,150
Washington 25,890
Maryland 24,670
Minnesota 24,670
Alabama 24,150
Louisiana 23,670
Arizona 21,880
South Carolina 21,830
Kentucky 18,980
Iowa 18,180
Connecticut 17,860
Oklahoma 16,680
Kansas 15,750
Oregon 15,220
Mississippi 14,870
Utah 13,520
Arkansas 12,200
Puerto Rico 12,130
Nevada 10,400
Nebraska 10,140
Idaho 8,200
New Mexico 7,580
West Virginia 6,580
Hawaii 6,000
New Hampshire 5,710
Maine 5,360
North Dakota 4,410
Montana 4,330
Delaware 4,060
South Dakota 4,040
Vermont 3,590
Rhode Island 3,450
Alaska 3,190
District of Columbia 2,890
Wyoming 2,800
Guam 890
Virgin Islands, U.S. 680