The average salary for an elementary school teacher in the United States is around $63,970 per year.
Avg Salary
Elementary school teachers earn an average yearly salary of $63,970.
Wages typically start from $47,960 and go up to $104,340.
6% above national average Updated in 2025
Elementary school teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$50.16 per hour
$104,340 per year
Senior-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$39.16 per hour
$81,450 per year
Mid-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$30.75 per hour
$63,970 per year
Junior-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$27.75 per hour
$57,710 per year
Starting level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$23.06 per hour
$47,960 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Elementary school teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $99,650 |
| District of Columbia | $96,580 |
| Massachusetts | $94,000 |
| Rhode Island | $90,930 |
| New York | $85,760 |
| Connecticut | $80,600 |
| Alaska | $79,260 |
| New Jersey | $78,200 |
| Maryland | $77,680 |
| Ohio | $77,370 |
| Oregon | $77,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,060 |
| Minnesota | $76,350 |
| Delaware | $75,920 |
| Illinois | $75,320 |
| Utah | $74,810 |
| New Mexico | $74,550 |
| New Hampshire | $72,410 |
| Georgia | $72,290 |
| Hawaii | $71,410 |
| Virginia | $65,550 |
| Michigan | $65,110 |
| Nevada | $65,040 |
| Colorado | $63,410 |
| Vermont | $63,070 |
| Texas | $62,760 |
| Maine | $62,390 |
| Nebraska | $62,380 |
| Idaho | $61,600 |
| Alabama | $61,380 |
| Wisconsin | $61,210 |
| Wyoming | $61,150 |
| South Carolina | $60,820 |
| Kentucky | $60,610 |
| Iowa | $60,580 |
| North Dakota | $60,030 |
| Tennessee | $59,980 |
| Indiana | $59,700 |
| Florida | $58,930 |
| Louisiana | $58,770 |
| Montana | $57,530 |
| Arizona | $56,590 |
| Kansas | $56,450 |
| West Virginia | $55,630 |
| North Carolina | $54,930 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 |
| Missouri | $50,910 |
| South Dakota | $50,130 |
| Mississippi | $49,790 |
| Guam | $48,490 |
| Oklahoma | $48,200 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $47,350 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,780 |
| Washington | $102,350 |
How do elementary school teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
Elementary school teachers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than music teachers but more than childcare program administrators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music teacher salary | $79K |
| Physical education teacher salary | $77K |
| Professor salary | $75K |
| High school teacher salary | $72K |
| Librarian salary | $68K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $64K |
| School counselor salary | $64K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $63K |
| Teacher salary | $61K |
| Childcare program administrator salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)