The average salary for an elementary school teacher in California is around $99,650 per year.
Avg Salary
Elementary school teachers earn an average yearly salary of $99,650.
Wages typically start from $61,940 and go up to $127,070.
17% above national average Updated in 2025
Elementary school teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$61.09 per hour
$127,070 per year
Senior-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$57.68 per hour
$119,970 per year
Mid-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$47.91 per hour
$99,650 per year
Junior-level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$37.09 per hour
$77,140 per year
Starting level elementary school teacher earnings begin at:
$29.78 per hour
$61,940 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 7% less than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than physical education teachers but more than teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physical education teacher salary | $128K |
| Music teacher salary | $99K |
| Professor salary | $112K |
| Distance learning coordinator salary | $100K |
| High school teacher salary | $101K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $100K |
| School counselor salary | $86K |
| Librarian salary | $90K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $83K |
| Teacher salary | $83K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)