The average salary for a teacher in the United States is around $37,650 per year.
Avg Salary
Teachers earn an average yearly salary of $37,650.
Wages typically start from $24,581 and go up to $57,668.
40% below national average Updated in 2023
Teacher earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level teacher earnings begin at:
$27.72 per hour
$57,668 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level teacher earnings begin at:
$22.65 per hour
$47,122 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level teacher earnings begin at:
$18.10 per hour
$37,650 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level teacher earnings begin at:
$14.46 per hour
$30,083 per year
10th percentile
Starting level teacher earnings begin at:
$11.82 per hour
$24,581 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $71,224 |
| Connecticut | $71,018 |
| New Jersey | $70,726 |
| Rhode Island | $70,559 |
| Massachusetts | $69,278 |
| Maryland | $67,745 |
| Virginia | $67,304 |
| District of Columbia | $66,911 |
| Washington | $65,392 |
| Minnesota | $64,318 |
| Alaska | $62,380 |
| Delaware | $60,357 |
| Vermont | $60,151 |
| Ohio | $60,078 |
| California | $60,000 |
| New Hampshire | $58,465 |
| Michigan | $58,165 |
| Kentucky | $57,902 |
| Colorado | $57,841 |
| Hawaii | $57,672 |
| New York | $57,000 |
| Texas | $57,000 |
| Wisconsin | $56,880 |
| Utah | $56,415 |
| Wyoming | $56,301 |
| Illinois | $56,078 |
| South Carolina | $55,204 |
| North Dakota | $55,186 |
| Maine | $55,141 |
| Iowa | $55,072 |
| Nevada | $55,044 |
| Nebraska | $54,849 |
| Alabama | $53,966 |
| Tennessee | $53,674 |
| New Mexico | $53,259 |
| Indiana | $53,199 |
| Oklahoma | $52,394 |
| Arizona | $51,814 |
| Missouri | $50,951 |
| Kansas | $50,576 |
| Arkansas | $50,044 |
| Florida | $50,000 |
| Idaho | $49,416 |
| Montana | $49,041 |
| South Dakota | $49,006 |
| Louisiana | $48,791 |
| Mississippi | $48,211 |
| Georgia | $47,000 |
| North Carolina | $47,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,000 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $44,580 |
| West Virginia | $44,252 |
| Guam | $42,040 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,878 |
How do teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
Teachers earn 7% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than career counselors but more than music teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Physical education teacher salary | $26K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $26K |
| Music teacher salary | $24K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)