Here’s How Much Teachers Make in Every State
Teachers are notoriously underpaid, with some having to work multiple jobs just to pay the bills. The median pay for teachers in America ranges from $30,520 for a preschool teacher to $61,660 for a high school teacher — while the median pay across all occupations is $39,810, and this includes many jobs that don’t require the higher degrees needed to become an educator. However, the pay varies greatly from state to state, with median teacher salaries ranging from $21,390 to $87,120.
To find out how much teachers make in every state, GOBankingRates analyzed the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2019 data on employment and wages by state to find the median annual wage for preschool, elementary school, middle school and high school teachers. Here’s how much public school teacher jobs are worth across America.
Last updated: Aug. 4, 2020
How Much Teachers Make in Alabama
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $21,390
Kindergarten teachers: $45,840
Elementary school teachers: $51,170
Middle school teachers: $52,830
High school teachers: $52,240
How Much Teachers Make in Alaska
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $31,500
Kindergarten teachers: $67,690
Elementary school teachers: $73,960
Middle school teachers: $77,600
High school teachers: $74,910
How Much Teachers Make in Arizona
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $28,850
Kindergarten teachers: $44,490
Elementary school teachers: $44,780
Middle school teachers: $44,210
High school teachers: $48,490
How Much Teachers Make in Arkansas
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,830
Kindergarten teachers: $47,600
Elementary school teachers: $47,990
Middle school teachers: $49,660
High school teachers: $51,030
How Much Teachers Make in California
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $35,000
Kindergarten teachers: $72,560
Elementary school teachers: $83,360
Middle school teachers: $80,130
High school teachers: $87,120
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How Much Teachers Make in Colorado
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $31,720
Kindergarten teachers: $48,970
Elementary school teachers: $51,450
Middle school teachers: $51,480
High school teachers: $53,180
How Much Teachers Make in Connecticut
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $36,310
Kindergarten teachers: $77,900
Elementary school teachers: $78,530
Middle school teachers: $80,500
High school teachers: $78,910
How Much Teachers Make in Delaware
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $26,240
Kindergarten teachers: $58,630
Elementary school teachers: $62,800
Middle school teachers: $64,660
High school teachers: $66,870
How Much Teachers Make in Florida
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $25,110
Kindergarten teachers: $56,000
Elementary school teachers: $53,540
Middle school teachers: $54,750
High school teachers: $55,620
How Much Teachers Make in Georgia
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,230
Kindergarten teachers: $56,490
Elementary school teachers: $57,760
Middle school teachers: $57,510
High school teachers: $59,260
How Much Teachers Make in Hawaii
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $40,270
Kindergarten teachers: $31,310
Elementary school teachers: $62,730
Middle school teachers: $62,690
High school teachers: $61,430
How Much Teachers Make in Idaho
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $23,960
Kindergarten teachers: $46,280
Elementary school teachers: $46,420
Middle school teachers: $53,260
High school teachers: $49,390
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How Much Teachers Make in Illinois
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,720
Kindergarten teachers: $55,670
Elementary school teachers: $60,250
Middle school teachers: $60,470
High school teachers: $69,610
How Much Teachers Make in Indiana
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $26,700
Kindergarten teachers: $48,570
Elementary school teachers: $49,370
Middle school teachers: $49,740
High school teachers: $50,250
How Much Teachers Make in Iowa
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $26,780
Kindergarten teachers: $52,280
Elementary school teachers: $53,610
Middle school teachers: $54,810
High school teachers: $55,630
How Much Teachers Make in Kansas
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,280
Kindergarten teachers: $48,490
Elementary school teachers: $48,950
Middle school teachers: $50,820
High school teachers: $50,310
How Much Teachers Make in Kentucky
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,990
Kindergarten teachers: $54,470
Elementary school teachers: $53,180
Middle school teachers: $53,620
High school teachers: $55,000
How Much Teachers Make in Louisiana
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $26,840
Kindergarten teachers: $45,810
Elementary school teachers: $47,900
Middle school teachers: $48,950
High school teachers: $50,450
How Much Teachers Make in Maine
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $35,950
Kindergarten teachers: $53,630
Elementary school teachers: $51,640
Middle school teachers: $57,030
High school teachers: $55,640
How Much Teachers Make in Maryland
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $31,880
Kindergarten teachers: $68,330
Elementary school teachers: $73,640
Middle school teachers: $71,620
High school teachers: $75,330
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How Much Teachers Make in Massachusetts
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $36,500
Kindergarten teachers: $75,360
Elementary school teachers: $79,980
Middle school teachers: $78,270
High school teachers: $79,950
How Much Teachers Make in Michigan
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $30,980
Kindergarten teachers: $59,080
Elementary school teachers: $66,030
Middle school teachers: $65,380
High school teachers: $61,630
How Much Teachers Make in Minnesota
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $36,320
Kindergarten teachers: $60,680
Elementary school teachers: $61,080
Middle school teachers: $62,140
High school teachers: $62,850
How Much Teachers Make in Mississippi
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,960
Kindergarten teachers: $44,320
Elementary school teachers: $43,530
Middle school teachers: $46,550
High school teachers: $45,680
How Much Teachers Make in Missouri
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $28,660
Kindergarten teachers: $47,970
Elementary school teachers: $46,320
Middle school teachers: $47,510
High school teachers: $45,250
How Much Teachers Make in Montana
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,960
Kindergarten teachers: $50,410
Elementary school teachers: $49,750
Middle school teachers: $58,760
High school teachers: $49,770
How Much Teachers Make in Nebraska
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $35,590
Kindergarten teachers: $58,050
Elementary school teachers: $58,930
Middle school teachers: $60,210
High school teachers: $60,210
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How Much Teachers Make in Nevada
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $27,580
Kindergarten teachers: $53,780
Elementary school teachers: $56,170
Middle school teachers: $58,930
High school teachers: $57,600
How Much Teachers Make in New Hampshire
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $30,020
Kindergarten teachers: $57,890
Elementary school teachers: $59,340
Middle school teachers: $60,070
High school teachers: $60,500
How Much Teachers Make in New Jersey
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $36,100
Kindergarten teachers: $65,620
Elementary school teachers: $69,340
Middle school teachers: $71,650
High school teachers: $76,910
How Much Teachers Make in New Mexico
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $28,420
Kindergarten teachers: $51,030
Elementary school teachers: $55,080
Middle school teachers: $48,700
High school teachers: $55,700
How Much Teachers Make in New York
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $37,160
Kindergarten teachers: $71,910
Elementary school teachers: $79,220
Middle school teachers: $85,390
High school teachers: $85,050
How Much Teachers Make in North Carolina
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $26,680
Kindergarten teachers: $48,350
Elementary school teachers: $48,000
Middle school teachers: $48,750
High school teachers: $49,080
How Much Teachers Make in North Dakota
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $26,520
Kindergarten teachers: $53,050
Elementary school teachers: $52,270
Middle school teachers: $56,150
High school teachers: $54,360
How Much Teachers Make in Ohio
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $27,170
Kindergarten teachers: $57,460
Elementary school teachers: $64,470
Middle school teachers: $63,480
High school teachers: $64,370
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How Much Teachers Make in Oklahoma
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $25,870
Kindergarten teachers: $41,400
Elementary school teachers: $42,180
Middle school teachers: $43,530
High school teachers: $45,060
How Much Teachers Make in Oregon
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,950
Kindergarten teachers: $75,660
Elementary school teachers: $68,180
Middle school teachers: $70,830
High school teachers: $70,930
How Much Teachers Make in Pennsylvania
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,030
Kindergarten teachers: $63,410
Elementary school teachers: $66,960
Middle school teachers: $66,610
High school teachers: $65,170
How Much Teachers Make in Rhode Island
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $28,700
Kindergarten teachers: $81,050
Elementary school teachers: $75,310
Middle school teachers: $77,880
High school teachers: $80,050
How Much Teachers Make in South Carolina
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $22,990
Kindergarten teachers: $53,770
Elementary school teachers: $51,600
Middle school teachers: $54,090
High school teachers: $55,330
How Much Teachers Make in South Dakota
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $29,600
Kindergarten teachers: $42,830
Elementary school teachers: $44,030
Middle school teachers: $44,970
High school teachers: $44,520
How Much Teachers Make in Tennessee
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $27,980
Kindergarten teachers: $48,890
Elementary school teachers: $51,980
Middle school teachers: $52,040
High school teachers: $53,720
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How Much Teachers Make in Texas
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $30,030
Kindergarten teachers: $56,170
Elementary school teachers: $56,550
Middle school teachers: $56,500
High school teachers: $57,820
How Much Teachers Make in Utah
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $27,550
Kindergarten teachers: $55,490
Elementary school teachers: $54,800
Middle school teachers: $61,710
High school teachers: $57,460
How Much Teachers Make in Vermont
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $34,290
Kindergarten teachers: $56,090
Elementary school teachers: $59,850
Middle school teachers: $59,540
High school teachers: $64,600
How Much Teachers Make in Virginia
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $33,080
Kindergarten teachers: $64,480
Elementary school teachers: $65,620
Middle school teachers: $67,790
High school teachers: $63,800
How Much Teachers Make in Washington
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $33,190
Kindergarten teachers: $62,360
Elementary school teachers: $68,600
Middle school teachers: $70,250
High school teachers: $71,470
How Much Teachers Make in West Virginia
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $25,540
Kindergarten teachers: $46,730
Elementary school teachers: $44,940
Middle school teachers: $47,060
High school teachers: $46,880
How Much Teachers Make in Wisconsin
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $25,440
Kindergarten teachers: $56,790
Elementary school teachers: $56,760
Middle school teachers: $57,220
High school teachers: $57,930
How Much Teachers Make in Wyoming
Median annual wages:
Preschool teachers: $27,600
Kindergarten teachers: $57,470
Elementary school teachers: $58,570
Middle school teachers: $60,570
High school teachers: $60,910
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Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2019 data on employment and wages by state to find the median annual wage for (1) preschool, (2) elementary school, (3) middle school and (4) high school teachers in every state. The median annual wage for all occupations in each state was provided as supplemental data. All data was collected on and up to date as of July 24, 2020.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s How Much Teachers Make in Every State
