Teacher pay remains a prominent and contentious issue nationwide, drawing attention from lawmakers and fueling recent teacher walkouts. Average public school teacher salaries vary significantly across states, ranging from roughly $44,926 in the lowest-paying state to $84,227 in the highest.
In response to teacher shortages and difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified staff, many state legislatures have taken action in recent years to increase teacher pay.
Nationwide, the average teacher salary for the 2017–18 school year was $60,477, according to the National Education Association (NEA). Salaries rose by an average of 1.58 percent compared with the previous school year.
The following state-by-state summary is based on the NEA report “Rankings of the States 2018 and Estimates of School Statistics 2019,” which reports figures for the 2017–18 school year. State median household income figures are drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey one-year estimates.
Alabama
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National rank: 37
Pay increase (year over year): 0.35 percent
Statewide median household income: $48,123
Alabama approved its largest Education Trust Fund budget at $7.1 billion, which included a 4 percent raise for school employees and increased funding for voluntary preschool.
Alaska
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National rank: 7
Pay increase (year over year): 1.33 percent
Statewide median household income: $73,181
Alaska has increased funding for public education in recent years, but the state’s high cost of living remains a barrier to attracting and retaining teachers.
Arizona
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National rank: 45
Pay increase (year over year): 3.11 percent
Statewide median household income: $56,581
Arizona adopted a plan in 2018 to raise teacher pay by 20 percent by 2020, a package expected to increase education spending by more than $1 billion once fully implemented.
Arkansas
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National rank: 38
Pay increase (year over year): 4.64 percent
Statewide median household income: $45,869
Arkansas enacted a law to increase the minimum teacher salary by $1,000 annually for four years, raising the base from $31,800 by those increments.
California
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National rank: 2
Pay increase (year over year): 1.96 percent
Statewide median household income: $71,805
Although California ranks near the top in teacher pay, the high cost of living—especially along the coast—reduces purchasing power. The state experienced several high-profile teacher strikes that produced significant local raises and other concessions.
Colorado
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Average salary: $52,701
National rank: 31
Pay increase (year over year): 1.72 percent
Statewide median household income: $65,458
Colorado’s K–12 budget included funding for all-day kindergarten and a total K–12 allocation of $6.1 billion for 2019–20.
Connecticut
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National rank: 5
Pay increase (year over year): 1.87 percent
Statewide median household income: $74,168
Connecticut sought savings by refinancing teacher pension contributions, a major state expense, while local municipalities resisted attempts to shift more pension costs to them.
Delaware
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National rank: 14
Pay increase (year over year): 0.83 percent
Statewide median household income: $62,852
Delaware lawmakers recommended a 2 percent salary increase for teachers as part of broader state spending plans.
District of Columbia
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National rank: 4
Pay increase (year over year): 1.05 percent
Statewide median household income: $82,372
Despite high teacher pay relative to other states, the District of Columbia experiences above-average teacher turnover—around 25 percent compared with 16 percent nationally.
Florida
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National rank: 46
Pay increase (year over year): 1.91 percent
Statewide median household income: $52,594
Florida replaced a controversial “best and brightest” bonus tied to college entrance exam scores with a retention bonus based on school performance and teacher tenure at a school.
Georgia
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National rank: 22
Pay increase (year over year): 1.44 percent
Statewide median household income: $56,183
Georgia approved a $3,000 raise for teachers for the next school year and a 2 percent raise for university and state employees.
Hawaii
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National rank: 18
Pay increase (year over year): 2.14 percent
Statewide median household income: $77,765
Hawaii’s high cost of living erodes teacher pay, and retention is a concern—only about half of teachers who started five years ago remain in classrooms.
Idaho
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National rank: 44
Pay increase (year over year): 3.62 percent
Statewide median household income: $52,225
Idaho implemented a career ladder law and incremental increases to starting pay, raising the goal for beginning teacher pay to $40,000 by 2020–21.
Illinois
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National rank: 11
Pay increase (year over year): 1.87 percent
Statewide median household income: $62,992
Legislation was advanced to phase in a $40,000 minimum teacher salary by 2025, replacing statutory minima that had remained far below current expectations.
Indiana
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National rank: 36
Pay increase (year over year): 0.79 percent
Statewide median household income: $54,181
A governor-appointed commission has met to study teacher pay, and a proposal to raise starting pay to $40,000 was considered but did not advance during the legislative session.
Iowa
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National rank: 21
Pay increase (year over year): 2.46 percent
Statewide median household income: $58,570
Iowa’s K–12 budget increased by $89.3 million, an approximate 2 percent rise that drew criticism from some lawmakers as insufficient.
Kansas
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National rank: 41
Pay increase (year over year): 0.67 percent
Statewide median household income: $56,422
Kansas planned a $90 million annual increase in state education funding over four years after a state Supreme Court ruling required higher school funding levels.
Kentucky
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National rank: 28
Pay increase (year over year): 1.17 percent
Statewide median household income: $48,375
Kentucky’s education commissioner proposed giving districts greater flexibility over teacher pay, including performance-based options rather than a single statewide salary schedule.
Louisiana
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National rank: 39
Pay increase (year over year): 1.12 percent
Statewide median household income: $46,145
Louisiana’s budget included a $140 million increase for public education and a $1,000 raise for teachers, with support staff receiving $500.
Maine
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National rank: 26
Pay increase (year over year): 1.77 percent
Statewide median household income: $56,277
Maine considered legislation to raise the minimum teacher salary to $40,000 in 2020, representing a significant boost for beginning teachers.
Maryland
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National rank: 8
Pay increase (year over year): 1.86 percent
Statewide median household income: $80,776
Maryland allowed an education funding bill to become law without the governor’s signature; it included an $855 million funding increase over two years and modest state-funded teacher pay increases expected to be supplemented by local districts.
Massachusetts
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National rank: 3
Pay increase (year over year): 2.1 percent
Statewide median household income: $77,385
Massachusetts considered a proposed education budget increase and pursued a constitutional amendment to create a tax on incomes above $1 million to fund education and transportation.
Michigan
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National rank: 13
Pay decrease (year over year): -0.6 percent
Statewide median household income: $54,909
Detroit reached a tentative contract that increased pay for teachers and staff, raising the maximum teacher salary and increasing the minimum for teachers with a bachelor’s degree.
Minnesota
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National rank: 20
Pay increase (year over year): 0.76 percent
Statewide median household income: $68,388
Minnesota enacted a two-year plan to increase public education funding by 2 percent each year as an initial step toward broader goals for education investment.
Mississippi
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National rank: 51
Pay increase (year over year): 0.6 percent
Statewide median household income: $43,529
Mississippi ranks lowest nationally for average teacher salary. Lawmakers approved a $1,500 pay increase for teachers and instructional assistants in the most recent session.
Missouri
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National rank: 43
Pay increase (year over year): 1.41 percent
Statewide median household income: $53,578
Missouri’s state budget included a $61 million boost for public education as part of broader spending signed into law.
Montana
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National rank: 30
Pay increase (year over year): 2.63 percent
Statewide median household income: $53,386
Montana completed its legislative session and passed a budget that did not include funding for a statewide, state-funded preschool program, despite an existing pilot initiative.
Nebraska
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National rank: 25
Pay increase (year over year): 3.58 percent
Statewide median household income: $59,970
Nebraska was among the few states that avoided an inflation-adjusted decline in teacher pay over the last decade, showing modest real gains.
Nevada
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National rank: 24
Pay decrease (year over year): -0.72 percent
Statewide median household income: $58,003
Nevada enacted a new public education funding formula and directed $63 million to literacy programs aimed at ensuring children read at grade level by third grade.
New Hampshire
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National rank: 19
Pay increase (year over year): 0.54 percent
Statewide median household income: $73,381
A court ruled that New Hampshire’s public education funding system is unconstitutional, prompting debates and potential reforms to how the state funds schools.
New Jersey
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National rank: 6
Pay increase (year over year): 0.42 percent
Statewide median household income: $80,088
New Jersey teachers staged localized strikes over health insurance costs; some disputes were settled quickly while legal orders required timely returns to work.
New Mexico
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National rank: 48
Pay increase (year over year): 0.06 percent
Statewide median household income: $46,744
New Mexico approved bills that boosted education spending, including a 6 percent pay raise for school employees and raising the minimum teacher salary to $40,000, with higher pay for advanced certifications.
New York
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National rank: 1
Pay increase (year over year): 2.84 percent
Statewide median household income: $64,894
New York has the highest average teacher pay in absolute terms, though cost-of-living adjustments can significantly reduce that advantage. Contracts in places like New York City provided multi-year raises.
North Carolina
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National rank: 34
Pay increase (year over year): 2.52 percent
Statewide median household income: $52,752
Lawmakers debated a range of raises for teachers, with proposals varying from modest multi-year increases to larger immediate raises.
North Dakota
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National rank: 29
Pay increase (year over year): 0.6 percent
Statewide median household income: $61,843
North Dakota adjusted its school funding formula to provide some additional support to districts with recent enrollment gains while avoiding a full shift to current-year enrollment funding because of the cost.
Ohio
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National rank: 17
Pay decrease (year over year): -0.35 percent
Statewide median household income: $54,021
Proposals in Ohio included a “Fair School Funding Plan” with a multi-year funding increase and a tax credit for teachers to offset out-of-pocket classroom expenses.
Oklahoma
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National rank: 49
Pay increase (year over year): 2.23 percent
Statewide median household income: $50,051
Oklahoma passed legislation that led to substantial average pay increases for teachers and additional stipends for support staff, and lawmakers continued discussion about further raises.
Oregon
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National rank: 12
Pay increase (year over year): 1.94 percent
Statewide median household income: $60,212
Large grassroots actions, including a one-day walkout, highlighted demands for better school funding across Oregon, prompting district closures and broader public discussion.
Pennsylvania
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National rank: 9
Pay increase (year over year): 1.92 percent
Statewide median household income: $59,195
Pennsylvania’s governor proposed raising the minimum teacher salary substantially, aiming to reverse decades of stagnation in statutory minimums.
Rhode Island
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National rank: 10
Pay increase (year over year): 0.42 percent
Statewide median household income: $63,870
Rhode Island lawmakers considered legislation to streamline union notification of new public employees and to allow fee arrangements for representation of non-members in grievances.
South Carolina
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National rank: 40
Pay increase (year over year): 0.36 percent
Statewide median household income: $50,570
Mass protests and a large teacher walkout pushed the legislature to consider at least a 4 percent pay raise for teachers next year.
South Dakota
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National rank: 47
Pay increase (year over year): 1.39 percent
Statewide median household income: $56,521
South Dakota lacks state-funded preschool but has taken steps to help parents evaluate preschool quality via rating tools and “Levels of Excellence” programs.
Tennessee
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National rank: 35
Pay increase (year over year): 1.6 percent
Statewide median household income: $51,340
An audit found that nearly $300 million allocated for teacher salaries since 2016 had not reached teachers directly because districts used the funds to cover other staffing costs.
Texas
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National rank: 27
Pay increase (year over year): 1.54 percent
Statewide median household income: $59,206
Texas enacted pay raises that average about $4,000 for experienced teachers under recent state legislation.
Utah
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National rank: 42
Pay increase (year over year): 2.22 percent
Statewide median household income: $68,358
Teachers in Utah earn roughly $6,000 less than a state-calculated living wage and significantly less than comparable professions, creating recruitment and retention challenges.
Vermont
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National rank: 15
Pay increase (year over year): 2.12 percent
Statewide median household income: $57,513
Some Vermont districts face fiscal strain as enrollment declines, making it harder for schools to meet needs while maintaining staff and programs.
Virginia
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National rank: 32
Pay decrease (year over year): -0.66 percent
Statewide median household income: $71,535
Large public protests helped secure a 5 percent pay raise for Virginia teachers following demonstrations calling for increased school funding.
Washington
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National rank: 23
Pay increase (year over year): 2.31 percent
Statewide median household income: $70,979
Washington’s two-year budget planned nearly a 20 percent increase in K–12 funding, aiming to expand resources for public schools statewide.
West Virginia
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National rank: 50
Pay increase (year over year): 0.19 percent
Statewide median household income: $43,469
Legislative proposals in West Virginia included creating charter school options alongside measures that contained pay raises for educators as part of larger education packages.
Wisconsin
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National rank: 33
Pay increase (year over year): 0.06 percent
Statewide median household income: $59,305
Wisconsin considered expanding partial student loan forgiveness for teachers, targeting those in high-demand subjects, certain demographic groups, and schools with diverse student bodies.
Wyoming
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National rank: 16
Pay increase (year over year): 0.28 percent
Statewide median household income: $60,434
Wyoming’s teacher pay remains higher than neighboring states, though other states have begun closing the gap through recent investments.