Salary by State
Teacher Salary Database
Every U.S. state, ranked. Search, sort, and click into a state for a deeper breakdown.
| State | Avg Salary | Starting | Cost of Living | Pension | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $103,552 | $59,424 | 142.3 | 85 | |
| New York | $98,655 | $51,612 | 125.1 | 88 | |
| Washington | $96,589 | $60,658 | 114.1 | 82 | |
| Massachusetts | $93,554 | $54,216 | 141.2 | 88 | |
| Connecticut | $89,593 | $51,053 | 112.7 | 86 | |
| Maryland | $87,409 | $57,293 | 115.4 | 82 | |
| Rhode Island | $85,772 | $48,242 | 110.6 | 82 | |
| New Jersey | $84,974 | $58,727 | 115.1 | 68 | |
| Oregon | $81,657 | $46,854 | 111.8 | 80 | |
| Alaska | $81,450 | $53,650 | 124.9 | 81 | |
| Pennsylvania | $79,078 | $52,198 | 97.2 | 84 | |
| Illinois | $78,495 | $46,655 | 94.7 | 62 | |
| Delaware | $76,570 | $49,344 | 101.9 | 80 | |
| Minnesota | $76,234 | $46,477 | 94.6 | 82 | |
| Hawaii | $75,860 | $51,835 | 185.0 | 79 | |
| Nevada | $74,812 | $49,731 | 100.2 | 70 | |
| Utah | $72,882 | $57,849 | 102.2 | 76 | |
| Colorado | $72,781 | $45,489 | 102.7 | 75 | |
| Vermont | $71,871 | $46,963 | 113.6 | 78 | |
| Georgia | $71,524 | $48,722 | 92.5 | 78 | |
| Michigan | $71,023 | $43,093 | 90.1 | 80 | |
| Ohio | $70,586 | $42,222 | 94.3 | 84 | |
| New Mexico | $69,736 | $54,372 | 93.7 | 70 | |
| New Hampshire | $69,432 | $44,010 | 111.4 | 75 | |
| Virginia | $69,254 | $50,448 | 100.8 | 76 | |
| Wisconsin | $67,794 | $43,288 | 97.7 | 80 | |
| Wyoming | $65,668 | $51,776 | 93.7 | 78 | |
| Maine | $65,621 | $44,152 | 113.0 | 78 | |
| Iowa | $65,312 | $48,139 | 89.7 | 80 | |
| Arizona | $64,291 | $44,869 | 110.7 | 60 | |
| South Carolina | $64,050 | $48,426 | 94.7 | 85 | |
| Texas | $63,749 | $49,465 | 92.1 | 70 | |
| Nebraska | $63,326 | $39,561 | 92.6 | 78 | |
| Alabama | $62,985 | $47,955 | 88.1 | 72 | |
| Idaho | $62,786 | $46,253 | 99.9 | 70 | |
| Oklahoma | $61,931 | $41,294 | 84.7 | 70 | |
| Indiana | $61,661 | $45,958 | 91.0 | 75 | |
| Kansas | $61,470 | $44,163 | 88.5 | 73 | |
| Tennessee | $61,222 | $47,230 | 90.3 | 88 | |
| North Dakota | $60,704 | $45,252 | 91.4 | 78 | |
| Kentucky | $60,594 | $41,901 | 92.5 | 58 | |
| North Carolina | $60,323 | $44,952 | 97.8 | 72 | |
| Montana | $59,305 | $36,682 | 95.5 | 76 | |
| Arkansas | $59,193 | $50,076 | 89.6 | 70 | |
| South Dakota | $58,486 | $47,196 | 91.9 | 82 | |
| West Virginia | $58,099 | $45,294 | 88.0 | 72 | |
| Missouri | $57,366 | $40,682 | 88.9 | 72 | |
| Louisiana | $56,785 | $46,850 | 92.3 | 70 | |
| Florida | $56,663 | $49,435 | 102.2 | 65 | |
| Mississippi | $54,975 | $43,814 | 86.0 | 68 |
Cost of Living: MERIC 2025 Annual Average. Index of 100 = U.S. average. Above 100 = more expensive.
Pension score reflects an estimate of plan funding strength, vesting period, and benefit generosity. Higher = stronger, better-funded retirement plan. Scores are illustrative estimates. Source methodology: Bellwether Education Partners, Equable Institute. Individual plan details vary — always verify with your state's teacher retirement system.
Shortage = how hard a state is struggling to fill teaching jobs (1 = low, 5 = severe). Higher levels usually mean more open positions, easier hiring, and sometimes signing bonuses or loan-forgiveness incentives — but can also signal larger class sizes and tougher working conditions.
Sources: NEA Rankings & Estimates, 2024–25 (April 2026) · MERIC 2025 Cost of Living Index · Bellwether / Equable Institute pension research.