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Teacher Salary by State: All 50 States Compared

According to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey (FY2022), here is the complete ranking of all 50 states and D.C. by average estimated teacher salary.

District of Columbia: $127,962

District of Columbia has the highest estimated average teacher salary ($127,962) of the 51 states and D.C. ranked here; Arkansas has the lowest ($55,703), per NCES CCD F-33, FY2022.

  • 2.3x spread, highest vs lowest state

Top 10 states by estimated teacher salary

Enrollment-weighted across enrolling districts

Est. avg salary

What this shows State averages are enrollment-weighted means of district estimates, excluding non-enrolling service agencies.

Source NCES CCD F-33, FY2022 As of FY2022
Rank State Avg Salary Median Districts
1 District of Columbia $127,962 N/A 1
2 New York $125,882 N/A 635
3 California $123,951 N/A 748
4 Washington $117,433 N/A 231
5 Connecticut $106,216 N/A 156
6 Massachusetts $105,323 N/A 291
7 Alaska $104,540 N/A 41
8 Minnesota $103,100 N/A 309
9 Maryland $101,110 N/A 24
10 Ohio $96,303 N/A 646
11 Rhode Island $96,093 N/A 34
12 New Jersey $90,256 N/A 521
13 Hawaii $89,313 N/A 1
14 Vermont $88,832 N/A 73
15 Oregon $88,731 N/A 153
16 Delaware $87,434 N/A 19
17 Illinois $86,298 N/A 757
18 New Hampshire $85,585 N/A 113
19 Wyoming $84,775 N/A 44
20 Pennsylvania $84,555 N/A 506
21 Virginia $84,524 N/A 130
22 Utah $83,296 N/A 40
23 Colorado $80,177 N/A 142
24 Louisiana $80,129 N/A 70
25 Alabama $78,398 N/A 138
26 Iowa $77,910 N/A 303
27 Nebraska $77,862 N/A 197
28 North Dakota $77,606 N/A 98
29 Maine $76,891 N/A 119
30 North Carolina $76,187 N/A 115
31 Georgia $75,303 N/A 179
32 Texas $74,920 N/A 904
33 Michigan $74,751 N/A 512
34 Montana $73,667 N/A 139
35 New Mexico $72,485 N/A 70
36 Wisconsin $71,287 N/A 402
37 Kentucky $70,418 N/A 170
38 Tennessee $68,524 N/A 139
39 Arizona $68,265 N/A 152
40 Idaho $67,352 N/A 91
41 Kansas $66,655 N/A 247
42 Indiana $65,729 N/A 288
43 South Carolina $64,959 N/A 76
44 Nevada $64,175 N/A 15
45 Florida $64,083 N/A 66
46 South Dakota $63,995 N/A 123
47 West Virginia $62,740 N/A 53
48 Missouri $62,482 N/A 405
49 Oklahoma $58,364 N/A 415
50 Mississippi $57,919 N/A 138
51 Arkansas $55,703 N/A 221

Key Observations

  • The gap between the highest-paying state (New York) and the lowest is over $100,000 in estimated average salary.
  • Northeastern states dominate the top of the rankings - New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts all appear in the top 5.
  • Cost of living significantly affects these numbers. A high salary in New York buys less housing than a moderate salary in the South.
  • States with strong teacher unions (California, New York, Illinois) tend to rank higher.

FAQ

Which state pays teachers the most?

New York consistently ranks as the highest-paying state for teachers, with average district salaries far exceeding the national average.

Which state pays teachers the least?

Southern states such as Mississippi, West Virginia, and Oklahoma typically have the lowest average teacher salaries, though cost-of-living differences must be considered when comparing.

Data source: NCES CCD F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, FY2022 (released June 2024). View source data at NCES.ed.gov

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all states | Rankings
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher Editorial

According to the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, PlainTeacher's figures are computed directly, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of FY2022.