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A look at teacher pay across the United States in 2017

May 08, 2018

May 8 is National Teacher Appreciation Day, a day set aside to thank the educators who support, nurture, and inspire students across the United States. In May 2017, there were nearly 4.2 million preschool, primary, secondary, and special education teachers in the United States. Their average annual wage was $58,780. Among these, there were about 1 million secondary school teachers with an average annual wage of $62,860.

Average annual wages for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, May 2017
State Average annual wage

Alaska

$85,420

New York

83,360

Connecticut

78,810

California

77,390

New Jersey

76,430

Massachusetts

76,170

Virginia

69,890

Oregon

69,660

Maryland

69,070

Illinois

68,380

Rhode Island

67,620

Pennsylvania

66,020

Minnesota

65,290

Washington

64,760

District of Columbia

64,420

Delaware

63,640

Michigan

62,910

Vermont

61,590

Ohio

60,810

New Hampshire

60,070

Wyoming

59,780

Hawaii

59,250

Texas

57,830

Wisconsin

57,320

Nevada

57,210

Georgia

56,850

New Mexico

56,060

Nebraska

55,870

Utah

55,540

Kentucky

55,300

Iowa

54,490

Colorado

54,460

South Carolina

53,960

Maine

52,940

Indiana

52,670

Florida

51,800

Missouri

51,720

North Dakota

51,400

Tennessee

51,390

Montana

51,290

Arkansas

50,990

Louisiana

50,700

Kansas

50,470

Alabama

49,790

Idaho

48,540

Arizona

48,050

West Virginia

46,560

Mississippi

46,370

North Carolina

46,370

South Dakota

41,980

Oklahoma

41,880

By state, average annual wages of secondary school teachers ranged from around $42,000 in Oklahoma and South Dakota to over $80,000 in Alaska and New York.

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, the highest paid area for secondary school teachers was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, with an average annual wage of $87,260. The lowest paid area for secondary school teachers was Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with an average annual wage of $42,970.

Average annual wages for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, for areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, May 2017
Metropolitan area Average annual wage

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

$87,260

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

79,760

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

79,450

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

77,720

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

77,660

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

76,370

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH NECTA

76,090

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

74,580

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA

74,550

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT

74,060

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

72,910

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

72,080

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY

71,960

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

69,750

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

68,760

Rochester, NY

68,370

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

68,200

Pittsburgh, PA

68,060

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

68,010

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA

67,840

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

67,710

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

66,290

Cleveland-Elyria, OH

64,550

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

63,830

Columbus, OH

63,100

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

62,120

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

61,650

St. Louis, MO-IL

60,350

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN

60,050

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

59,640

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO

58,650

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

57,500

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

57,470

Richmond, VA

57,340

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

56,350

Salt Lake City, UT

55,400

Austin-Round Rock, TX

55,340

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN

55,100

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

54,480

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

53,820

Kansas City, MO-KS

53,630

Birmingham-Hoover, AL

51,570

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

51,230

Jacksonville, FL

50,910

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

50,810

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

50,510

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

50,060

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

48,920

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

48,610

Raleigh, NC

47,100

Oklahoma City, OK

42,970

These data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program. To learn more about teachers, see Education, Training, and Library Occupation Profiles. The data in this article do not include secondary school teachers who teach special education or career/technical education.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, A look at teacher pay across the United States in 2017 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/a-look-at-teacher-pay-across-the-united-states-in-2017.htm (visited March 19, 2024).

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