Only one US state pays teachers an average of 6 figures. See how much teachers make in every state.

Summary

Many people consider public school teachers to have one of the most important jobs. But while teaching is the most common public-sector job, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics , many educators still struggle to make ends meet. A 2025 Gallup poll found that 21% of polled K-12 educators said they were "finding it difficult to get by on their present income," while 52% reported they were just getting by rather than living comfortably. A third of K-12 teachers also reported having non-teaching-related jobs, "such as ride-sharing, food service or running a side business ," the poll found. For many teachers, their salaries simply aren't enough, and, due to differences in affordability, housing prices , and tax structures, teacher salaries — and how far they go — vary widely across the country. For a few states — Connecticut, Montana, and Rhode Island — and Washington, DC, the NEA relied on salary estimates. Though its average salary in 2024-2025 ranked 17th in the country, it grew by roughly $8,000, or about 11.8%, from 2023-24. See the average public school teacher salary in every state and Washington, DC. We also listed how much the average salary increased year-over-year and how the state's average salary ranked among all other states and Washington, DC, with No. 1 being the highest salary and 51 the lowest. Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $62,985 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $81,450 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $64,291 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $59,193 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $103,552 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $72,781 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $89,593 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $76,570 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $56,663 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $71,524 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $75,860 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $62,786 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $78,495 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $61,661 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $65,312 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $61,470 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $60,594 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $56,785 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $65,621 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $87,409 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $93,554 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $71,023 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $76,234 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $54,975 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $57,366 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $59,305 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $63,326 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $74,812 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $69,432 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $84,974 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $69,736 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $98,655 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $60,323 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $60,704 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $70,586 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $61,931 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $81,657 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $79,078 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $85,772 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $64,050 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $58,486 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $61,222 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $63,749 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $72,882 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $71,871 Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025) : $69,254