Data / Rankings / Elementary school teacher mean annual wage / US states

US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025

Washington had the highest elementary school teacher mean annual wage of 51 states in 2025, at $97,970. Mississippi had the lowest, at $52,300. The median was $65,960 and the figure for the United States was $72,650. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest97,970Washington
Lowest52,300Mississippi
Median65,96051 states
United States72,650History

Map of states, 2025

Alabama: 59,590 USDAlaska: 78,580 USDArizona: 58,920 USDArkansas: 56,210 USDCalifornia: 95,670 USDColorado: 70,110 USDConnecticut: 83,380 USDDelaware: 73,230 USDDistrict of Columbia: 93,910 USDFlorida: 59,530 USDGeorgia: 70,720 USDHawaii: 70,670 USDIdaho: 60,940 USDIllinois: 74,630 USDIndiana: 60,850 USDIowa: 59,110 USDKansas: 56,730 USDKentucky: 59,870 USDLouisiana: 58,170 USDMaine: 65,930 USDMaryland: 80,090 USDMassachusetts: 88,720 USDMichigan: 69,000 USDMinnesota: 74,790 USDMississippi: 52,300 USDMissouri: 56,730 USDMontana: 58,150 USDNebraska: 63,730 USDNevada: 65,840 USDNew Hampshire: 69,930 USDNew Jersey: 82,120 USDNew Mexico: 72,170 USDNew York: 93,400 USDNorth Carolina: 54,070 USDNorth Dakota: 59,140 USDOhio: 72,740 USDOklahoma: 52,320 USDOregon: 74,370 USDPennsylvania: 75,780 USDRhode Island: 79,660 USDSouth Carolina: 62,210 USDSouth Dakota: 52,680 USDTennessee: 59,850 USDTexas: 61,890 USDUtah: 73,630 USDVermont: 68,410 USDVirginia: 71,540 USDWashington: 97,970 USDWest Virginia: 54,890 USDWisconsin: 65,960 USDWyoming: 63,630 USD
  • Under 58K
  • 58K to 61K
  • 61K to 66K
  • 66K to 72K
  • 72K to 79K
  • 79K and over
USD, 2025. Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2025

Washington: 97,970 USDWashington97,970California: 95,670 USDCalifornia95,670District of Columbia: 93,910 USDDistrict of Columbia93,910New York: 93,400 USDNew York93,400Massachusetts: 88,720 USDMassachusetts88,720Connecticut: 83,380 USDConnecticut83,380New Jersey: 82,120 USDNew Jersey82,120Maryland: 80,090 USDMaryland80,090Rhode Island: 79,660 USDRhode Island79,660Alaska: 78,580 USDAlaska78,580Pennsylvania: 75,780 USDPennsylvania75,780Minnesota: 74,790 USDMinnesota74,790Illinois: 74,630 USDIllinois74,630Oregon: 74,370 USDOregon74,370Utah: 73,630 USDUtah73,630Delaware: 73,230 USDDelaware73,230Ohio: 72,740 USDOhio72,740New Mexico: 72,170 USDNew Mexico72,170Virginia: 71,540 USDVirginia71,540Georgia: 70,720 USDGeorgia70,720Hawaii: 70,670 USDHawaii70,670Colorado: 70,110 USDColorado70,110New Hampshire: 69,930 USDNew Hampshire69,930Michigan: 69,000 USDMichigan69,000Vermont: 68,410 USDVermont68,410Wisconsin: 65,960 USDWisconsin65,960Maine: 65,930 USDMaine65,930Nevada: 65,840 USDNevada65,840Nebraska: 63,730 USDNebraska63,730Wyoming: 63,630 USDWyoming63,630South Carolina: 62,210 USDSouth Carolina62,210Texas: 61,890 USDTexas61,890Idaho: 60,940 USDIdaho60,940Indiana: 60,850 USDIndiana60,850Kentucky: 59,870 USDKentucky59,870Tennessee: 59,850 USDTennessee59,850Alabama: 59,590 USDAlabama59,590Florida: 59,530 USDFlorida59,530North Dakota: 59,140 USDNorth Dakota59,140Iowa: 59,110 USDIowa59,110Arizona: 58,920 USDArizona58,920Louisiana: 58,170 USDLouisiana58,170Montana: 58,150 USDMontana58,150Kansas: 56,730 USDKansas56,730Missouri: 56,730 USDMissouri56,730Arkansas: 56,210 USDArkansas56,210West Virginia: 54,890 USDWest Virginia54,890North Carolina: 54,070 USDNorth Carolina54,070South Dakota: 52,680 USDSouth Dakota52,680Oklahoma: 52,320 USDOklahoma52,320Mississippi: 52,300 USDMississippi52,300Washington: 97,970 USDWashington97,970California: 95,670 USDCalifornia95,670District of Columbia: 93,910 USDDistrict of Columbia93,910New York: 93,400 USDNew York93,400Massachusetts: 88,720 USDMassachusetts88,720Connecticut: 83,380 USDConnecticut83,380New Jersey: 82,120 USDNew Jersey82,120Maryland: 80,090 USDMaryland80,090Rhode Island: 79,660 USDRhode Island79,660Alaska: 78,580 USDAlaska78,580Pennsylvania: 75,780 USDPennsylvania75,780Minnesota: 74,790 USDMinnesota74,790Illinois: 74,630 USDIllinois74,630Oregon: 74,370 USDOregon74,370Utah: 73,630 USDUtah73,630Delaware: 73,230 USDDelaware73,230Ohio: 72,740 USDOhio72,740New Mexico: 72,170 USDNew Mexico72,170Virginia: 71,540 USDVirginia71,540Georgia: 70,720 USDGeorgia70,720Hawaii: 70,670 USDHawaii70,670Colorado: 70,110 USDColorado70,110New Hampshire: 69,930 USDNew Hampshire69,930Michigan: 69,000 USDMichigan69,000Vermont: 68,410 USDVermont68,410Wisconsin: 65,960 USDWisconsin65,960Maine: 65,930 USDMaine65,930Nevada: 65,840 USDNevada65,840Nebraska: 63,730 USDNebraska63,730Wyoming: 63,630 USDWyoming63,630South Carolina: 62,210 USDSouth Carolina62,210Texas: 61,890 USDTexas61,890Idaho: 60,940 USDIdaho60,940Indiana: 60,850 USDIndiana60,850Kentucky: 59,870 USDKentucky59,870Tennessee: 59,850 USDTennessee59,850Alabama: 59,590 USDAlabama59,590Florida: 59,530 USDFlorida59,530North Dakota: 59,140 USDNorth Dakota59,140Iowa: 59,110 USDIowa59,110Arizona: 58,920 USDArizona58,920Louisiana: 58,170 USDLouisiana58,170Montana: 58,150 USDMontana58,150Kansas: 56,730 USDKansas56,730Missouri: 56,730 USDMissouri56,730Arkansas: 56,210 USDArkansas56,210West Virginia: 54,890 USDWest Virginia54,890North Carolina: 54,070 USDNorth Carolina54,070South Dakota: 52,680 USDSouth Dakota52,680Oklahoma: 52,320 USDOklahoma52,320Mississippi: 52,300 USDMississippi52,300
USD. Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2025
USD		Change on 2024
1Washington97,970+5.3%
2California95,670+2.7%
3District of Columbia93,910+3.5%
4New York93,400+1.5%
5Massachusetts88,720+5.6%
6Connecticut83,380+1.2%
7New Jersey82,120+3%
8Maryland80,090+8.8%
9Rhode Island79,660+1.2%
10Alaska78,580+1.4%
11Pennsylvania75,780+6.7%
12Minnesota74,790+6.6%
13Illinois74,630+5.9%
14Oregon74,370-0.9%
15Utah73,630+12.9%
16Delaware73,230+6.6%
17Ohio72,740+5.6%
18New Mexico72,170+4.4%
19Virginia71,540+4.4%
20Georgia70,720+2.3%
21Hawaii70,670+15.8%
22Colorado70,110+7.2%
23New Hampshire69,930+3%
24Michigan69,000+3.7%
25Vermont68,410+5.3%
26Wisconsin65,960+1.1%
27Maine65,930+3.6%
28Nevada65,840+4.1%
29Nebraska63,730+6.9%
30Wyoming63,630+1.8%
31South Carolina62,210+6.1%
32Texas61,890+2.3%
33Idaho60,940+2.4%
34Indiana60,850+3.6%
35Kentucky59,870+5.3%
36Tennessee59,850+7.3%
37Alabama59,590+6%
38Florida59,530+1.1%
39North Dakota59,140+2.7%
40Iowa59,110+6.4%
41Arizona58,920+0.4%
42Louisiana58,170+4%
43Montana58,150-0.3%
44Kansas56,730+4.5%
44Missouri56,730+4.1%
46Arkansas56,210+3.3%
47West Virginia54,890+3.6%
48North Carolina54,070+4.2%
49South Dakota52,680+4.6%
50Oklahoma52,3200%
51Mississippi52,300+5.9%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average (mean) annual wage of elementary school teachers, except special education (Standard Occupational Classification 25-2021), in US dollars, from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Public and private schools. Estimates refer to May of each year.

Teachers report an annual salary for the school year, so BLS publishes no hourly rate for them. Excludes special education, kindergarten and middle school teachers. Pay is straight-time gross pay: base rate, cost-of-living allowances, commissions, production bonuses and tips. Overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits are excluded.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021) (US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip

MLA 9

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021), US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15 May 2026, https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/elementary-teacher-salary/us-states. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/elementary-teacher-salary/us-states.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021), US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/elementary-teacher-salary/us-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_elementary_2025,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021): US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/elementary-teacher-salary/us-states. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021): US states by elementary school teacher mean annual wage, 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/15
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/elementary-teacher-salary/us-states
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/elementary-teacher-salary/us-states.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest elementary school teacher mean annual wage?

Washington, with $97,970 in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest elementary school teacher mean annual wage?

Mississippi, with $52,300 in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual mean wage, elementary school teachers except special education (25-2021). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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