Elementary School Teachers: pay by state
National median: $63,970/yrBLS OEWS OEWSSource: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · OEWS · May 2025 vintage · released May 2025 · Official API. Below, each state's median wage is adjusted to national prices so you can compare real purchasing power, not just headline pay.
What's the equivalent in another state?
A elementary teacher earning the median$102,350in Washington needs about$92,880in Texas to keep the same purchasing power. The actual median there is $62,760(—).
Show the math
How much the state matters
Nationally, the median elementary teacher earns $63,970 a year. But the state-by-state gap is large: from $102,350 in Washington down to $48,200 in Oklahoma — a spread of 112% for the same job.
Where the job really pays best
Headline pay is only half the story. Adjust each state's wage for its cost of living and the map redraws itself. Once prices are accounted for, Washington offers the strongest real pay ($95,654 in national-average terms).
Every state, ranked by real pay
“Real pay” = median wage ÷ (state price level ÷ 100). Sorted best-first. 100 = US average price level.
| # | State | Median wage | Price level | Real pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $102,350 | 107.0 | $95,654 |
| 2 | California | $99,650 | 110.7 | $90,018 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $90,930 | 102.3 | $88,886 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $94,000 | 105.8 | $88,847 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $96,580 | 109.9 | $87,880 |
| 6 | Ohio | $77,370 | 92.8 | $83,373 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $74,550 | 92.2 | $80,857 |
| 8 | New York | $85,760 | 107.9 | $79,481 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $77,060 | 97.6 | $78,955 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $80,600 | 103.6 | $77,799 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $76,350 | 98.6 | $77,434 |
| 12 | Alaska | $79,260 | 102.4 | $77,402 |
| 13 | Delaware | $75,920 | 99.8 | $76,072 |
| 14 | Utah | $74,810 | 98.9 | $75,642 |
| 15 | Illinois | $75,320 | 100.0 | $75,320 |
| 16 | Georgia | $72,290 | 96.3 | $75,067 |
| 17 | Oregon | $77,130 | 103.4 | $74,594 |
| 18 | Maryland | $77,680 | 105.0 | $73,981 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $78,200 | 108.8 | $71,875 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $72,410 | 104.2 | $69,491 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $62,380 | 90.1 | $69,234 |
| 22 | Alabama | $61,380 | 88.8 | $69,122 |
| 23 | Iowa | $60,580 | 87.8 | $68,998 |
| 24 | Michigan | $65,110 | 96.2 | $67,682 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $60,030 | 89.0 | $67,449 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $60,610 | 90.2 | $67,195 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $58,770 | 88.2 | $66,633 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $61,150 | 92.7 | $65,965 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $59,980 | 91.9 | $65,267 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $61,210 | 94.1 | $65,048 |
| 31 | Nevada | $65,040 | 100.0 | $65,040 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $71,410 | 110.0 | $64,918 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $60,820 | 93.7 | $64,909 |
| 34 | Virginia | $65,550 | 101.1 | $64,837 |
| 35 | Texas | $62,760 | 97.1 | $64,634 |
| 36 | Idaho | $61,600 | 95.5 | $64,503 |
| 37 | Vermont | $63,070 | 98.0 | $64,357 |
| 38 | Maine | $62,390 | 97.1 | $64,253 |
| 39 | Indiana | $59,700 | 93.3 | $63,987 |
| 40 | Kansas | $56,450 | 90.1 | $62,653 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $55,630 | 89.5 | $62,156 |
| 42 | Colorado | $63,410 | 103.1 | $61,503 |
| 43 | Montana | $57,530 | 94.6 | $60,814 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $52,700 | 86.9 | $60,644 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $54,930 | 94.3 | $58,250 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $49,790 | 87.0 | $57,230 |
| 47 | Florida | $58,930 | 103.4 | $56,992 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $50,130 | 88.6 | $56,580 |
| 49 | Arizona | $56,590 | 100.7 | $56,197 |
| 50 | Missouri | $50,910 | 90.8 | $56,068 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $48,200 | 87.8 | $54,897 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · OEWS · May 2025 · rel. May 2025 · Official API
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 2026 · Official API