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Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary by State
There were an estimated 1,393,310 elementary school teachers working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) elementary school teacher earned $62,340 a year, or — an hour, while the mean annual wage was $69,790. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of elementary school teachers earned $46,440 or less, the bottom quarter earned $50,680 or less, the top quarter earned at least $79,410, and the top 10% earned at least $102,010. Where a elementary school teacher works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where elementary school teachers earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for elementary school teachers is in Washington, at $99,110 a year — 59.0% higher than the national median of $62,340. Next are California at $98,190 and District of Columbia at $94,730. At the other end, Oklahoma posts the lowest published median, $47,470, which is 23.9% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 2.1 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the elementary school teacher jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. California alone employs 141,650 elementary school teachers, and the three largest states — California, Texas, and New York — together account for 27% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, California, runs at a median of $98,190, 57.5% higher than the national median, so the biggest job market is also one of the better-paying ones. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Elementary School Teacher salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for elementary school teachers in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of elementary school teachers in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 30,790 | — | $99,110 | $93,080 | $122,830 |
| California Detailed guide | 141,650 | — | $98,190 | $93,150 | $126,440 |
| District of Columbia | 3,540 | — | $94,730 | $90,700 | $123,560 |
| Rhode Island | 4,080 | — | $86,900 | $78,720 | $97,880 |
| Massachusetts | 32,100 | — | $83,260 | $84,050 | $108,620 |
| New York Detailed guide | 103,920 | — | $82,480 | $91,990 | $133,140 |
| Connecticut | 16,260 | — | $78,740 | $82,420 | $107,000 |
| New Jersey | 42,360 | — | $77,150 | $79,730 | $102,920 |
| Alaska | 3,380 | — | $76,290 | $77,460 | $95,510 |
| Oregon | 13,760 | — | $75,800 | $75,030 | $102,220 |
| Maryland | 32,330 | — | $74,720 | $73,620 | $101,040 |
| Pennsylvania | 47,220 | — | $74,160 | $71,000 | $95,720 |
| Delaware | 2,540 | — | $66,390 | $68,680 | $90,670 |
| New Mexico | 7,480 | — | $65,510 | $69,150 | $83,060 |
| Ohio | 50,110 | — | $65,380 | $68,880 | $96,970 |
| New Hampshire | 4,390 | — | $64,430 | $67,900 | $94,080 |
| Illinois | 61,000 | — | $64,160 | $70,470 | $101,350 |
| Georgia | 42,440 | — | $63,490 | $69,120 | $96,780 |
| Minnesota | 24,320 | — | $63,120 | $70,160 | $97,670 |
| Nevada | 9,290 | — | $62,420 | $63,230 | $79,330 |
| Michigan | 40,200 | — | $62,350 | $66,520 | $91,140 |
| Maine | 6,940 | — | $62,300 | $63,610 | $81,290 |
| Virginia | 37,640 | — | $62,270 | $68,510 | $102,940 |
| Utah | 15,800 | — | $61,710 | $65,240 | $88,910 |
| Nebraska | 8,760 | — | $61,700 | $59,590 | $75,750 |
| Wyoming | 2,760 | — | $61,560 | $62,500 | $75,200 |
| Colorado | 24,840 | — | $61,550 | $65,410 | $92,660 |
| Texas Detailed guide | 124,430 | — | $61,380 | $60,510 | $72,370 |
| Vermont | 3,620 | — | $61,270 | $64,950 | $83,060 |
| Wisconsin | 25,080 | — | $60,690 | $65,220 | $89,950 |
| Hawaii | 5,270 | — | $60,420 | $61,040 | $77,900 |
| Alabama | 16,910 | — | $59,850 | $56,220 | $70,920 |
| Idaho | 8,260 | — | $59,620 | $59,540 | $80,930 |
| South Carolina | 23,680 | — | $59,370 | $58,650 | $76,520 |
| Indiana | 28,510 | — | $58,370 | $58,720 | $76,820 |
| Kentucky | 18,680 | — | $57,980 | $56,880 | $77,250 |
| North Dakota | 4,360 | — | $57,820 | $57,610 | $78,620 |
| Montana | 4,510 | — | $56,200 | $58,300 | $80,100 |
| Florida | 78,630 | — | $55,550 | $58,870 | $77,080 |
| West Virginia | 6,680 | — | $55,550 | $52,970 | $60,310 |
| Iowa | 15,890 | — | $55,540 | $55,580 | $75,960 |
| Tennessee | 28,880 | — | $52,690 | $55,800 | $71,180 |
| Louisiana | 21,350 | — | $52,280 | $55,940 | $73,950 |
| Arizona | 23,250 | — | $50,980 | $58,660 | $80,010 |
| Kansas | 14,200 | — | $50,820 | $54,280 | $64,120 |
| Arkansas | 12,510 | — | $50,550 | $54,400 | $64,680 |
| North Carolina | 44,040 | — | $49,400 | $51,890 | $61,460 |
| South Dakota | 4,220 | — | $49,110 | $50,360 | $58,190 |
| Mississippi | 11,680 | — | $48,440 | $49,400 | $59,630 |
| Missouri | 40,380 | — | $48,250 | $54,470 | $76,400 |
| Oklahoma | 18,340 | — | $47,470 | $52,310 | $74,390 |
Elementary School Teacher wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | 550 | — | $50,530 | $51,940 | $63,430 |
| Puerto Rico | 4,730 | — | $48,690 | $43,720 | $59,890 |
| Guam | 140 | — | $30,810 | $35,220 | $49,560 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of elementary school teachers earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $69,790 sits above the median of $62,340 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Elementary School Teacher salary FAQ
What is the average elementary school teacher salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for elementary school teachers at $69,790 in May 2024, with a median of $62,340 (— an hour) across 1,393,310 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays elementary school teachers the most?
Washington has the highest median pay for elementary school teachers, at $99,110 a year in May 2024 — 59.0% higher than the national median of $62,340.
Which state pays elementary school teachers the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, Oklahoma has the lowest median for elementary school teachers, at $47,470 a year, 23.9% lower than the national median.
How many elementary school teachers are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 1,393,310 elementary school teachers jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is California, with 141,650 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.