Teacher Salary By State: Highest-Paid Teachers By State

Today we'll breakdown a teacher's salary by state, as well as the highest-paid teachers by state.

Steven Zauderer

August 4, 2025

Teacher Salary By State Key Facts

Maryland has the highest teacher salary of $61,254.
Montana has the lowest teacher salary of $34,041.
The average salary for teachers across the U.S. is $47,989.
The national hourly rate for teachers is $23.07.

Here's a quick overview of the top ten states for teacher salaries:

Maryland
Hawaii
New York
California
Alaska
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Washington
Virginia
New Jersey

Highest-Paid Teachers By State

Rank	State	Average Teacher Salary	10th Percentile	90th Percentile
1	Maryland	$61,254	$40,000	$93,000
2	Hawaii	$59,222	$36,000	$97,000
3	New York	$57,919	$37,000	$89,000
4	California	$57,193	$39,000	$83,000
5	Alaska	$54,655	$41,000	$71,000
6	Connecticut	$53,838	$34,000	$84,000
7	Massachusetts	$53,435	$34,000	$83,000
8	Washington	$53,255	$36,000	$77,000
9	Virginia	$51,980	$34,000	$77,000
10	New Jersey	$50,693	$32,000	$78,000
11	Rhode Island	$49,690	$31,000	$77,000
12	Oregon	$48,930	$33,000	$71,000
13	Illinois	$48,469	$34,000	$68,000
14	Pennsylvania	$47,859	$31,000	$73,000
15	Texas	$47,693	$35,000	$63,000
16	Michigan	$46,247	$31,000	$68,000
17	Georgia	$45,908	$33,000	$62,000
18	Ohio	$45,004	$30,000	$65,000
19	Wyoming	$44,652	$32,000	$60,000
20	Alabama	$44,472	$32,000	$60,000
21	Kentucky	$44,120	$31,000	$61,000
22	Florida	$43,926	$31,000	$61,000
23	Delaware	$43,641	$28,000	$66,000
24	Nevada	$42,775	$29,000	$61,000
25	New Mexico	$42,397	$31,000	$57,000
26	Nebraska	$42,129	$30,000	$57,000
27	West Virginia	$41,909	$28,000	$61,000
28	Tennessee	$41,591	$30,000	$56,000
29	Minnesota	$41,413	$29,000	$58,000
30	Utah	$41,116	$29,000	$57,000
31	Iowa	$40,723	$29,000	$56,000
32	Louisiana	$40,425	$30,000	$53,000
33	New Hampshire	$40,231	$25,000	$62,000
34	Kansas	$40,196	$29,000	$54,000
35	Wisconsin	$40,132	$27,000	$57,000
36	South Carolina	$40,110	$28,000	$55,000
37	Colorado	$39,734	$29,000	$53,000
38	North Carolina	$39,642	$27,000	$56,000
39	Mississippi	$39,537	$29,000	$52,000
40	Arizona	$38,865	$28,000	$53,000
41	Vermont	$38,680	$25,000	$59,000
42	North Dakota	$38,308	$27,000	$53,000
43	Arkansas	$38,244	$28,000	$51,000
44	Indiana	$37,673	$26,000	$53,000
45	Idaho	$37,629	$26,000	$53,000
46	Missouri	$36,768	$26,000	$50,000
47	Oklahoma	$35,931	$26,000	$47,000
48	Maine	$35,260	$22,000	$54,000
49	South Dakota	$35,107	$25,000	$48,000
50	Montana	$34,041	$24,000	$47,000

Lowest-Paid States for Teachers

How much do teachers make a year in states that are less affluent? Teachers may find that they need to be more creative when it comes to developing effective instructional methods in the absence of adequate support and funding.

Low wages can be challenging for teachers who are trying to launch their careers. Below are the five lowest-paying states based on starting salary:

Montana ($32,871)
Missouri ($32,970)
Arkansas ($35,201)
Colorado ($35,292)
Nebraska ($35,820)

References

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