How much do teachers make?
Answer
There is no single teacher salary: BLS publishes pay for each type. Medians range from $38,140 to $72,040 a year (May 2025).
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $72,040 | $48,780 | $107,600 | 1,065,210 | Bachelor's degree | −0.2% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education Teachers | $67,170 | $49,230 | $105,020 | 583,430 | — | −0.1% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,370 | $48,080 | $102,540 | 620,090 | Bachelor's degree | −0.4% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,970 | $47,960 | $104,340 | 1,388,390 | Bachelor's degree | −0.4% |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,680 | $46,990 | $101,830 | 108,870 | Bachelor's degree | −0.3% |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | $38,140 | $28,990 | $61,390 | 478,780 | Associate's degree | +4.5% |
BLS OEWS, May 2025 (released April 30, 2026); typical education and growth from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
How the types of teacher compare
There is no single teacher salary, because BLS reports each grade level as its own occupation. Preschool teachers have a median of $38,140, far below the others. Kindergarten teachers sit at a median of $62,680, elementary school teachers at $63,970, middle school teachers at $64,370, special education teachers at $67,170, and high school teachers at the top with $72,040, according to May 2025 data.
Training explains much of the gap. Public school teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade need a bachelor's degree and a state license, and the license is tied to a grade band or subject. Many preschool jobs are in private childcare centers that need only an associate degree or a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, although public school pre-K usually requires a bachelor's degree and an early childhood license.
The work differs too. Elementary teachers cover every subject with one class; middle and high school teachers go deep in one subject, such as math, chemistry or English, with several classes. Special education teachers spend more time on individual plans, paperwork and coordination with families and specialists. Elementary school teachers are the largest group, with 1,388,390 jobs. See the full pages for elementary school teachers and high school teachers.
Teacher salary by state
Median annual pay by type
| Alabama | — | — | $61,380 | — | $61,990 | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | — | — | $79,260 | — | $79,650 | — |
| Arizona | — | — | $56,590 | — | $58,360 | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | $52,700 | — | $59,660 | — |
| California | — | — | $99,650 | — | $101,370 | — |
| Colorado | — | — | $63,410 | — | $72,900 | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | $80,600 | — | $80,970 | — |
| Delaware | — | — | $75,920 | — | $77,960 | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | $96,580 | — | $82,750 | — |
| Florida | — | — | $58,930 | — | $60,410 | — |
| Georgia | — | — | $72,290 | — | $75,480 | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | $71,410 | — | $74,310 | — |
| Idaho | — | — | $61,600 | — | $61,690 | — |
| Illinois | — | — | $75,320 | — | $79,990 | — |
| Indiana | — | — | $59,700 | — | $61,880 | — |
| Iowa | — | — | $60,580 | — | $61,200 | — |
| Kansas | — | — | $56,450 | — | $59,920 | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | $60,610 | — | $61,560 | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | $58,770 | — | $59,850 | — |
| Maine | — | — | $62,390 | — | $64,880 | — |
| Maryland | — | — | $77,680 | — | $78,670 | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | $94,000 | — | $95,260 | — |
| Michigan | — | — | $65,110 | — | $66,030 | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | $76,350 | — | $76,460 | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | $49,790 | — | $50,980 | — |
| Missouri | — | — | $50,910 | — | $59,240 | — |
| Montana | — | — | $57,530 | — | $60,990 | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | $62,380 | — | $63,450 | — |
| Nevada | — | — | $65,040 | — | $65,520 | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | $72,410 | — | $77,060 | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | $78,200 | — | $82,200 | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | $74,550 | — | $75,900 | — |
| New York | — | — | $85,760 | — | $97,070 | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | $54,930 | — | $57,650 | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | $60,030 | — | $61,210 | — |
| Ohio | — | — | $77,370 | — | $78,800 | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | $48,200 | — | $48,710 | — |
| Oregon | — | — | $77,130 | — | $79,570 | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | $77,060 | — | $78,800 | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | $90,930 | — | $92,610 | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | $60,820 | — | $62,580 | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | $50,130 | — | $51,050 | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | $59,980 | — | $61,860 | — |
| Texas | — | — | $62,760 | — | $63,590 | — |
| Utah | — | — | $74,810 | — | $76,330 | — |
| Vermont | — | — | $63,070 | — | $76,220 | — |
| Virginia | — | — | $65,550 | — | $72,170 | — |
| Washington | — | — | $102,350 | — | $102,670 | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | $55,630 | — | $56,610 | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | $61,210 | — | $62,870 | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | $61,150 | — | $62,690 | — |
Median annual pay by state, BLS OEWS, May 2025. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. Each occupation’s own page has its full state table with cost-of-living-adjusted pay.
What teachers do
A teacher plans lessons, delivers them to a class and then measures what students learned, adjusting the next day's work to match. That core is the same from preschool to 12th grade, but the job changes a lot with the age group. Preschool teachers work with children under 5, mostly through play, songs, stories and routines, and also help with meals, naps and getting dressed. Elementary teachers usually keep one class all day and cover reading, math, science and social studies. Middle and high school teachers specialize in one or two subjects and see several groups of students a day. Special education teachers adapt lessons for students with learning, emotional or physical disabilities and write individualized education programs (IEPs).
Most public school teachers work for local school districts; preschool teachers more often work in childcare centers, Head Start programs and religious organizations. Outside class time, teachers grade, write report cards, meet with parents, attend staff meetings and supervise hallways, lunch or after-school activities.
A typical day
- Write lesson plans that follow the school's curriculum and state standards
- Teach the whole class, small groups and individual students who need extra help
- Give quizzes and tests, grade work and record progress
- Set classroom rules and handle behavior problems as they come up
- Talk with parents at conferences, by email and by phone
- Work with counselors, aides and special education staff on students who are struggling
- Supervise recess, lunch, field trips or after-school clubs
Also called: teachers, teaching, public school teacher, average teacher, child development teacher, early childhood teacher, group teacher, infant teacher.
How to become a teacher
Full guideTo become a public school teacher, you earn a bachelor's degree that includes an approved teacher preparation program and student teaching, pass your state's licensing tests and get a state license, which usually takes about 4 years. Preschool teachers in childcare centers can start with an associate degree or a CDA credential.
- Typical time
- 4 years
- Fastest: About 1 year (CDA for preschool) or 1-2 years via alternative certification after a bachelor's
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's degree and a state teaching license for public K-12 schools; an associate degree or CDA credential for many preschool jobs
- License
- Required in all 50 states and DC for public school teachers; private schools usually not
- Typical training cost
- $38.9K–$41.1K
- See the guide for what it includes
Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a teacher: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.
Is it worth it? Training cost against pay
Compare careers- Training time
- 4 years
- Typical path in our guide
- Training cost
- $38.9K–$41.1K
- Tuition and exam fees, before aid
- Median pay
- $38,140
- $12,840 below the all-jobs median ($50,980)
- Cost vs. one year's pay
- 102–108%
- Training cost as a share of a year at the median
The median for teachers is below the median for all US jobs, so the case for training rests on the work itself, entry speed and local pay rather than a pay premium. This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.
Job outlook for teachers
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +4.5%
- All occupations +3.5%
- Jobs in 2025
- 583,200
- 609,400 projected for 2035
- Openings each year
- 66,700
- New jobs plus replacements
- Self-employed
- 0.9%
- Not in the pay figures above
BLS projects little or no change from 2025 to 2035 in the number of kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school and special education teaching jobs. Fewer school-age children, falling enrollment and tight state and local budgets hold demand down. Preschool is the exception: preschool teacher jobs are projected to grow 4.5%, from 583,200 to 609,400, a little above the 3.5% for all occupations, as demand for early childhood education rises. Hiring still continues at every level because many teachers retire or leave the profession; preschool alone is expected to have about 66,700 openings a year. Openings for K-12 teachers depend heavily on local enrollment and budgets, so some districts and subjects are short of teachers while others are cutting.
Outlook shown for preschool teachers, except special education; each type’s growth is in the table at the top.
Related careers and their pay
- Elementary School Teacher$63,970
- High School Teacher$72,040
- School Principal$105,870
- School Psychologist$95,990
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,680
Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Teacher salary FAQ
Do teachers get paid in the summer?
Most public school teachers are paid for a school year of about 10 months. Many districts let teachers spread that pay across 12 months, so checks continue through summer, but that is the same yearly salary divided differently, not extra pay. Teachers who want more income in summer often teach summer school, run camps or tutor. Preschool teachers in childcare centers usually work year-round.
Do teachers with a master's degree earn more?
In most public school districts, yes. District salary schedules usually have separate columns for a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and additional graduate credits, so a teacher moves to a higher-paying column after finishing a master's. The size of the raise varies widely by district, so check your district's published schedule. Some states also require teachers to earn a master's degree within a set number of years after they start.
Which teachers earn the most?
Among the grade levels BLS reports, high school teachers have the highest median, followed by special education, middle school, elementary and kindergarten teachers. Preschool teachers earn the least. Within a district, the biggest differences come from years of experience and graduate degrees on the salary schedule, along with extra duties such as coaching or department leadership.
Do private school teachers need a license?
Usually not. BLS notes that private school teachers typically do not need a state license, because private schools set their own hiring requirements. Many private schools still prefer a bachelor's degree in the subject taught, and some ask for a license or teaching experience anyway.
Sources
Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 25-2011
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
- O*NET 31.0 Database (25-2011.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
- Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
- Preschool Teachers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
- Core Combined (5752; subtests 5713, 5723, 5733), ETS Praxis · checked October 28, 2026
- Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001), ETS · checked October 28, 2026
- Preschool CDA, Council for Professional Recognition · checked October 28, 2026
- 1302.91 Staff qualifications and competency requirements, Office of Head Start, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · checked October 28, 2026
- License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
- Paying for Certification, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards · checked October 28, 2026
- Special Education: Foundational Knowledge (5355), ETS Praxis · checked October 28, 2026
- High School Teachers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
- Middle School Teachers and Special Education Teachers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
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