Pay by state · 54 areas
Elementary School Teacher Salary by State (2026)
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn the most in Washington at $102,350 a year and the least in Oklahoma at $48,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $63,970. The table below covers all 50 states, DC, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $102,350Washington
- National median
- $63,970BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $48,200Oklahoma
- Areas reporting
- 54of 54 OEWS areas
Top and bottom
Highest- and lowest-paying states for elementary school teachers, except special education
Ranked on the state median among the 50 states and DC. Territories are in the full table but not ranked here.
Highest median pay
- 1Washington$102,350
- 2California$99,650
- 3District of Columbia$96,580
- 4Massachusetts$94,000
- 5Rhode Island$90,930
Lowest median pay
- 1Oklahoma$48,200
- 2Mississippi$49,790
- 3South Dakota$50,130
- 4Missouri$50,910
- 5Arkansas$52,700
All states
Elementary School Teacher salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of elementary school teachers, except special education OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WAWashington | $102,350 | $80,320 | $115,880 | 28,980 | $95,643 |
| 2 | CACalifornia | $99,650 | $77,140 | $119,970 | 155,160 | $90,002 |
| 3 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $96,580 | $77,950 | $102,650 | 3,750 | $87,879 |
| 4 | MAMassachusetts | $94,000 | $76,990 | $102,180 | 29,930 | $88,883 |
| 5 | RIRhode Island | $90,930 | $61,860 | $96,020 | 3,830 | $88,903 |
| 6 | NYNew York | $85,760 | $66,100 | $126,930 | 101,410 | $79,466 |
| 7 | CTConnecticut | $80,600 | $62,630 | $100,840 | 16,330 | $77,792 |
| 8 | AKAlaska | $79,260 | $62,800 | $97,090 | 3,500 | $77,433 |
| 9 | NJNew Jersey | $78,200 | $64,060 | $98,670 | 40,300 | $71,872 |
| 10 | MDMaryland | $77,680 | $62,290 | $100,560 | 29,610 | $74,010 |
| 11 | OHOhio | $77,370 | $59,960 | $82,720 | 47,870 | $83,396 |
| 12 | OROregon | $77,130 | $60,020 | $92,190 | 12,600 | $74,622 |
| 13 | PAPennsylvania | $77,060 | $61,380 | $88,660 | 48,370 | $78,978 |
| 14 | MNMinnesota | $76,350 | $59,250 | $91,290 | 26,640 | $77,418 |
| 15 | DEDelaware | $75,920 | $60,960 | $86,260 | 2,900 | $76,066 |
| 16 | ILIllinois | $75,320 | $58,430 | $97,830 | 61,520 | $75,352 |
| 17 | UTUtah | $74,810 | $60,210 | $82,600 | 14,820 | $75,670 |
| 18 | NMNew Mexico | $74,550 | $62,680 | $78,060 | 6,210 | $80,846 |
| 19 | NHNew Hampshire | $72,410 | $60,410 | $80,880 | 5,190 | $69,515 |
| 20 | GAGeorgia | $72,290 | $61,110 | $77,870 | 43,820 | $75,073 |
| 21 | HIHawaii | $71,410 | $59,530 | $76,740 | 6,040 | $64,947 |
| 22 | VAVirginia | $65,550 | $60,120 | $82,350 | 37,880 | $64,834 |
| 23 | MIMichigan | $65,110 | $52,040 | $79,150 | 40,910 | $67,670 |
| 24 | NVNevada | $65,040 | $54,980 | $78,130 | 9,550 | $65,054 |
| 25 | COColorado | $63,410 | $59,020 | $80,160 | 24,860 | $61,532 |
| 26 | VTVermont | $63,070 | $59,300 | $78,800 | 3,610 | $64,385 |
| 27 | TXTexas | $62,760 | $59,460 | $65,410 | 116,260 | $64,663 |
| 28 | MEMaine | $62,390 | $48,820 | $78,290 | 7,490 | $64,286 |
| 29 | NENebraska | $62,380 | $51,260 | $75,750 | 8,710 | $69,232 |
| 30 | GUGuam | $62,240 | $46,170 | $77,460 | 1,000 | N/A |
| 31 | IDIdaho | $61,600 | $48,900 | $65,960 | 6,850 | $64,507 |
| 32 | ALAlabama | $61,380 | $49,290 | $64,160 | 22,030 | $69,104 |
| 33 | WIWisconsin | $61,210 | $51,460 | $76,820 | 24,920 | $65,051 |
| 34 | WYWyoming | $61,150 | $59,310 | $73,860 | 2,600 | $65,972 |
| 35 | SCSouth Carolina | $60,820 | $50,280 | $74,120 | 25,030 | $64,875 |
| 36 | KYKentucky | $60,610 | $48,400 | $64,570 | 19,080 | $67,226 |
| 37 | IAIowa | $60,580 | $48,620 | $64,210 | 17,300 | $69,028 |
| 38 | VIU.S. Virgin Islands | $60,560 | $51,500 | $60,770 | 630 | N/A |
| 39 | NDNorth Dakota | $60,030 | $49,360 | $61,970 | 4,430 | $67,481 |
| 40 | TNTennessee | $59,980 | $50,360 | $64,590 | 28,240 | $65,288 |
| 41 | INIndiana | $59,700 | $49,620 | $69,830 | 27,720 | $63,967 |
| 42 | FLFlorida | $58,930 | $50,800 | $62,510 | 79,090 | $56,985 |
| 43 | LALouisiana | $58,770 | $49,110 | $61,850 | 22,060 | $66,627 |
| 44 | MTMontana | $57,530 | $46,830 | $65,190 | 4,960 | $60,785 |
| 45 | AZArizona | $56,590 | $47,900 | $63,440 | 24,240 | $56,209 |
| 46 | KSKansas | $56,450 | $49,090 | $61,330 | 14,350 | $62,675 |
| 47 | WVWest Virginia | $55,630 | $50,170 | $58,340 | 5,420 | $62,159 |
| 48 | NCNorth Carolina | $54,930 | $47,470 | $59,730 | 42,410 | $58,234 |
| 49 | ARArkansas | $52,700 | $50,940 | $60,750 | 12,590 | $60,619 |
| 50 | PRPuerto Rico | $51,540 | $48,510 | $61,880 | 4,370 | N/A |
| 51 | MOMissouri | $50,910 | $47,200 | $61,620 | 33,180 | $56,058 |
| 52 | SDSouth Dakota | $50,130 | $48,000 | $58,030 | 4,290 | $56,589 |
| 53 | MSMississippi | $49,790 | $47,660 | $59,490 | 11,060 | $57,261 |
| 54 | OKOklahoma | $48,200 | $46,720 | $58,260 | 18,500 | $54,871 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For elementary school teachers, except special education, the adjustment does not change the leader: Washington is first on raw pay and still first once prices are taken into account, at $95,643.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Elementary School Teacher pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays elementary school teachers, except special education the most?
Washington reports the highest median wage for elementary school teachers, except special education at $102,350 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by California ($99,650) and District of Columbia ($96,580).
Which state pays elementary school teachers, except special education the least?
Among the 50 states and DC, Oklahoma reports the lowest median for elementary school teachers, except special education at $48,200 a year, $54,150 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Among the territories, Guam reports $62,240, U.S. Virgin Islands reports $60,560 and Puerto Rico reports $51,540.
In which states do elementary school teachers, except special education earn over $100,000?
One of the 50 states and DC has a median of $100,000 or more: Washington ($102,350) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is the highest-paying state the best for elementary school teachers, except special education after cost of living?
Yes. Washington stays first after dividing each state median by its BEA Regional Price Parity, at $95,643 in national-average dollars from a raw $102,350. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; the adjustment is NueCareer's calculation.