150 metro areas
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary Salary by City (2026)
English language and literature teachers earn the most in San Francisco, CA, an average of $167,930 a year, against $89,580 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Riverside, CA ($152,150 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $89,580BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $167,930San Francisco, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $152,150Riverside, CA
- Metro areas
- 150With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for english language and literature teachers
Top 10 metro areas
- San Francisco, CA$167,930
- Riverside, CA$161,950
- Fresno, CA$143,960
- San Diego, CA$137,240
- Bakersfield, CA$134,280
- San Jose, CA$130,880
- Sacramento, CA$126,870
- Los Angeles, CA$126,060
- McAllen, TX$122,080
- Trenton, NJ$121,950
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $167,930 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $161,950 |
| Fresno, CA | $143,960 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $137,240 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $134,280 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $130,880 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $126,870 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $126,060 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $122,080 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $121,950 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Riverside, CA$161,950 nominal$152,150
- San Francisco, CA$167,930 nominal$145,250
- McAllen, TX$122,080 nominal$142,130
- Fresno, CA$143,960 nominal$140,920
- Bakersfield, CA$134,280 nominal$133,100
- San Diego, CA$137,240 nominal$122,660
- Sacramento, CA$126,870 nominal$118,940
- San Jose, CA$130,880 nominal$118,530
- Trenton, NJ$121,950 nominal$118,190
- Ann Arbor, MI$117,620 nominal$116,590
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $152,150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $145,250 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $142,130 |
| Fresno, CA | $140,920 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $133,100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $122,660 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $118,940 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $118,530 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $118,190 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $116,590 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $167,930 | $97,320 | $202,710 | $145,250 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $161,950 | $88,210 | $198,270 | $152,150 |
| 3 | Fresno, CA | $143,960 | $106,350 | $162,490 | $140,920 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | $137,240 | $71,420 | $169,670 | $122,660 |
| 5 | Bakersfield, CA | $134,280 | $108,930 | $146,760 | $133,100 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $130,880 | $88,290 | $151,860 | $118,530 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $126,870 | $86,050 | $146,980 | $118,940 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $126,060 | $67,880 | $154,710 | $111,000 |
| 9 | McAllen, TX | $122,080 | $56,570 | $154,350 | $142,130 |
| 10 | Trenton, NJ | $121,950 | $41,820 | $161,420 | $118,190 |
| 11 | Ann Arbor, MI | $117,620 | $77,360 | $137,450 | $116,590 |
| 12 | Eugene, OR | $117,430 | $70,080 | $140,760 | $115,620 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $110,650 | $62,700 | $134,260 | $113,740 |
| 14 | Boston, MA-NH | $108,530 | $66,040 | $129,460 | $100,240 |
| 15 | New York, NY-NJ | $107,730 | $55,090 | $133,660 | $95,710 |
| 16 | Columbia, SC | $106,820 | $56,290 | $131,720 | $114,050 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $106,440 | $62,990 | $127,850 | $107,920 |
| 18 | Amherst Town, MA | $104,880 | $63,800 | $125,110 | $104,630 |
| 19 | Portland, OR-WA | $104,320 | $62,450 | $124,940 | $98,960 |
| 20 | Peoria, IL | $104,150 | $45,370 | $133,100 | $114,160 |
| 21 | New Haven, CT | $102,450 | $65,600 | $120,600 | $97,980 |
| 22 | Athens, GA | $101,190 | $54,150 | $124,360 | $108,410 |
| 23 | Detroit, MI | $99,990 | $62,200 | $118,600 | $99,690 |
| 24 | Milwaukee, WI | $99,550 | $64,950 | $116,590 | $102,700 |
| 25 | Hartford, CT | $99,060 | $56,450 | $120,050 | $96,410 |
| 26 | Lawrence, KS | $98,500 | $60,700 | $117,120 | $109,150 |
| 27 | Santa Maria, CA | $97,610 | $58,290 | $116,980 | $89,720 |
| 28 | Harrisburg, PA | $97,580 | $65,910 | $113,180 | $98,920 |
| 29 | Norwich, CT | $96,010 | $66,720 | $110,440 | $95,580 |
| 30 | Portland, ME | $95,080 | $59,940 | $112,380 | $93,350 |
| 31 | Manchester, NH | $94,970 | $78,170 | $103,250 | $89,890 |
| 32 | Santa Fe, NM | $94,640 | $60,170 | $111,610 | $95,820 |
| 33 | Scranton, PA | $94,360 | $62,570 | $110,020 | $100,860 |
| 34 | Lincoln, NE | $93,770 | $47,670 | $116,480 | $102,390 |
| 35 | Albany, NY | $93,280 | $59,010 | $110,160 | $93,690 |
| 36 | Baltimore, MD | $92,940 | $54,780 | $111,740 | $88,950 |
| 37 | Bridgeport, CT | $92,660 | $65,780 | $105,900 | $86,710 |
| 38 | Providence, RI-MA | $92,300 | $69,540 | $103,510 | $90,690 |
| 39 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $91,680 | $56,600 | $108,960 | $89,400 |
| 40 | Buffalo, NY | $91,410 | $53,670 | $110,010 | $95,370 |
| 41 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $91,410 | $52,820 | $110,410 | $83,950 |
| 42 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $91,330 | $57,230 | $108,120 | $83,470 |
| 43 | Phoenix, AZ | $91,060 | $66,510 | $103,150 | $88,140 |
| 44 | Springfield, MA | $90,690 | $58,320 | $106,640 | $94,410 |
| 45 | St. Cloud, MN | $90,500 | $75,130 | $98,070 | $103,270 |
| 46 | Waterbury, CT | $89,480 | $58,710 | $104,630 | $89,680 |
| 47 | Flagstaff, AZ | $89,070 | $64,170 | $101,340 | $88,780 |
| 48 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $89,050 | $64,790 | $101,000 | $84,950 |
| 49 | Austin, TX | $89,040 | $47,790 | $109,360 | $90,800 |
| 50 | Lansing, MI | $89,040 | $58,270 | $104,190 | $93,740 |
| 51 | Wilmington, NC | $88,400 | $63,770 | $100,530 | $91,680 |
| 52 | College Station, TX | $87,730 | $56,510 | $103,100 | $96,460 |
| 53 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $87,510 | $54,000 | $104,020 | $92,030 |
| 54 | Seattle, WA | $86,840 | $63,640 | $98,260 | $78,140 |
| 55 | Worcester, MA | $86,640 | $61,130 | $99,210 | $84,510 |
| 56 | Evansville, IN | $86,580 | $50,280 | $104,460 | $94,590 |
| 57 | Boise City, ID | $86,510 | $51,880 | $103,570 | $87,920 |
| 58 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $86,510 | $46,080 | $106,430 | $91,860 |
| 59 | Salem, OR | $86,370 | $61,180 | $98,780 | $83,330 |
| 60 | Dallas, TX | $86,080 | $57,220 | $100,290 | $83,500 |
| 61 | Burlington, VT | $85,650 | $55,640 | $100,420 | $84,840 |
| 62 | Denver, CO | $85,190 | $51,160 | $101,950 | $80,530 |
| 63 | Syracuse, NY | $85,140 | $56,800 | $99,100 | $88,930 |
| 64 | Las Vegas, NV | $85,070 | $65,760 | $94,580 | $84,890 |
| 65 | Abilene, TX | $84,210 | $48,000 | $102,040 | $93,190 |
| 66 | Ithaca, NY | $84,130 | $57,970 | $97,020 | $81,430 |
| 67 | Columbia, MO | $83,920 | $52,560 | $99,360 | $93,830 |
| 68 | Colorado Springs, CO | $83,840 | $55,650 | $97,720 | $83,250 |
| 69 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $83,650 | $51,870 | $99,310 | $83,680 |
| 70 | Mankato, MN | $83,530 | $56,420 | $96,890 | $91,840 |
| 71 | Reading, PA | $83,510 | $61,560 | $94,320 | $86,040 |
| 72 | Indianapolis, IN | $83,220 | $49,640 | $99,750 | $86,960 |
| 73 | Rochester, NY | $82,570 | $60,010 | $93,680 | $85,090 |
| 74 | Terre Haute, IN | $82,470 | $53,870 | $96,550 | $93,930 |
| 75 | Erie, PA | $82,370 | $51,540 | $97,560 | $90,570 |
| 76 | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,250 | $54,680 | $95,830 | $86,880 |
| 77 | Fargo, ND-MN | $82,190 | $61,510 | $92,380 | $90,450 |
| 78 | Little Rock, AR | $81,470 | $45,840 | $99,020 | $91,170 |
| 79 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $81,240 | $47,090 | $98,050 | $82,950 |
| 80 | Bellingham, WA | $80,940 | $58,980 | $91,760 | $78,330 |
| 81 | Bangor, ME | $80,880 | $52,730 | $94,750 | $83,810 |
| 82 | Richmond, VA | $80,690 | $48,930 | $96,340 | $82,460 |
| 83 | Chicago, IL-IN | $80,340 | $44,100 | $98,190 | $77,550 |
| 84 | New Orleans, LA | $80,120 | $50,030 | $94,930 | $86,530 |
| 85 | Omaha, NE-IA | $79,650 | $57,030 | $90,800 | $86,660 |
| 86 | Fort Wayne, IN | $78,480 | $49,630 | $92,700 | $84,780 |
| 87 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $78,470 | $45,760 | $94,580 | $84,310 |
| 88 | Grand Rapids, MI | $78,400 | $48,010 | $93,380 | $82,050 |
| 89 | Spokane, WA | $78,060 | $57,000 | $88,430 | $77,790 |
| 90 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $77,740 | $51,270 | $90,780 | $84,000 |
| 91 | Atlanta, GA | $77,450 | $50,180 | $90,880 | $77,410 |
| 92 | Harrisonburg, VA | $77,360 | $58,150 | $86,820 | $81,520 |
| 93 | Springfield, IL | $77,130 | $43,190 | $93,860 | $83,160 |
| 94 | Springfield, MO | $77,130 | $50,170 | $90,410 | $87,070 |
| 95 | Amarillo, TX | $76,770 | $56,820 | $86,590 | $83,610 |
| 96 | Charleston, SC | $76,690 | $56,100 | $86,830 | $75,960 |
| 97 | Lexington, KY | $76,410 | $46,430 | $91,170 | $82,260 |
| 98 | Columbus, OH | $76,000 | $51,010 | $88,320 | $79,610 |
| 99 | San Juan, PR | $75,940 | $55,970 | $85,780 | N/A |
| 100 | South Bend, IN-MI | $75,890 | $51,440 | $87,930 | $81,730 |
| 101 | Toledo, OH | $75,780 | $49,520 | $88,710 | $82,860 |
| 102 | Reno, NV | $75,620 | $57,150 | $84,720 | $74,860 |
| 103 | Bloomington, IL | $74,630 | $51,180 | $86,180 | $79,790 |
| 104 | Nashville, TN | $74,080 | $53,440 | $84,240 | $76,900 |
| 105 | Des Moines, IA | $73,630 | $55,170 | $82,730 | $80,290 |
| 106 | Tulsa, OK | $73,370 | $51,800 | $84,000 | $82,240 |
| 107 | Akron, OH | $73,340 | $51,310 | $84,190 | $78,550 |
| 108 | Knoxville, TN | $72,790 | $58,000 | $80,070 | $78,630 |
| 109 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $72,240 | $58,200 | $79,160 | $81,200 |
| 110 | Duluth, MN-WI | $71,890 | $51,420 | $81,970 | $80,990 |
| 111 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $71,570 | $47,780 | $83,290 | $78,250 |
| 112 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $71,270 | $39,360 | $86,980 | $74,730 |
| 113 | Birmingham, AL | $71,230 | $55,760 | $78,850 | $77,720 |
| 114 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $71,000 | $50,290 | $81,200 | $77,020 |
| 115 | Durham, NC | $70,600 | $39,500 | $85,910 | $72,360 |
| 116 | Killeen, TX | $70,550 | $49,850 | $80,750 | $77,420 |
| 117 | Dayton, OH | $70,490 | $46,760 | $82,170 | $76,050 |
| 118 | Montgomery, AL | $70,230 | $47,520 | $81,420 | $78,310 |
| 119 | Greenville, SC | $70,190 | $48,670 | $80,790 | $75,260 |
| 120 | Miami, FL | $70,080 | $54,480 | $77,760 | $61,390 |
| 121 | Cleveland, OH | $69,410 | $42,960 | $82,430 | $73,900 |
| 122 | El Paso, TX | $68,800 | $34,670 | $85,600 | $76,520 |
| 123 | Hickory, NC | $68,560 | $57,190 | $74,150 | $77,480 |
| 124 | Fort Collins, CO | $68,080 | $46,270 | $78,820 | $67,320 |
| 125 | Deltona, FL | $68,030 | $47,530 | $78,130 | $68,460 |
| 126 | Lubbock, TX | $67,300 | $45,370 | $78,100 | $73,700 |
| 127 | San Antonio, TX | $67,260 | $41,950 | $79,720 | $71,010 |
| 128 | Greeley, CO | $66,840 | $53,030 | $73,640 | $66,720 |
| 129 | Raleigh, NC | $66,840 | $46,690 | $76,760 | $68,090 |
| 130 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $66,840 | $48,970 | $75,640 | $76,200 |
| 131 | Auburn, AL | $66,780 | $47,620 | $76,220 | $75,940 |
| 132 | Davenport, IA-IL | $66,710 | $44,330 | $77,740 | $74,890 |
| 133 | Lakeland, FL | $66,180 | $46,150 | $76,040 | $68,130 |
| 134 | Tampa, FL | $64,740 | $55,890 | $69,090 | $64,170 |
| 135 | Oklahoma City, OK | $64,480 | $41,800 | $75,660 | $71,320 |
| 136 | Augusta, GA-SC | $63,550 | $52,350 | $69,070 | $69,150 |
| 137 | Canton, OH | $63,340 | $46,940 | $71,430 | $70,850 |
| 138 | Jacksonville, FL | $63,330 | $51,530 | $69,130 | $63,660 |
| 139 | Orlando, FL | $63,260 | $48,810 | $70,370 | $62,380 |
| 140 | Lafayette, LA | $62,930 | $54,150 | $67,250 | $72,160 |
| 141 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $61,850 | $34,760 | $75,190 | $63,530 |
| 142 | North Port, FL | $61,000 | $49,350 | $66,730 | $59,560 |
| 143 | Jackson, MS | $60,920 | $42,340 | $70,080 | $68,410 |
| 144 | Roanoke, VA | $60,560 | $41,020 | $70,190 | $64,690 |
| 145 | Johnstown, PA | $60,510 | $47,190 | $67,070 | $70,420 |
| 146 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $60,390 | $39,110 | $70,860 | $68,300 |
| 147 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $60,360 | $49,270 | $65,830 | $69,820 |
| 148 | Mobile, AL | $58,770 | $42,890 | $66,590 | $66,710 |
| 149 | Wichita, KS | $58,260 | $47,860 | $63,380 | $65,500 |
| 150 | Asheville, NC | $53,300 | $31,430 | $64,070 | $55,230 |
More
More on english language and literature teachers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays english language and literature teachers the most?
San Francisco, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $167,930 a year, followed by Riverside, CA ($161,950), Fresno, CA ($143,960), San Diego, CA ($137,240). The national mean is $89,580 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do english language and literature teachers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Riverside, CA ($152,150 at national prices, $161,950 nominal), San Francisco, CA ($145,250 at national prices, $167,930 nominal), McAllen, TX ($142,130 at national prices, $122,080 nominal).
How much do english language and literature teachers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $107,730; Los Angeles, CA: $126,060; Chicago, IL-IN: $80,340; Dallas, TX: $86,080; Houston, TX: $106,440 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do english language and literature teachers earn the least?
Of the 150 metro areas with their own estimate, Asheville, NC has the lowest mean wage, $53,300. At local prices that is worth $55,230.