Pay by state · 50 states
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary Salary by State (2026)
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most in California at $130,490 a year and the least in Oklahoma at $53,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $78,760. All 50 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $130,490California
- National median
- $78,760BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $53,200Oklahoma
- States reporting
- 50of 54 OEWS areas
All states
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of english language and literature teachers, postsecondary OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CACalifornia | $130,490 | $95,900 | $167,640 | 5,460 | $117,856 |
| 2 | NHNew Hampshire | $98,650 | $80,270 | $104,920 | 230 | $94,706 |
| 3 | CTConnecticut | $97,310 | $73,600 | $106,090 | 940 | $93,920 |
| 4 | DEDelaware | $97,100 | $79,580 | $117,950 | N/A | $97,287 |
| 5 | OROregon | $91,870 | $70,470 | $116,340 | 960 | $88,883 |
| 6 | MIMichigan | $90,240 | $64,910 | $127,540 | 1,730 | $93,788 |
| 7 | VTVermont | $86,870 | $65,400 | $106,780 | 170 | $88,681 |
| 8 | NVNevada | $85,830 | $62,740 | $86,310 | 280 | $85,848 |
| 9 | NYNew York | $84,850 | $66,260 | $122,980 | 6,110 | $78,622 |
| 10 | MEMaine | $84,290 | $61,450 | $128,370 | 230 | $86,852 |
| 11 | MNMinnesota | $84,200 | $76,150 | $98,340 | 920 | $85,377 |
| 12 | MAMassachusetts | $83,980 | $70,720 | $118,120 | 2,900 | $79,408 |
| 13 | MDMaryland | $83,760 | $66,590 | $104,760 | 830 | $79,803 |
| 14 | AKAlaska | $82,770 | $81,060 | $83,010 | 90 | $80,862 |
| 15 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $82,300 | $64,640 | $101,620 | 410 | $74,886 |
| 16 | WIWisconsin | $80,800 | $66,330 | $101,350 | 840 | $85,871 |
| 17 | PAPennsylvania | $80,670 | $63,200 | $102,840 | 2,530 | $82,677 |
| 18 | WAWashington | $79,840 | $66,820 | $98,700 | 1,000 | $74,608 |
| 19 | IAIowa | $79,720 | $58,860 | $93,410 | 510 | $90,837 |
| 20 | RIRhode Island | $79,190 | $79,190 | $102,290 | 540 | $77,425 |
| 21 | TXTexas | $78,900 | $61,190 | $102,500 | 4,310 | $81,292 |
| 22 | NJNew Jersey | $78,760 | $49,670 | $104,110 | 1,950 | $72,386 |
| 23 | NENebraska | $78,450 | $59,470 | $98,220 | 500 | $87,067 |
| 24 | ILIllinois | $77,570 | $51,090 | $102,600 | 2,570 | $77,603 |
| 25 | AZArizona | $76,990 | $71,250 | $100,220 | 870 | $76,472 |
| 26 | PRPuerto Rico | $73,490 | $66,980 | $88,200 | 130 | N/A |
| 27 | UTUtah | $73,280 | $59,510 | $98,900 | 420 | $74,122 |
| 28 | MTMontana | $73,160 | $60,600 | $83,480 | 130 | $77,299 |
| 29 | MOMissouri | $73,070 | $59,650 | $94,790 | 1,040 | $80,459 |
| 30 | COColorado | $72,910 | $59,540 | $86,800 | 1,220 | $70,751 |
| 31 | INIndiana | $69,180 | $57,770 | $93,490 | 1,000 | $74,125 |
| 32 | VAVirginia | $67,330 | $54,480 | $98,070 | 1,810 | $66,595 |
| 33 | NMNew Mexico | $66,450 | $60,220 | $83,940 | 230 | $72,062 |
| 34 | GAGeorgia | $65,530 | $54,340 | $80,490 | 1,140 | $68,053 |
| 35 | OHOhio | $65,140 | $56,980 | $93,600 | 2,240 | $70,214 |
| 36 | KYKentucky | $65,090 | $50,950 | $82,540 | 540 | $72,195 |
| 37 | SCSouth Carolina | $64,470 | $59,030 | $82,990 | 840 | $68,769 |
| 38 | TNTennessee | $64,220 | $59,070 | $78,850 | 1,150 | $69,903 |
| 39 | NDNorth Dakota | $63,690 | $60,140 | $77,920 | 120 | $71,595 |
| 40 | NCNorth Carolina | $63,370 | $51,160 | $78,590 | 2,140 | $67,182 |
| 41 | WVWest Virginia | $63,280 | $51,080 | $79,350 | 250 | $70,706 |
| 42 | SDSouth Dakota | $62,960 | $57,400 | $77,820 | 110 | $71,072 |
| 43 | ALAlabama | $62,910 | $54,730 | $75,450 | 1,040 | $70,826 |
| 44 | KSKansas | $62,340 | $49,490 | $83,490 | 460 | $69,214 |
| 45 | WYWyoming | $62,030 | $61,890 | $76,910 | 140 | $66,921 |
| 46 | MSMississippi | $60,680 | $47,170 | $73,940 | 530 | $69,785 |
| 47 | LALouisiana | $60,350 | $55,890 | $81,840 | 430 | $68,419 |
| 48 | FLFlorida | $59,740 | $58,010 | $65,460 | 2,480 | $57,768 |
| 49 | ARArkansas | $56,520 | $47,550 | $76,410 | 320 | $65,013 |
| 50 | OKOklahoma | $53,200 | $41,950 | $68,340 | 500 | $60,563 |
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 English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, that changes the ranking: California leads on raw pay at $130,490, while California leads once prices are taken into account at $117,856.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
English Language and Literature Teacher, Postsecondary pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
California reports the highest median wage for English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary at $130,490 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by New Hampshire ($98,650) and Connecticut ($97,310).
Which state pays English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary the least?
Oklahoma reports the lowest median for English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary at $53,200 a year, $77,290 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts California first at $117,856 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $130,490. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.