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Elementary School Teacher Salary by State (2026)
Elementary School Teachers (Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education) hold 1,388,400 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $72,224 per year, but the median ranges from $48,200 in Oklahoma to $102,350 in Washington. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Elementary School Teacher salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Washington | $102,350 | 28,980 |
| California | $99,650 | 155,160 |
| District of Columbia | $96,580 | 3,750 |
| Massachusetts | $94,000 | 29,930 |
| Rhode Island | $90,930 | 3,830 |
| New York | $85,760 | 101,410 |
| Connecticut | $80,600 | 16,330 |
| Alaska | $79,260 | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $78,200 | 40,300 |
| Maryland | $77,680 | 29,610 |
| Ohio | $77,370 | 47,870 |
| Oregon | $77,130 | 12,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,060 | 48,370 |
| Minnesota | $76,350 | 26,640 |
| Delaware | $75,920 | 2,900 |
| Illinois | $75,320 | 61,520 |
| Utah | $74,810 | 14,820 |
| New Mexico | $74,550 | 6,210 |
| New Hampshire | $72,410 | 5,190 |
| Georgia | $72,290 | 43,820 |
| Hawaii | $71,410 | 6,040 |
| Virginia | $65,550 | 37,880 |
| Michigan | $65,110 | 40,910 |
| Nevada | $65,040 | 9,550 |
| Colorado | $63,410 | 24,860 |
| Vermont | $63,070 | 3,610 |
| Texas | $62,760 | 116,260 |
| Maine | $62,390 | 7,490 |
| Nebraska | $62,380 | 8,710 |
| Idaho | $61,600 | 6,850 |
| Alabama | $61,380 | 22,030 |
| Wisconsin | $61,210 | 24,920 |
| Wyoming | $61,150 | 2,600 |
| South Carolina | $60,820 | 25,030 |
| Kentucky | $60,610 | 19,080 |
| Iowa | $60,580 | 17,300 |
| North Dakota | $60,030 | 4,430 |
| Tennessee | $59,980 | 28,240 |
| Indiana | $59,700 | 27,720 |
| Florida | $58,930 | 79,090 |
| Louisiana | $58,770 | 22,060 |
| Montana | $57,530 | 4,960 |
| Arizona | $56,590 | 24,240 |
| Kansas | $56,450 | 14,350 |
| West Virginia | $55,630 | 5,420 |
| North Carolina | $54,930 | 42,410 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 | 12,590 |
| Missouri | $50,910 | 33,180 |
| South Dakota | $50,130 | 4,290 |
| Mississippi | $49,790 | 11,060 |
| Oklahoma | $48,200 | 18,500 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Elementary School Teacher salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Elementary School Teacher salary in the US is about $72,224 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 1,388,400 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Elementary School Teachers the most?
- Washington has the highest median Elementary School Teacher salary at $102,350 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Elementary School Teachers the least?
- Oklahoma has the lowest median at $48,200 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, code 25-2021). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.