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High School Teacher Salary by State (2026)
High School Teachers (Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education) hold 1,065,210 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $74,587 per year, but the median ranges from $48,710 in Oklahoma to $102,670 in Washington. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median High School Teacher salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Washington | $102,670 | 14,880 |
| California | $101,370 | 99,230 |
| New York | $97,070 | 70,660 |
| Massachusetts | $95,260 | 28,460 |
| Rhode Island | $92,610 | 4,910 |
| District of Columbia | $82,750 | 2,800 |
| New Jersey | $82,200 | 38,140 |
| Connecticut | $80,970 | 14,800 |
| Illinois | $79,990 | 44,670 |
| Alaska | $79,650 | 2,790 |
| Oregon | $79,570 | 11,730 |
| Ohio | $78,800 | 49,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,800 | 52,240 |
| Maryland | $78,670 | 16,640 |
| Delaware | $77,960 | 5,360 |
| New Hampshire | $77,060 | 5,860 |
| Minnesota | $76,460 | 16,020 |
| Utah | $76,330 | 11,030 |
| Vermont | $76,220 | 2,450 |
| New Mexico | $75,900 | 8,120 |
| Georgia | $75,480 | 25,730 |
| Hawaii | $74,310 | 5,590 |
| Colorado | $72,900 | 18,310 |
| Virginia | $72,170 | 31,100 |
| Michigan | $66,030 | 25,540 |
| Nevada | $65,520 | 8,920 |
| Maine | $64,880 | 5,540 |
| Texas | $63,590 | 111,660 |
| Nebraska | $63,450 | 7,170 |
| Wisconsin | $62,870 | 15,910 |
| Wyoming | $62,690 | 1,600 |
| South Carolina | $62,580 | 16,080 |
| Alabama | $61,990 | 15,880 |
| Indiana | $61,880 | 20,430 |
| Tennessee | $61,860 | 21,230 |
| Idaho | $61,690 | 6,570 |
| Kentucky | $61,560 | 12,780 |
| North Dakota | $61,210 | 3,070 |
| Iowa | $61,200 | 12,310 |
| Montana | $60,990 | 3,670 |
| Florida | $60,410 | 49,810 |
| Kansas | $59,920 | 10,860 |
| Louisiana | $59,850 | 15,210 |
| Arkansas | $59,660 | 12,890 |
| Missouri | $59,240 | 24,380 |
| Arizona | $58,360 | 21,190 |
| North Carolina | $57,650 | 28,620 |
| West Virginia | $56,610 | 3,590 |
| South Dakota | $51,050 | 3,360 |
| Mississippi | $50,980 | 10,400 |
| Oklahoma | $48,710 | 15,480 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average High School Teacher salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) High School Teacher salary in the US is about $74,587 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 1,065,210 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays High School Teachers the most?
- Washington has the highest median High School Teacher salary at $102,670 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays High School Teachers the least?
- Oklahoma has the lowest median at $48,710 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) (Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, code 25-2031). “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.