What are the main factors that influence a Teacher's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Teacher's salary?

A Teacher's salary grows with experience: starting around $50,799 for beginners, reaching about $53,952 at mid-level, and approach $57,013 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Teacher?

Teacher salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Teacher roles are District of Columbia $59,736, California $59,509, Massachusetts $58,716. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Teacher roles make?

Salaries for Teacher level roles vary by specialization: Theatre Teacher: $64,501; Teacher Elementary School: $60,781; Teacher and Teacher Assistant: $55,493; Teacher Secondary School: $54,797; Teacher Kindergarten: $54,287.

How do different companies affect a Teacher's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Teacher roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Teacher Salary in the United States

How much does a Teacher make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Teacher in the United States is $53,952 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

However, a Teacher's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $67,205
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $46,115 to $60,889
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,979

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Teacher Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,889	$5,074	$1,171	$29
Average	$53,952	$4,496	$1,038	$26
25th Percentile	$46,115	$3,843	$887	$22

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Key Factors That Influence Teacher Salaries

A Teacher's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Teacher Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Teacher's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $50,799
Early Career (1-2 years): $51,040
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $53,952
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,809
Expert (over 8 years): $57,013

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Teacher	$50,799
Intermediate Level Teacher	$51,040
Senior Level Teacher	$53,952
Specialist Level Teacher	$56,809
Expert Level Teacher	$57,013

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Teacher Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Teachers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $59,736.
California: $59,509.
Massachusetts: $58,716.

District of Columbia $59,736 California $59,509 Massachusetts $58,716 Washington $58,500 New Jersey $58,479 Alaska $58,403 Connecticut $57,659 New York $57,356

Hawaii $56,391 Rhode Island $55,937 Maryland $55,630 Minnesota $55,209 Colorado $55,047 Illinois $54,993 Oregon $54,788 Delaware $54,637

New Hampshire $54,542 Virginia $54,330 Pennsylvania $53,709 Nevada $53,396 North Dakota $53,294 Michigan $53,132 Wisconsin $53,073 Vermont $52,954

Texas $52,625 Maine $52,603 Arizona $52,571 Ohio $52,533 Georgia $52,037 Indiana $51,789 Wyoming $51,740 Utah $51,664

Iowa $51,632 Kansas $51,373 Louisiana $51,298 North Carolina $51,271 Missouri $51,260 Florida $51,049 Montana $50,936 Nebraska $50,828

Kentucky $50,769 South Carolina $50,553 Tennessee $50,418 Idaho $50,364 New Mexico $49,970 Oklahoma $49,884 Alabama $49,566 South Dakota $49,032

Arkansas $48,740 West Virginia $48,584 Mississippi $48,114

Top Paying Cities for Teachers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $68,050
San Francisco: $67,381
Oakland: $65,886

San Jose, CA $68,050

San Francisco, CA $67,381

Oakland, CA $65,886

New York, NY $62,525

Queens Village, NY $62,120

Paramus, NJ $61,689

Passaic, NJ $61,635

Bergenfield, NJ $61,581

Stamford, CT $61,500

Huntington, NY $61,446

Newark, NJ $61,095

Bridgeport, CT $60,987

New Brunswick, NJ $60,809

Vallejo, CA $60,696

Middlesex, NJ $60,664

Somerset, NJ $60,615

Petaluma, CA $60,491

Santa Cruz, CA $60,281

Boston, MA $60,173

Monterey, CA $59,903

Fairbanks, AK $59,865

Los Angeles, CA $59,763

Washington, DC $59,736

Seattle, WA $59,639

Santa Rosa, CA $59,628

Juneau, AK $59,471

Orange, CA $59,293

Anchorage, AK $59,196

Anaheim, CA $59,158

Santa Ana, CA $59,077

Nassau, NY $59,045

Long Beach, CA $59,023

Danbury, CT $59,007

Santa Maria, CA $58,824

Everett, WA $58,813

Bremerton, WA $58,549

Trenton, NJ $58,446

Sacramento, CA $58,425

San Diego, CA $58,398

Brockton, MA $58,376

Tacoma, WA $58,354

Santa Barbara, CA $58,279

Lowell, MA $58,063

New Suffolk, NY $58,042

Nashua, NH $57,977

Lompoc, CA $57,890

Ventura, CA $57,837

Stockton, CA $57,820

New Haven, CT $57,712

Atlantic City, NJ $57,572

Hartford, CT $57,453

Modesto, CA $57,427

Poughkeepsie, NY $57,308

New Britain, CT $57,281

Olympia, WA $57,205

Kennewick, WA $57,205

New London, CT $57,195

Norwich, CT $57,178

Lawrence, MA $57,151

Bakersfield, CA $57,000

Riverside, CA $56,925

New Bedford, MA $56,925

Richland, WA $56,871

Portsmouth, NH $56,828

Vineland, NJ $56,817

San Bernardino, CA $56,774

Boulder, CO $56,623

Worcester, MA $56,579

Portland, OR $56,531

Saint Paul, MN $56,466

Minneapolis, MN $56,466

Philadelphia, PA $56,391

Honolulu, HI $56,105

Springfield, MA $55,916

Providence, RI $55,910

Chicago, IL $55,754

Bellingham, WA $55,689

Baltimore, MD $55,630

Chico, CA $55,495

Wilmington, DE $55,403

Pittsfield, MA $55,349

Manchester, NH $55,247

Spokane, WA $55,009

Denver, CO $55,004

Albany, NY $54,750

Troy, NY $54,729

Schenectady, NY $54,616

Burlington, VT $54,497

Portland, ME $54,308

Salem, OR $54,265

Yakima, WA $54,254

Ann Arbor, MI $54,238

Rochester, MN $54,087

Fresno, CA $54,060

Reno, NV $54,060

Milwaukee, WI $54,011

Detroit, MI $53,957

Allentown, PA $53,941

Carson City, NV $53,936

Houston, TX $53,855

Colorado Springs, CO $53,849

Syracuse, NY $53,823

Eugene, OR $53,720

Bismarck, ND $53,655

Gary, IN $53,655

Galveston, TX $53,655

Springfield, OR $53,612

Medford, OR $53,483

Fort Collins, CO $53,461

Austin, TX $53,418

Mesa, AZ $53,305

Phoenix, AZ $53,294

Dallas, TX $53,278

Reading, PA $53,245

Saint Cloud, MN $53,224

Concord, NH $53,175

Madison, WI $53,154

Utica, NY $53,008

Raleigh, NC $52,965

Las Vegas, NV $52,959

Rochester, NY $52,922

Des Moines, IA $52,916

Atlanta, GA $52,830

Battle Creek, MI $52,814

Salt Lake City, UT $52,797

Lancaster, PA $52,716

Champaign, IL $52,706

Harrisburg, PA $52,641

Durham, NC $52,592

Kansas City, MO $52,587

Kansas City, KS $52,576

Fort Worth, TX $52,571

Boca Raton, FL $52,549

Cleveland, OH $52,544

Columbus, OH $52,533

Pittsburgh, PA $52,528

Richmond, VA $52,506

Indianapolis, IN $52,495

Cincinnati, OH $52,425

Petersburg, VA $52,344

Billings, MT $52,226

Lansing, MI $52,226

Huntsville, AL $52,226

Lebanon, PA $52,220

Dayton, OH $52,215

Pueblo, CO $52,215

Appleton, WI $52,199

Buffalo, NY $52,177

Racine, WI $52,150

Charlotte, NC $52,145

Saint Louis, MO $52,128

Springfield, IL $52,107

Elkhart, IN $52,096

York, PA $52,096

Gastonia, NC $52,091

Benton Harbor, MI $52,091

Beaumont, TX $52,058

Lorain, OH $52,047

Toledo, OH $52,026

Binghamton, NY $51,999

Rock Hill, SC $51,994

Rockford, IL $51,967

Fargo, ND $51,940

Elyria, OH $51,940

Flagstaff, AZ $51,902

Fort Lauderdale, FL $51,869

Miami, FL $51,837

Duluth, MN $51,751

Bangor, ME $51,681

Cedar Rapids, IA $51,621

Louisville, KY $51,594

Grand Rapids, MI $51,584

Hialeah, FL $51,578

Casper, WY $51,503

Scranton, PA $51,438

New Orleans, LA $51,422

Virginia Beach, VA $51,416

Akron, OH $51,389

Peoria, IL $51,319

Sarasota, FL $51,308

Green Bay, WI $51,271

Baton Rouge, LA $51,244

Charleston, SC $51,233

Nashville, TN $51,217

Jamestown, NY $51,206

Davenport, IA $51,206

Tucson, AZ $51,179

Cheyenne, WY $51,163

Saint Petersburg, FL $51,146

Tampa, FL $51,136

Omaha, NE $51,125

Port Arthur, TX $51,103

Evansville, IN $51,103

Bradenton, FL $51,082

Santa Fe, NM $50,985

Orlando, FL $50,931

Clearwater, FL $50,871

Canton, OH $50,758

La Crosse, WI $50,758

Grand Forks, ND $50,742

Albuquerque, NM $50,726

Tulsa, OK $50,726

Newport News, VA $50,720

High Point, NC $50,704

Ogden, UT $50,683

Corpus Christi, TX $50,639

Laramie, WY $50,607

Norfolk, VA $50,607

Rock Island, IL $50,575

Saginaw, MI $50,564

Jacksonville, FL $50,558

Salisbury, NC $50,548

Memphis, TN $50,537

Moline, IL $50,510

Fort Myers, FL $50,494

Waterloo, IA $50,424

Spartanburg, SC $50,370

Lincoln, NE $50,343

Fort Wayne, IN $50,332

Birmingham, AL $50,272

Cedar Falls, IA $50,262

Provo, UT $50,256

Springfield, OH $50,251

San Antonio, TX $50,240

Greensboro, NC $50,219

South Bend, IN $50,213

Winston Salem, NC $50,208

Boise, ID $50,192

Savannah, GA $50,154

Muskegon, MI $50,057

Lima, OH $49,992

Lake Charles, LA $49,970

Anderson, IN $49,960

Lexington, KY $49,943

Augusta, GA $49,927

Greenville, SC $49,927

Wichita, KS $49,879

Tuscaloosa, AL $49,879

Columbia, SC $49,830

Bloomington, IN $49,695

Roanoke, VA $49,663

Asheville, NC $49,593

Knoxville, TN $49,501

Shreveport, LA $49,496

Wilmington, NC $49,425

Frankfort, KY $49,323

Oklahoma City, OK $49,285

Chillicothe, OH $49,264

Longview, TX $49,258

Topeka, KS $49,242

Mobile, AL $49,161

Terre Haute, IN $49,139

Erie, PA $49,134

Altoona, PA $49,107

Melbourne, FL $49,091

Amarillo, TX $49,069

Killeen, TX $49,053

Fayetteville, AR $49,010

Sioux Falls, SD $48,972

Chattanooga, TN $48,940

Idaho Falls, ID $48,934

Gainesville, FL $48,821

Portsmouth, OH $48,794

Little Rock, AR $48,783

Lynchburg, VA $48,783

Lafayette, LA $48,762

Youngstown, OH $48,762

Temple, TX $48,740

Daytona Beach, FL $48,729

Clarksville, TN $48,724

Pensacola, FL $48,719

Hopkinsville, KY $48,557

Charleston, WV $48,551

Florence, SC $48,524

Sioux City, IA $48,492

Macon, GA $48,336

Tallahassee, FL $48,330

Fayetteville, NC $48,319

Waco, TX $48,309

Wichita Falls, TX $48,309

Pine Bluff, AR $48,287

Vincennes, IN $48,185

Lubbock, TX $48,163

Great Falls, MT $48,131

Alamogordo, NM $48,125

Abilene, TX $48,082

Rapid City, SD $48,012

Monroe, LA $48,012

Albany, GA $47,980

Huntington, WV $47,974

Jackson, MS $47,969

Greenville, MS $47,963

Parkersburg, WV $47,909

Montgomery, AL $47,899

Johnstown, PA $47,888

Springfield, MO $47,845

Biloxi, MS $47,818

Sumter, SC $47,704

Columbus, GA $47,699

Twin Falls, ID $47,667

Pascagoula, MS $47,596

Kingsport, TN $47,456

Gulfport, MS $47,440

Alexandria, LA $47,262

Fort Smith, AR $47,127

El Paso, TX $46,981

Helena, MT $46,911

Las Cruces, NM $46,739

Harlingen, TX $46,588

Pocatello, ID $46,539

Florence, AL $46,523

Brownsville, TX $46,512

Dothan, AL $46,426

Mcallen, TX $46,399

Columbus, MS $45,999

Altus, OK $45,751

Lawton, OK $45,649

Pierre, SD $45,455

What Skills Can Increase a Teacher's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 6.13% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Special Education (Mentioned in 5.55% Job Postings): Special education is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual differences, disabilities, and special needs.
Physical Education (Mentioned in 2.46% Job Postings): Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	6.13%
Special Education	5.55%
Physical Education	2.46%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Teacher's salary.

Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Physical Education: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Accountability	$57,189	6%
Collaboration	$56,650	5%
Physical Education	$55,571	3%
Analysis	$55,031	2%
Coaching	$55,031	2%
Dedication	$55,031	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Teacher's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Teachers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Teacher with a Bachelor's Degree is between $54,827 and $60,665).

Teacher Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Teacher

No Diploma 0.1%

High School 2.6%

Associates 2.2%

Bachelors 45.4%

Masters 46.3%

Doctorate 3.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.1%
High School	2.6%
Associates	2.2%
Bachelors	45.4%
Masters	46.3%
Doctorate	3.4%

view as graph

Teacher Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Teacher's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on March 01, 2026

$46,115

Average $53,952/year

$60,889

$3,843

Average $4,496/month

$5,074

$887

Average $1,038/week

$1,171

$22

Average $26/hour

$29

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$60,889	$5,074	$1,171	$29
Average	$53,952	$4,496	$1,038	$26
25th Percentile	$46,115	$3,843	$887	$22

Salaries of jobs related to Teacher

Salary Trends for Teacher

Salaries for a Teacher can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $54,449 in 2023 to around $53,250 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Teacher salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Teacher Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$54,449

2024

$53,682

2025

$53,250

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$54,449
2024	$53,682
2025	$53,250
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Teacher

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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