The US states with the highest salaries for public school teachers
- Some US teachers will return to in-person schooling in the upcoming weeks, and some school districts have already started the school year.
- These are the states where public school teachers made the highest average salaries in the 2018-2019 academic year, all of which are greater than the US average pay for teachers of $61,730.
- New York public school teachers made $85,889, which is the highest average annual salary among the states and DC.
Average annual teacher salaries vary throughout the country, and teachers in these states and the District of Columbia are making more than the US average.
Using salary data from the National Center for Education Statistics, we found where average pay is highest for teachers in public elementary and secondary schools. We used 2018-2019 academic-year data, the most recent available. Teachers in 14 states and DC had a higher average annual salary than the US average of $61,730. Michigan teachers earned just above this nationwide average at $61,825.
School districts around the US, including those in these high-paying states, are figuring out what model to implement for a safe school-year amid the ongoing pandemic. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in early August that schools can reopen in New York, the state where teachers made the highest average annual salary in 2018-2019 out of all 50 states and DC. In Michigan, about 100 school districts plan to start their school year with remote learning, with some planning to have in-person classes after, according to reporting from Michigan news site MLive.com.
Maryland is another state where teachers earn more than the average annual salary for public school teachers, and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said last Thursday he is allowing schools to return to in-person schooling. Some schools in Maryland and DC have already started virtual classes, according to The Washington Post.
The following are the 14 states, plus the District of Columbia, where teachers earned the highest average annual salaries during the 2018-2019 academic year. We also included total amount spent per public-school student during the 2018 fiscal year in each state using data from the US Census Bureau.
15. Michigan
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $61,825
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -15.7%
State spending per student: $12,345
14. Delaware
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $62,308
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -6.3%
State spending per student: $15,639
13. Oregon
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $64,385
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 1.7%
State spending per student: $11,920
12. Illinois
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $66,600
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -4.2%
State spending per student: $15,741
11. Rhode Island
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $67,040
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -4.7%
State spending per student: $16,121
10. Pennsylvania
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $68,141
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -5.7%
State spending per student: $16,395
9. New Jersey
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $70,212
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -9.8%
State spending per student: $20,021
8. Alaska
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $70,277
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 1.1%
State spending per student: $17,726
7. Maryland
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $70,463
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 6.9%
State spending per student: $14,762
6. Washington
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $72,965
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 18.8%
State spending per student: $12,995
5. Connecticut
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $76,465
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: -1.3%
State spending per student: $20,635
4. District of Columbia
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $78,477
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 11.4%
State spending per student: $22,759
3. Massachusetts
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $82,042
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 17.7%
State spending per student: $17,058
2. California
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $82,282
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 15.4%
State spending per student: $12,498
1. New York
2018-2019 average teacher salary: $85,889
Change in inflation-adjusted salary since 1999-2000: 12.5%
State spending per student: $24,040
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