
The coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on, but one way or another, teachers have continued doing their jobs.
Elementary school teachers in the U.S. earned an average annual wage of $65,420 as of 2020, according to the latest data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Middle school teachers earned an average of $64,990 at that same time. High school teachers averaged $67,340 per year.
But teacher pay varies considerably by state. States also vary as to which school level pays best. Often, elementary school teachers make less than their middle school and high school counterparts, but not always.
Following are the average annual wages for elementary, middle and high school teachers in each state for 2020, as well as the number of teachers employed in each state. The states are ranked based on elementary-school pay.
50. Mississippi

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $43,280
- Employment: 12,150
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,210
- Employment: 5,750
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $46,100
- Employment: 9,040
49. South Dakota

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,790
- Employment: 3,880
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,580
- Employment: 1,800
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,810
- Employment: 3,090
48. West Virginia

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,780
- Employment: 6,080
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,090
- Employment: 4,110
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,750
- Employment: 4,040
47. Arizona

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,910
- Employment: 23,370
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $46,540
- Employment: 11,640
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,620
- Employment: 15,600
46. Oklahoma

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,570
- Employment: 16,670
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,030
- Employment: 7,540
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,000
- Employment: 13,550
45. Arkansas

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,380
- Employment: 12,750
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,360
- Employment: 5,750
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,540
- Employment: 12,030
44. Louisiana

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,620
- Employment: 21,580
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,140
- Employment: 7,030
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,420
- Employment: 14,610
43. North Carolina

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,130
- Employment: 43,200
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,450
- Employment: 16,290
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,460
- Employment: 24,820
42. Montana

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,270
- Employment: 4,610
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,240
- Employment: 1,610
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,680
- Employment: 2,960
41. Idaho

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,850
- Employment: 8,050
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,070
- Employment: 1,600
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,790
- Employment: 5,680
40. Alabama

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,280
- Employment: 20,750
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,720
- Employment: 10,760
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,170
- Employment: 12,570
39. Missouri

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,050
- Employment: 20,580
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,430
- Employment: 11,140
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,570
- Employment: 30,850
38. Kentucky

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,950
- Employment: 18,170
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,900
- Employment: 7,710
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,740
- Employment: 11,680
37. South Carolina

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,960
- Employment: 20,740
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,020
- Employment: 8,680
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,950
- Employment: 12,850
36. Tennessee

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,430
- Employment: 27,870
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,720
- Employment: 11,720
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,700
- Employment: 20,060
35. Maine

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,640
- Employment: 5,760
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,720
- Employment: 3,150
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,810
- Employment: 5,060
34. Indiana

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,650
- Employment: 25,360
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,000
- Employment: 11,260
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,090
- Employment: 19,450
33. Kansas

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,460
- Employment: 15,250
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,010
- Employment: 6,280
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,170
- Employment: 11,290
32. Iowa

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,040
- Employment: 16,290
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,910
- Employment: 7,640
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,920
- Employment: 9,690
31. North Dakota

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,850
- Employment: 4,190
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,040
- Employment: 1,340
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,610
- Employment: 2,630
30. Colorado

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,150
- Employment: 25,130
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,030
- Employment: 12,650
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,950
- Employment: 16,600
29. Texas

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,760
- Employment: 131,370
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,010
- Employment: 65,580
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,040
- Employment: 97,060
28. Nevada

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,780
- Employment: 9,870
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,060
- Employment: 3,830
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,150
- Employment: 5,810
27. Florida

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,520
- Employment: 73,840
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,820
- Employment: 34,530
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,530
- Employment: 48,600
26. Wisconsin

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,340
- Employment: 26,790
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,910
- Employment: 12,550
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,650
- Employment: 17,160
25. Wyoming

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,300
- Employment: 2,440
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,330
- Employment: 1,220
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,170
- Employment: 1,620
24. Utah

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,680
- Employment: 12,800
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,910
- Employment: 7,640
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,140
- Employment: 8,440
23. New Hampshire

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,730
- Employment: 6,480
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,190
- Employment: 2,960
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,210
- Employment: 4,350
22. New Mexico

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,740
- Employment: 7,860
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,730
- Employment: 3,240
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,710
- Employment: 6,180
21. Georgia

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,290
- Employment: 43,610
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,150
- Employment: 30,420
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,930
- Employment: 25,310
20. Nebraska

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,890
- Employment: 9,020
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,740
- Employment: 4,070
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,530
- Employment: 6,320
19. Minnesota

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,560
- Employment: 23,200
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,670
- Employment: 8,490
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,570
- Employment: 18,900
18. Vermont

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,750
- Employment: 3,870
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,600
- Employment: 1,120
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,370
- Employment: 3,030
17. Ohio

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,700
- Employment: 52,910
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,620
- Employment: 28,540
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,010
- Employment: 50,010
16. Hawaii

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $65,060
- Employment: 4,810
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $65,150
- Employment: 1,940
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,340
- Employment: 3,600
14. Delaware (tie)

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,140
- Employment: 3,810
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,720
- Employment: 2,010
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $68,020
- Employment: 3,140
14. Illinois (tie)

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,140
- Employment: 57,880
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $65,370
- Employment: 22,110
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $76,010
- Employment: 42,700
13. Michigan

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $68,850
- Employment: 36,190
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,990
- Employment: 14,430
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,930
- Employment: 22,570
12. Pennsylvania

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,410
- Employment: 53,460
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,670
- Employment: 23,100
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,530
- Employment: 50,450
11. Oregon

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,420
- Employment: 15,030
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $67,130
- Employment: 5,120
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $73,510
- Employment: 9,070
10. Rhode Island

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,640
- Employment: 4,020
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $76,050
- Employment: 1,600
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $76,270
- Employment: 4,400
9. Virginia

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $72,620
- Employment: 37,160
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $73,870
- Employment: 17,860
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: Not available
- Employment: 24,540
8. New Jersey

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $73,330
- Employment: 37,870
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,950
- Employment: 25,670
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,900
- Employment: 29,860
7. Washington

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,400
- Employment: 29,080
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $76,370
- Employment: 10,370
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $77,140
- Employment: 14,810
6. Alaska

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,720
- Employment: 3,380
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,260
- Employment: 960
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,790
- Employment: 2,470
5. Maryland

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $77,470
- Employment: 27,050
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $77,770
- Employment: 12,380
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,510
- Employment: 15,520
4. Connecticut

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $79,610
- Employment: 15,000
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $81,140
- Employment: 7,770
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,510
- Employment: 15,850
3. New York

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $84,380
- Employment: 92,700
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $89,150
- Employment: 42,380
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $88,890
- Employment: 67,810
2. Massachusetts

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $84,810
- Employment: 29,900
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,610
- Employment: 14,580
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $84,130
- Employment: 25,730
1. California

Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $85,110
- Employment: 156,920
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $81,940
- Employment: 36,780
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $86,900
- Employment: 103,830
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