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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