Teacher salary statistics for 2024–25 show a wide spread in average pay across the United States. The reported averages range from $54,975 in Mississippi to $103,552 in California, while the national average was $74,495.
Table of contents
- Teacher salaries at a glance
- Highest average teacher salaries
- Lowest average teacher salaries
- States with the fastest salary growth
- Teacher salary statistics by state
- How to read these figures
Teacher salaries at a glance
The National Education Association’s NEA Teacher Pay 2026 reports an average U.S. teacher salary of $74,495 for the 2024–25 school year. That national average increased 3.5% from 2023–24.
California ranked first nationally at $103,552, followed by New York at $98,655 and Washington at $96,589. The District of Columbia ranked fourth at $95,077, and Massachusetts fifth at $93,554. Mississippi ranked 51st at $54,975, Florida 50th at $56,663, Louisiana 49th at $56,785, Missouri 48th at $57,366, and West Virginia 47th at $58,099.
| Measure | 2024–25 result | Change from 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|
| National average teacher salary | $74,495 | 3.5% |
| Highest state average: California | $103,552 | 2.4% |
| Lowest state average: Mississippi | $54,975 | 2.4% |
| Highest reported increase: Nevada | $74,812 | 11.8% |
Source label for all figures: NEA Teacher Pay 2026. The measurement period is the 2024–25 school year unless another period is named.
Highest average teacher salaries
California had the highest average teacher salary in the reported 2024–25 rankings, at $103,552, and its average increased 2.4% from 2023–24. New York ranked second with $98,655, up 3.2%. Washington ranked third at $96,589, up 5.3%, while the District of Columbia ranked fourth at $95,077, up 9.7%. Massachusetts ranked fifth at $93,554, up 2.8%.
Connecticut ranked sixth at $89,593, increasing 3.6%. Maryland ranked seventh at $87,409, up 3.6%. Rhode Island ranked eighth at $85,772, up 4.4%. New Jersey ranked ninth at $84,974, up 2.5%, and Oregon ranked 10th at $81,657, up 5.9%.
Alaska was 11th nationally with an average of $81,450, up 4.1%. Pennsylvania ranked 12th at $79,078, up 2.8%, and Illinois ranked 13th at $78,495, up 3.3%. Delaware ranked 14th at $76,570, up 7.6%. Minnesota ranked 15th at $76,234, up 5.3%, and Hawaii ranked 16th at $75,860, up 2.2%.
Nevada ranked 17th at $74,812, up 11.8%. Utah ranked 18th at $72,882, up 5.4%, Colorado 19th at $72,781, up 6.0%, and Vermont 20th at $71,871, up 3.3%. Georgia ranked 21st at $71,524, up 5.7%, and Michigan 22nd at $71,023, up 2.8%.
Lowest average teacher salaries
Mississippi ranked 51st nationally, with an average teacher salary of $54,975. Its average increased 2.4% from 2023–24. Florida ranked 50th at $56,663, up 3.3%, and Louisiana ranked 49th at $56,785, up 1.6%.
Missouri ranked 48th at $57,366, after a 4.1% increase. West Virginia ranked 47th at $58,099, up 5.1%, and South Dakota ranked 46th at $58,486, up 3.8%. Arkansas ranked 45th at $59,193, up 1.5%, and Montana ranked 44th at $59,305, up 3.0%.
North Carolina ranked 43rd at $60,323, up 3.5%. Kentucky ranked 42nd at $60,594, up 3.9%, and North Dakota ranked 41st at $60,704, up 3.6%. Tennessee ranked 40th at $61,222, up 4.5%, Kansas 39th at $61,470, up 5.5%, and Indiana 38th at $61,661, up 5.2%.
Oklahoma ranked 37th at $61,931, up 1.0%. Idaho ranked 36th at $62,786, up 2.1%, Alabama 35th at $62,985, up 1.7%, and Nebraska 34th at $63,326, up 5.1%. Texas ranked 33rd at $63,749, up 2.1%, South Carolina 32nd at $64,050, up 5.4%, and Arizona 31st at $64,291, up 2.5%.
Iowa ranked 30th at $65,312, up 4.7%. Maine ranked 29th at $65,621, up 4.9%, and Wyoming ranked 28th at $65,668, up 3.1%.
States with the fastest salary growth
Nevada recorded the largest year-over-year increase: 11.8%, bringing its average teacher salary to $74,812. The District of Columbia had the second-largest increase at 9.7%, reaching $95,077. Delaware followed at 7.6%, with an average of $76,570.
Colorado’s average increased 6.0% to $72,781, while Oregon’s rose 5.9% to $81,657. Georgia reported a 5.7% increase and an average of $71,524. Kansas increased 5.5% to $61,470, and South Carolina increased 5.4% to $64,050. Utah also increased 5.4%, reaching $72,882.
Minnesota and Washington each reported a 5.3% increase. Their averages were $76,234 and $96,589. Indiana increased 5.2% to $61,661. Nebraska and West Virginia each increased 5.1%, with averages of $63,326 and $58,099.
Maine increased 4.9% to $65,621, Iowa 4.7% to $65,312, Tennessee 4.5% to $61,222, Rhode Island 4.4% to $85,772, and Virginia 4.4% to $69,254. The smallest reported increase was Oklahoma’s 1.0%, bringing its average to $61,931.
Teacher salary statistics by state
The list below keeps each reported average, national rank, and year-over-year change together. The rank describes the 2024–25 position; the percentage compares 2024–25 with 2023–24.
- Alabama: $62,985, 35th, up 1.7%.
- Alaska: $81,450, 11th, up 4.1%.
- Arizona: $64,291, 31st, up 2.5%.
- Arkansas: $59,193, 45th, up 1.5%.
- California: $103,552, 1st, up 2.4%.
- Colorado: $72,781, 19th, up 6.0%.
- Connecticut: $89,593, 6th, up 3.6%.
- Delaware: $76,570, 14th, up 7.6%.
- District of Columbia: $95,077, 4th, up 9.7%.
- Florida: $56,663, 50th, up 3.3%.
- Georgia: $71,524, 21st, up 5.7%.
- Hawaii: $75,860, 16th, up 2.2%.
- Idaho: $62,786, 36th, up 2.1%.
- Illinois: $78,495, 13th, up 3.3%.
- Indiana: $61,661, 38th, up 5.2%.
- Iowa: $65,312, 30th, up 4.7%.
- Kansas: $61,470, 39th, up 5.5%.
- Kentucky: $60,594, 42nd, up 3.9%.
- Louisiana: $56,785, 49th, up 1.6%.
- Maine: $65,621, 29th, up 4.9%.
- Maryland: $87,409, 7th, up 3.6%.
- Massachusetts: $93,554, 5th, up 2.8%.
- Michigan: $71,023, 22nd, up 2.8%.
- Minnesota: $76,234, 15th, up 5.3%.
- Mississippi: $54,975, 51st, up 2.4%.
- Missouri: $57,366, 48th, up 4.1%.
- Montana: $59,305, 44th, up 3.0%.
- Nebraska: $63,326, 34th, up 5.1%.
- Nevada: $74,812, 17th, up 11.8%.
- New Hampshire: $69,432, 25th, up 3.4%.
- New Jersey: $84,974, 9th, up 2.5%.
- New Mexico: $69,736, 24th, up 1.9%.
- New York: $98,655, 2nd, up 3.2%.
- North Carolina: $60,323, 43rd, up 3.5%.
- North Dakota: $60,704, 41st, up 3.6%.
- Ohio: $70,586, 23rd, up 3.4%.
- Oklahoma: $61,931, 37th, up 1.0%.
- Oregon: $81,657, 10th, up 5.9%.
- Pennsylvania: $79,078, 12th, up 2.8%.
- Rhode Island: $85,772, 8th, up 4.4%.
- South Carolina: $64,050, 32nd, up 5.4%.
- South Dakota: $58,486, 46th, up 3.8%.
- Tennessee: $61,222, 40th, up 4.5%.
- Texas: $63,749, 33rd, up 2.1%.
- Utah: $72,882, 18th, up 5.4%.
- Vermont: $71,871, 20th, up 3.3%.
- Virginia: $69,254, 26th, up 4.4%.
- Washington: $96,589, 3rd, up 5.3%.
- West Virginia: $58,099, 47th, up 5.1%.
- Wisconsin: $67,794, 27th, up 3.1%.
- Wyoming: $65,668, 28th, up 3.1%.
How to read these figures
These are average teacher salaries for the 2024–25 school year, not guaranteed salaries for every teacher. An average combines individual salaries, so it does not show how pay changes by experience, degree, assignment, district, or contract step.
The percentage figures compare each jurisdiction’s 2024–25 average with its 2023–24 average. They describe year-over-year movement, while the national rank describes the position of the 2024–25 average relative to the other reported jurisdictions.
The ranking includes the District of Columbia and runs from first through 51st. The national average of $74,495 is a separate benchmark from the jurisdiction rankings. For readers comparing teaching opportunities, review the reported average, rank, and year-over-year change together, while keeping the school-year measurement period in view.