SOC 25-2021 · May 2025 · United States
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education across the United States is $63,970 per year, measured over 1,388,390 jobs. The highest state median is in Washington, at $102,350.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -2.0%
- Openings per year
- 91,000
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Pay for this occupation varies by 112.3% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Washington pays $102,350 and Oklahoma pays $48,200.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $102,350 | 28,980 | |
| 2 | California | $99,650 | 155,160 | |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $96,580 | 3,750 | |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $94,000 | 29,930 | |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $90,930 | 3,830 | |
| 6 | New York | $85,760 | 101,410 | |
| 7 | Connecticut | $80,600 | 16,330 | |
| 8 | Alaska | $79,260 | 3,500 | |
| 9 | New Jersey | $78,200 | 40,300 | |
| 10 | Maryland | $77,680 | 29,610 |
States with the most Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 155,160 | $99,650 | |
| 2 | Texas | 116,260 | $62,760 | |
| 3 | New York | 101,410 | $85,760 | |
| 4 | Florida | 79,090 | $58,930 | |
| 5 | Illinois | 61,520 | $75,320 | |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 48,370 | $77,060 | |
| 7 | Ohio | 47,870 | $77,370 | |
| 8 | Georgia | 43,820 | $72,290 | |
| 9 | North Carolina | 42,410 | $54,930 | |
| 10 | Michigan | 40,910 | $65,110 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympia | $104,650 | 950 |
| 2 | Sacramento | $103,390 | 10,480 |
| 3 | Walla Walla | $102,980 | 220 |
| 4 | Seattle | $102,920 | 14,560 |
| 5 | San Jose | $102,860 | 7,810 |
| 6 | Bremerton | $102,650 | 900 |
| 7 | Los Angeles | $101,860 | 44,790 |
| 8 | San Francisco | $101,860 | 17,860 |
| 9 | Modesto | $101,640 | 2,450 |
| 10 | Bellingham | $101,230 | 790 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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