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Average Teacher Salary by State 2026

What do teachers earn in your state? All 50 states ranked by average teacher salary including benefits analysis.

$82,360
Highest (New York)
$46,400
Lowest (South Dakota)
$58,673
National Average
$71,720
Best Adjusted (Illinois)

Top 5 Highest Pay

#1 New York$82,360
#2 California$80,040
#3 New Jersey$78,880
#4 Massachusetts$78,300
#5 Connecticut$76,560

Top 5 Best Value (COL Adj.)

#1 Illinois$71,720
#2 Minnesota$67,567
#3 Pennsylvania$66,638
#4 New Jersey$65,190
#5 Michigan$63,865

Bottom 5 Lowest Pay

#50 South Dakota$46,400
#49 Mississippi$47,560
#48 West Virginia$48,140
#47 Arkansas$48,720
#46 Idaho$49,300

All 50 States — Teacher Salary

#StateSalary MonthlyCOL AdjustedCOL IndexTax Rate
#1New York$82,360$6,863$59,25213910.9%
#2California$80,040$6,670$56,3661429.3%
#3New Jersey$78,880$6,573$65,19012110.75%
#4Massachusetts$78,300$6,525$58,0001355%
#5Connecticut$76,560$6,380$63,2731216.99%
#6Washington$72,500$6,042$63,043115None
#7Maryland$70,760$5,897$59,9661185.75%
#8Alaska$69,600$5,800$54,803127None
#9Oregon$68,440$5,703$60,5661139.9%
#10Hawaii$66,700$5,558$35,10519011%
#11Illinois$66,700$5,558$71,720934.95%
#12Minnesota$65,540$5,462$67,567979.85%
#13Colorado$64,960$5,413$61,8671054.4%
#14Rhode Island$63,800$5,317$58,5321095.99%
#15Virginia$63,800$5,317$61,9421035.75%
#16Delaware$62,640$5,220$61,4121026.6%
#17Pennsylvania$62,640$5,220$66,638943.07%
#18Nevada$60,900$5,075$58,558104None
#19New Hampshire$60,900$5,075$54,375112None
#20Michigan$56,840$4,737$63,865894.25%
#21Texas$56,260$4,688$60,49593None
#22Wisconsin$55,680$4,640$59,871937.65%
#23Arizona$55,100$4,592$53,4951032.5%
#24Ohio$55,100$4,592$61,910893.99%
#25Vermont$55,100$4,592$50,0911108.75%
#26Georgia$53,940$4,495$58,000935.49%
#27Maine$53,940$4,495$49,4861097.15%
#28Nebraska$53,940$4,495$59,275915.84%
#29Florida$53,360$4,447$51,806103None
#30Indiana$53,360$4,447$59,289903.15%
#31Iowa$53,360$4,447$59,289906%
#32Wyoming$53,360$4,447$56,16895None
#33Tennessee$52,780$4,398$58,00091None
#34Kansas$52,200$4,350$58,652895.7%
#35Missouri$52,200$4,350$59,318884.95%
#36New Mexico$52,200$4,350$57,363915.9%
#37North Carolina$52,200$4,350$54,947954.5%
#38Louisiana$51,620$4,302$56,725914.25%
#39Kentucky$51,040$4,253$58,667874.5%
#40North Dakota$51,040$4,253$54,882932.9%
#41South Carolina$51,040$4,253$55,478926.4%
#42Utah$51,040$4,253$49,5531034.65%
#43Alabama$50,460$4,205$58,000875%
#44Montana$50,460$4,205$48,9901035.9%
#45Oklahoma$49,880$4,157$58,000864.75%
#46Idaho$49,300$4,108$50,825975.8%
#47Arkansas$48,720$4,060$58,000844.4%
#48West Virginia$48,140$4,012$57,310845.12%
#49Mississippi$47,560$3,963$57,301835%
#50South Dakota$46,400$3,867$50,98991None

Other Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

What state pays Teachers the most?

New York pays the highest Teacher salary at $82,360/year. However, after adjusting for cost of living, Illinois offers the best real value at $71,720 adjusted.

What is the average Teacher salary in 2026?

The national average Teacher salary is $58,673/year. This varies from $46,400 in South Dakota to $82,360 in New York.

Which state is best for Teachers after cost of living?

Illinois offers the best cost-of-living adjusted Teacher salary at $71,720. This accounts for housing, taxes, groceries, and other expenses.

How much do Teachers make per month?

The average Teacher makes $4,889/month before taxes. After federal and state taxes, take-home pay ranges from $2,784 to $5,353/month.

Data & Research

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