But while teaching is the most common public-sector job, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many educators still struggle to make ends meet. A 2025 Gallup poll found that 21% of polled K-12 educators said they were “finding it difficult to get by on their present income,” while 52% reported they were just getting by rather than living comfortably.
A third of K-12 teachers also reported having non-teaching-related jobs, “such as ride-sharing, food service or running a side business,” the poll found.
For many teachers, their salaries simply aren’t enough, and, due to differences in affordability, housing prices, and tax structures, teacher salaries — and how far they go — vary widely across the country.
In April, the National Education Association released its Rankings of the States 2025 and Estimates of School Statistics 2026 report, which included data such as the number of school districts, student enrollment and attendance, and education expenditures in every state and Washington, DC.
The report also listed the average salaries of public school teachers in 2024-2025, as well as the change in pay from the previous year. For a few states — Connecticut, Montana, and Rhode Island — and Washington, DC, the NEA relied on salary estimates.
Per the report, the state where teachers received the largest average year-over-year raise was Nevada. Though its average salary in 2024-2025 ranked 17th in the country, it grew by roughly $8,000, or about 11.8%, from 2023-24. By contrast, teachers in Oklahoma received a 1% average raise, about $600.
See the average public school teacher salary in every state and Washington, DC.
We also listed how much the average salary increased year-over-year and how the state’s average salary ranked among all other states and Washington, DC, with No. 1 being the highest salary and 51 the lowest.
ALABAMA
School buses in Wilmer, Alabama.
Carmen K. Sisson/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $62,985
Change from 2023-2024: 1.73% increase
Rank: 35
ALASKA
A public school building in Nenana, Alaska.
Jeremy Hammond/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $81,450
Change from 2023-2024: 4.1% increase
Rank: 11
ARIZONA
Nevitt Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona.
OLIVIER TOURON/AFP via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $64,291
Change from 2023-2024: 2.5% increase
Rank: 31
ARKANSAS
Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Adele Heidenreich/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $59,193
Change from 2023-2024: 1.5% increase
Rank: 45
CALIFORNIA
Rosita Elementary School in Santa Ana, California.
MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $103,552
Change from 2023-2024: 2.4% increase
Rank: 1
COLORADO
East High School in Denver, Colorado.
Katie Wood/Denver Post via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $72,781
Change from 2023-2024: 6% increase
Rank: 19
CONNECTICUT
Pleasant Valley Elementary School in South Windsor, Connecticut.
Connecticut Post/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $89,593
Change from 2023-2024: 3.6% increase
Rank: 6
DELAWARE
Henry C. Conrad High School in Wilmington Delaware.
Khairil Azhar Junos/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $76,570
Change from 2023-2024: 7.6% increase
Rank: 14
FLORIDA
Miami Senior High School in Miami, Florida.
John Parra/WireImage/The Latin Recording Academy via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $56,663
Change from 2023-2024: 3.3% increase
Rank: 50
GEORGIA
Buford High School in Buford, Georgia.
Chad Robertson Media/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $71,524
Change from 2023-2024: 5.7% increase
Rank: 21
HAWAII
Classroom in Oahu, Hawaii.
Phil Mislinski/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $75,860
Change from 2023-2024: 2.2% increase
Rank: 16
IDAHO
Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Idaho.
UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $62,786
Change from 2023-2024: 2.1% increase
Rank: 36
ILLINOIS
Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois.
Boston Globe via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $78,495
Change from 2023-2024: 3.3% increase
Rank: 13
INDIANA
Valparaiso High School in Valparaiso, Indiana.
KK Stock/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $61,661
Change from 2023-2024: 5.2% increase
Rank: 38
IOWA
Denison High School in Denison, Iowa.
Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $65,312
Change from 2023-2024: 4.7% increase
Rank: 30
KANSAS
Topeka High School in Topeka, Kansas.
Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $61,470
Change from 2023-2024: 5.5% increase
Rank: 39
KENTUCKY
Valley High School in Louisville, Kentucky.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $60,594
Change from 2023-2024: 3.9% increase
Rank: 42
LOUISIANA
McMain High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $56,785
Change from 2023-2024: 1.6% increase
Rank: 49
MAINE
Crooked River Elementary School in Casco, Maine.
Portland Press Herald/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $65,621
Change from 2023-2024: 4.9% increase
Rank: 29
MARYLAND
Head start classroom in Frederick, Maryland.
The Washington Post via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $87,409
Change from 2023-2024: 3.6% increase
Rank: 7
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston Latin Academy in Boston, Massachusetts.
Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $93,554
Change from 2023-2024: 2.8% increase
Rank: 5
MICHIGAN
Cafeteria in Northern High School Port Huron, Michigan.
Dennis MacDonald/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $71,023
Change from 2023-2024: 2.8% increase
Rank: 22
MINNESOTA
Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minnesota.
The Washington Post via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $76,234
Change from 2023-2024: 5.3% increase
Rank: 15
MISSISSIPPI
Heidelberg High School in Heidelberg, Mississippi.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $54,975
Change from 2023-2024: 2.4% increase
Rank: 51
MISSOURI
Central High School in Springfield, Missouri.
Kit Leong/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $57,366
Change from 2023-2024: 4% increase
Rank: 48
MONTANA
Basin Elementary School in Basin, Montana.
Janie Osborne/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $59,305
Change from 2023-2024: 3% increase
Rank: 44
NEBRASKA
Omaha Central High School in Omaha, Nebraska.
Photo Spirit/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $63,326
Change from 2023-2024: 5.1% increase
Rank: 34
NEVADA
Foothill High School in Henderson, Nevada.
Katherine Carey/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $74,812
Change from 2023-2024: 11.8% increase
Rank: 17
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Bedford High School in Bedford, New Hampshire.
Boston Globe via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $69,432
Change from 2023-2024: 3.4% increase
Rank: 25
NEW JERSEY
Woodstown Pilesgrove High School in Woodstown, New Jersey.
EQRoy/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $84,974
Change from 2023-2024: 2.5% increase
Rank: 9
NEW MEXICO
Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Brendan SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $69,736
Change from 2023-2024: 1.9% increase
Rank: 24
NEW YORK
J.H.S. 088 Peter Rouget school in Brooklyn, New York.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $98,655
Change from 2023-2024: 3.2% increase
Rank: 2
NORTH CAROLINA
Public school in Franklinton, North Carolina.
Wileydoc/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $60,323
Change from 2023-2024: 3.5% increase
Rank: 43
NORTH DAKOTA
Dickinson High School in Dickinson, North Dakota.
LiftedFairingLLC/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $60,704
Change from 2023-2024: 3.6% increase
Rank: 41
OHIO
Mount Washington Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Joey Foley/WireImage for NARAS via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $70,586
Change from 2023-2024: 3.4% increase
Rank: 23
OKLAHOMA
Booker T Washington Magnet High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Vineyard Perspective/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $61,931
Change from 2023-2024: 1% increase
Rank: 37
OREGON
Beaverton High School in Beaverton, Oregon.
Hrach Hovhannisyan/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $81,657
Change from 2023-2024: 5.9% increase
Rank: 10
PENNSYLVANIA
Building 21, a public high school in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Michelle Gustafson for The Washington Post
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $79,078
Change from 2023-2024: 2.8% increase
Rank: 12
RHODE ISLAND
Central Falls High School in Central Falls, Rhode Island.
Boston Globe via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $85,772
Change from 2023-2024: 4.4% increase
Rank: 8
SOUTH CAROLINA
Fort Mill High School in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Steven Starr Photography/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $64,050
Change from 2023-2024: 5.4% increase
Rank: 32
SOUTH DAKOTA
Newell High School in Newell, South Carolina.
Victoria Ditkovsky/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $58,486
Change from 2023-2024: 3.8% increase
Rank: 46
TENNESSEE
Hume Fogg High School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Kirk Fisher/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $61,222
Change from 2023-2024: 4.5% increase
Rank: 40
TEXAS
Klein Cain High School in Houston, Texas.
Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $63,749
Change from 2023-2024: 2.1% increase
Rank: 33
UTAH
Olympus High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
M Outdoors/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $72,882
Change from 2023-2024: 5.4% increase
Rank: 18
VERMONT
South Burlington High School in Burlington, Vermont.
Bob LoCicero/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $71,871
Change from 2023-2024: 3.3% increase
Rank: 20
VIRGINIA
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.
John M. Chase/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $69,254
Change from 2023-2024: 4.4% increase
Rank: 26
WASHINGTON
Students leave Thurgood Marshal Elementary school in Seattle, Washington.
John Moore/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $96,589
Change from 2023-2024: 5.3% increase
Rank: 3
WASHINGTON, DC
Ulysses S. Grant School in Washington, DC.
bluestork/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $95,077
Change from 2023-2024: 9.7% increase
Rank: 4
WEST VIRGINIA
Frankfort High School in Short Gap, West Virginia.
Dennis Ray Dennison II/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $58,099
Change from 2023-2024: 5.1% increase
Rank: 47
WISCONSIN
Fond du Lac High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Aaron of L.A. Photography/Shutterstock
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $67,794
Change from 2023-2024: 3.1% increase
Rank: 27
WYOMING
Torrington High School in Torrington, Wyoming.
Al Drago/Getty Images
Average public school teacher salary (2024-2025): $65,668
