Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified the following details regarding educator salaries across the United States:
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New York boasts the highest educator salary at $60,720.
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Florida has the lowest educator salary at $33,508.
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The national average salary for educators stands at $43,760.
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The national hourly pay for educators is $21.04.
You can read more about the specific methodology.
Background
Surveys consistently show that salary remains the most critical factor for job seekers, including those in the education sector. As an educator, understanding what you can expect to earn based on location is essential for career planning.
While specific salaries may vary by city, the averages given for each state provide a useful benchmark for educators considering their career options. New York continues to lead as the state with the highest average salary for educators.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for educator salaries:
Let’s dive deeper into how these figures are determined and provide a full ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Educators By State
| Rank | State | Average Educator Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $60,720 | $38,000 | $95,000 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $57,749 | $36,000 | $91,000 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $56,112 | $35,000 | $87,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $55,502 | $36,000 | $84,000 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $55,210 | $35,000 | $85,000 |
| 6 | Maryland | $54,993 | $34,000 | $86,000 |
| 7 | Virginia | $52,653 | $33,000 | $83,000 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $52,615 | $33,000 | $83,000 |
| 9 | Alaska | $51,062 | $39,000 | $65,000 |
| 10 | Illinois | $49,937 | $33,000 | $73,000 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $49,918 | $34,000 | $71,000 |
| 12 | Ohio | $49,550 | $32,000 | $75,000 |
| 13 | California | $49,462 | $31,000 | $77,000 |
| 14 | Michigan | $48,577 | $31,000 | $73,000 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $48,511 | $32,000 | $73,000 |
| 16 | Washington | $48,488 | $32,000 | $72,000 |
| 17 | Vermont | $48,402 | $32,000 | $72,000 |
| 18 | Maine | $47,184 | $31,000 | $69,000 |
| 19 | Oregon | $45,610 | $29,000 | $69,000 |
| 20 | Delaware | $45,518 | $28,000 | $72,000 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $45,466 | $32,000 | $64,000 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $44,169 | $29,000 | $65,000 |
| 23 | Kansas | $44,105 | $31,000 | $62,000 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $42,256 | $29,000 | $59,000 |
| 25 | Colorado | $41,692 | $29,000 | $58,000 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $41,294 | $27,000 | $61,000 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $41,205 | $29,000 | $58,000 |
| 28 | Iowa | $41,069 | $28,000 | $58,000 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $40,889 | $26,000 | $62,000 |
| 30 | Georgia | $40,483 | $27,000 | $60,000 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $39,692 | $25,000 | $61,000 |
| 32 | Texas | $39,262 | $26,000 | $57,000 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $39,108 | $29,000 | $52,000 |
| 34 | Montana | $38,857 | $27,000 | $54,000 |
| 35 | Nevada | $38,476 | $25,000 | $57,000 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $38,194 | $26,000 | $54,000 |
| 37 | Utah | $37,989 | $26,000 | $54,000 |
| 38 | Indiana | $37,838 | $25,000 | $56,000 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $37,674 | $24,000 | $57,000 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $37,661 | $25,000 | $55,000 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $37,414 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 42 | Idaho | $37,267 | $25,000 | $54,000 |
| 43 | Arizona | $36,697 | $24,000 | $54,000 |
| 44 | Missouri | $36,424 | $25,000 | $51,000 |
| 45 | Alabama | $36,214 | $24,000 | $53,000 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $35,903 | $24,000 | $52,000 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $35,380 | $24,000 | $50,000 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,958 | $24,000 | $49,000 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $34,908 | $23,000 | $51,000 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,508 | $22,000 | $50,000 |
Methodology: Educator Salary By State
To understand educator pay by state, Zippia has compiled data from multiple sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We supplement this data with actual salary listings from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average educator salary for each state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual educator salary derived from these estimates.
Educator Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for educators?
The highest-paid state for educators is New York, with an average salary of $60,720 per year.
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What city pays educators the most?
New York, NY, pays educators the most, with an average salary of $60,965 per year.
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What is the worst state for educators?
The worst state for educators is Florida, with an average salary of $33,508 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
