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Best states for a certified teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for certified teachers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for certified teacher jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of certified teachers in America is $68,000.
The median salary for certified teachers in New York is $69,672. Compare that to the median salary in Maine of $33,911, which ranked worst for certified teachers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.New York is the best state, and Greenwich is the city with the highest pay for certified teachers.
10 best states for certified teachers in 2025
1. New York
Total certified teacher jobs: 2,687 Average annual salary: $69,672 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
2. New Jersey
Total certified teacher jobs: 1,960 Average annual salary: $65,629 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
3. Maryland
Total certified teacher jobs: 1,320 Average annual salary: $68,008 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
4. Connecticut
Total certified teacher jobs: 529 Average annual salary: $71,559 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
5. Virginia
Total certified teacher jobs: 1,861 Average annual salary: $59,000 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
6. California
Total certified teacher jobs: 4,444 Average annual salary: $65,604 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
7. District of Columbia
Total certified teacher jobs: 227 Average annual salary: $67,927 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
8. Oregon
Total certified teacher jobs: 820 Average annual salary: $56,104 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
9. Pennsylvania
Total certified teacher jobs: 1,051 Average annual salary: $60,130 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.61
10. Michigan
Total certified teacher jobs: 926 Average annual salary: $57,469 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
Certified teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a certified teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a certified teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $69,672 | $48,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,687 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $65,629 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,960 |
| 3 | Maryland | $68,008 | $47,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,320 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $71,559 | $50,000 | 3,588,184 | 529 |
| 5 | Virginia | $59,000 | $41,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,861 |
| 6 | California | $65,604 | $46,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,444 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $67,927 | $47,000 | 693,972 | 227 |
| 8 | Oregon | $56,104 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 820 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $60,130 | $42,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,051 |
| 10 | Michigan | $57,469 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 926 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $51,472 | $38,000 | 579,315 | 89 |
| 12 | Alaska | $58,733 | $51,000 | 739,795 | 73 |
| 13 | Illinois | $50,006 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,861 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $54,192 | $39,000 | 5,576,606 | 675 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $57,325 | $41,000 | 6,859,819 | 783 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $53,086 | $39,000 | 1,920,076 | 182 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $50,577 | $37,000 | 2,088,070 | 276 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $48,157 | $34,000 | 4,454,189 | 648 |
| 19 | Delaware | $49,315 | $34,000 | 961,939 | 250 |
| 20 | Washington | $55,380 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 537 |
| 21 | Ohio | $51,683 | $36,000 | 11,658,609 | 760 |
| 22 | Georgia | $48,608 | $35,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,975 |
| 23 | Colorado | $51,914 | $38,000 | 5,607,154 | 748 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $52,748 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 60 |
| 25 | Alabama | $47,579 | $35,000 | 4,874,747 | 583 |
| 26 | Florida | $50,938 | $38,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,419 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $46,425 | $34,000 | 4,684,333 | 606 |
| 28 | Montana | $48,933 | $37,000 | 1,050,493 | 131 |
| 29 | Arizona | $43,963 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,418 |
| 30 | Indiana | $43,081 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,469 |
| 31 | Utah | $46,157 | $34,000 | 3,101,833 | 407 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $46,536 | $33,000 | 10,273,419 | 899 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $44,032 | $32,000 | 1,342,795 | 328 |
| 34 | Texas | $44,174 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,563 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $50,568 | $42,000 | 1,427,538 | 82 |
| 36 | Iowa | $45,975 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 295 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $46,314 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 57 |
| 38 | Nevada | $41,384 | $29,000 | 2,998,039 | 761 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $42,138 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 186 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $44,597 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 63 |
| 41 | Idaho | $39,742 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 327 |
| 42 | Vermont | $42,102 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 109 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $36,209 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 755 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $44,058 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 403 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $42,518 | $31,000 | 6,715,984 | 456 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $40,137 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 337 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $42,263 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 425 |
| 48 | Kansas | $40,965 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 286 |
| 49 | Missouri | $33,288 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,115 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $37,387 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 331 |
| 51 | Maine | $33,911 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 50 |
Highest paying states for certified teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Certified Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $69,672 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $65,629 |
| 3 | Maryland | $68,008 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $71,559 |
| 5 | Virginia | $59,000 |
| 6 | California | $65,604 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $67,927 |
| 8 | Oregon | $56,104 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $60,130 |
| 10 | Michigan | $57,469 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $51,472 |
| 12 | Alaska | $58,733 |
| 13 | Illinois | $50,006 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $54,192 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $57,325 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $53,086 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $50,577 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $48,157 |
| 19 | Delaware | $49,315 |
| 20 | Washington | $55,380 |
| 21 | Ohio | $51,683 |
| 22 | Georgia | $48,608 |
| 23 | Colorado | $51,914 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $52,748 |
| 25 | Alabama | $47,579 |
| 26 | Florida | $50,938 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $46,425 |
| 28 | Montana | $48,933 |
| 29 | Arizona | $43,963 |
| 30 | Indiana | $43,081 |
| 31 | Utah | $46,157 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $46,536 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $44,032 |
| 34 | Texas | $44,174 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $50,568 |
| 36 | Iowa | $45,975 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $46,314 |
| 38 | Nevada | $41,384 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $42,138 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $44,597 |
| 41 | Idaho | $39,742 |
| 42 | Vermont | $42,102 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $36,209 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $44,058 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $42,518 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $40,137 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $42,263 |
| 48 | Kansas | $40,965 |
| 49 | Missouri | $33,288 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $37,387 |
| 51 | Maine | $33,911 |
Expert opinions on the best states for certified teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for certified teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
If you mean in the field(s) of classics, some private schools and academies are hiring (still) Latin and Greek teachers, especially in the South and Southwest. In the upper Midwest and Northeast, not so much.
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Updated January 8, 2025