Best cities for an educator
The best cities for educators are Brookhaven, NY, Oyster Bay, NY, and Lincoln, NE, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for educators vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for educators in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an educator or considering a move, this list of the best cities for educators to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for educators. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an educator. While the absolute best city for educators is Brookhaven, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for educators in 2024.
If you're looking for an educator job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for educators in 2025
1. Brookhaven, NY
Total educator jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $61,189 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location quotient: 7.42 2. Oyster Bay, NY
Educator jobs in Oyster BayTotal educator jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $61,059 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location quotient: 67.58 3. Lincoln, NE
Educator jobs in LincolnTotal educator jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $45,368 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 3.19 4. Columbus, OH
Educator jobs in ColumbusTotal educator jobs: 51 Average annual salary: $49,126 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location quotient: 1.39 5. Virginia Beach, VA
Educator jobs in Virginia BeachTotal educator jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $52,793 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location quotient: 2.17 6. Anchorage, AK
Educator jobs in AnchorageTotal educator jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $51,029 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location quotient: 3.35 7. Newark, NJ
Educator jobs in NewarkTotal educator jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $57,797 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location quotient: 2.18 8. Norfolk, VA
Educator jobs in NorfolkTotal educator jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $52,615 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location quotient: 2.01 9. Madison, WI
Educator jobs in MadisonTotal educator jobs: 33 Average annual salary: $43,716 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 2.20 10. Wichita, KS
Educator jobs in WichitaTotal educator jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $43,762 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location quotient: 2.71
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Best cities for educators
- Brookhaven, NY
- Oyster Bay, NY
- Lincoln, NE
- Columbus, OH
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Anchorage, AK
- Newark, NJ
- Norfolk, VA
- Madison, WI
- Wichita, KS
Detailed list of the best cities for an educator
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookhaven, NY | $61,189 | $38,000 | 486,040 | 1 |
| 2 | Oyster Bay, NY | $61,059 | $38,000 | 293,214 | 2 |
| 3 | Lincoln, NE | $45,368 | $31,000 | 280,364 | 29 |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $49,126 | $32,000 | 860,090 | 51 |
| 5 | Virginia Beach, VA | $52,793 | $32,000 | 452,602 | 12 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $51,029 | $39,000 | 298,192 | 14 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $57,797 | $36,000 | 281,764 | 21 |
| 8 | Norfolk, VA | $52,615 | $32,000 | 245,115 | 12 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $43,716 | $29,000 | 252,551 | 33 |
| 10 | Wichita, KS | $43,762 | $30,000 | 389,902 | 19 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,213 | $32,000 | 303,625 | 25 |
| 12 | Fresno, CA | $49,822 | $31,000 | 522,053 | 14 |
| 13 | Winston-Salem, NC | $41,072 | $26,000 | 242,203 | 8 |
| 14 | Detroit, MI | $48,773 | $31,000 | 672,795 | 16 |
| 15 | New York, NY | $60,965 | $38,000 | 8,537,673 | 37 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,134 | $33,000 | 1,567,872 | 37 |
| 17 | Baltimore, MD | $55,275 | $34,000 | 614,664 | 39 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $49,973 | $34,000 | 413,651 | 39 |
| 19 | Buffalo, NY | $58,282 | $37,000 | 256,902 | 10 |
| 20 | Portland, OR | $45,423 | $29,000 | 639,863 | 50 |
| 21 | Oakland, CA | $51,225 | $32,000 | 420,005 | 12 |
| 22 | Long Beach, CA | $48,912 | $31,000 | 470,130 | 12 |
| 23 | Durham, NC | $41,754 | $26,000 | 263,016 | 16 |
| 24 | Sacramento, CA | $50,031 | $31,000 | 495,234 | 24 |
| 25 | Lexington, KY | $41,678 | $27,000 | 318,449 | 6 |
| 26 | Milwaukee, WI | $44,243 | $29,000 | 595,047 | 18 |
| 27 | Cincinnati, OH | $47,300 | $31,000 | 298,800 | 13 |
| 28 | Washington, DC | $60,204 | $37,000 | 681,170 | 52 |
| 29 | Toledo, OH | $49,995 | $32,000 | 278,508 | 2 |
| 30 | Cleveland, OH | $50,909 | $32,000 | 385,809 | 7 |
| 31 | Boston, MA | $55,430 | $36,000 | 673,184 | 50 |
| 32 | El Paso, TX | $39,875 | $27,000 | 683,080 | 7 |
| 33 | Riverside, CA | $48,570 | $31,000 | 324,722 | 8 |
| 34 | Saint Paul, MN | $49,999 | $34,000 | 302,398 | 13 |
| 35 | Albuquerque, NM | $38,093 | $26,000 | 559,277 | 34 |
| 36 | Omaha, NE | $45,641 | $32,000 | 446,970 | 13 |
| 37 | Los Angeles, CA | $49,093 | $31,000 | 3,976,322 | 80 |
| 38 | Chicago, IL | $50,245 | $33,000 | 2,704,958 | 65 |
| 39 | Seattle, WA | $48,654 | $32,000 | 704,352 | 54 |
| 40 | San Diego, CA | $48,331 | $31,000 | 1,406,630 | 63 |
| 41 | Raleigh, NC | $41,713 | $26,000 | 458,880 | 16 |
| 42 | Tulsa, OK | $35,114 | $24,000 | 403,090 | 20 |
| 43 | Arlington, TX | $38,847 | $27,000 | 392,772 | 6 |
| 44 | Islip, NY | $61,209 | $38,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 45 | Memphis, TN | $37,134 | $25,000 | 652,717 | 14 |
| 46 | Indianapolis, IN | $37,589 | $25,000 | 855,164 | 32 |
| 47 | Hempstead, NY | $61,102 | $38,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 48 | Colorado Springs, CO | $41,564 | $29,000 | 465,101 | 30 |
| 49 | Austin, TX | $39,586 | $26,000 | 947,890 | 49 |
| 50 | Greensboro, NC | $41,315 | $26,000 | 287,027 | 4 |
Highest paying cities for educators
| Rank | City | Avg. educator salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $60,965 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $60,204 |
| 3 | New Brunswick, NJ | $57,759 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $55,430 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $55,275 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $51,409 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $50,245 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $49,973 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $49,126 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $48,773 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $48,654 |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $47,440 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $45,423 |
| 14 | Lincoln, NE | $45,368 |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $44,243 |
| 16 | Wichita, KS | $43,762 |
| 17 | Fargo, ND | $42,446 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $41,774 |
| 19 | Durham, NC | $41,754 |
| 20 | Des Moines, IA | $40,674 |
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Updated January 8, 2025