Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Elementary education teacher salary
Average elementary education teacher salary
$48,987
Understanding Elementary Education Teacher Salaries
The average salary for an elementary education teacher in the United States is approximately $48,987 per year. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific district or institution. For instance, teachers in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries compared to those in other regions.
According to recent data, the highest paying states for elementary education teachers include:
- California
- New York
- New Jersey
- Washington
Experience also plays a crucial role in salary determination. Teachers with more years of experience typically command higher salaries. For example, entry-level teachers may earn around $40,000, while those with over 15 years of experience can earn upwards of $60,000.
Additionally, job roles such as curriculum specialists or instructional coordinators within the education sector offer higher compensation. Understanding these dynamics helps educators and job seekers navigate their career paths effectively.
Let Zippia find your next elementary education teacher job
Let Zippia find your next elementary education teacher job
Where can an Elementary Education Teacher earn more?
Elementary education teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average elementary education teacher salary by state
The highest-paying states for elementary education teachers are Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland. The lowest average elementary education teacher salary states are Ohio, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for elementary education teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $68,332 | $32.85 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $65,575 | $31.53 |
| 3 | New York | $68,555 | $32.96 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $58,546 | $28.15 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $77,125 | $37.08 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $57,640 | $27.71 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $60,260 | $28.97 |
| 8 | Illinois | $54,507 | $26.21 |
| 9 | Oregon | $63,246 | $30.41 |
| 10 | Florida | $56,050 | $26.95 |
| 11 | Iowa | $56,821 | $27.32 |
| 12 | Alaska | $67,421 | $32.41 |
| 13 | Delaware | $53,024 | $25.49 |
| 14 | Nevada | $48,441 | $23.29 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $54,108 | $26.01 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $49,100 | $23.61 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $50,023 | $24.05 |
| 18 | Vermont | $52,848 | $25.41 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $48,749 | $23.44 |
| 20 | Texas | $50,085 | $24.08 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $53,329 | $25.64 |
| 22 | California | $58,554 | $28.15 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $54,896 | $26.39 |
| 24 | Washington | $54,095 | $26.01 |
| 25 | Colorado | $48,871 | $23.50 |
| 26 | Missouri | $49,187 | $23.65 |
| 27 | Michigan | $46,109 | $22.17 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $47,511 | $22.84 |
| 29 | Georgia | $48,406 | $23.27 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $46,056 | $22.14 |
| 31 | Kansas | $45,450 | $21.85 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $45,731 | $21.99 |
| 33 | Maine | $45,574 | $21.91 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $44,850 | $21.56 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $46,741 | $22.47 |
| 36 | Arizona | $43,658 | $20.99 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $46,084 | $22.16 |
| 38 | Alabama | $46,059 | $22.14 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $45,792 | $22.02 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $51,319 | $24.67 |
| 41 | Idaho | $45,304 | $21.78 |
| 42 | Virginia | $44,083 | $21.19 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $40,417 | $19.43 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $43,655 | $20.99 |
| 45 | Montana | $39,382 | $18.93 |
| 46 | Ohio | $42,238 | $20.31 |
| 47 | Indiana | $39,875 | $19.17 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $43,416 | $20.87 |
| 49 | Utah | $42,974 | $20.66 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $41,403 | $19.91 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $40,807 | $19.62 |
Highest paying cities for elementary education teachers
The highest-paying cities for elementary education teachers are North Tonawanda, NY, Baltimore, MD, and Hoboken, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Tonawanda, NY | $68,525 | $32.94 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $68,524 | $32.94 |
| 3 | Hoboken, NJ | $65,637 | $31.56 |
| 4 | Richmond, CA | $59,854 | $28.78 |
| 5 | Lake Worth, FL | $56,420 | $27.13 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $54,915 | $26.40 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $54,647 | $26.27 |
| 8 | Victoria, TX | $50,819 | $24.43 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $49,986 | $24.03 |
| 10 | Greeley, CO | $49,014 | $23.56 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge, LA | $46,780 | $22.49 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $46,221 | $22.22 |
| 13 | Topeka, KS | $45,567 | $21.91 |
| 14 | Santa Fe, NM | $44,801 | $21.54 |
| 15 | Tucson, AZ | $43,576 | $20.95 |
| 16 | Saint George, UT | $42,916 | $20.63 |
| 17 | Edmond, OK | $40,431 | $19.44 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $39,653 | $19.06 |
Elementary education teacher salary details
An elementary education teacher's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $57,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an elementary education teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $48,987 | $4,082 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying elementary education teacher jobs
The highest paying types of elementary education teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher/Tutor | $42,955 | $3,580 | $20.65 | 68,441 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Pre-K Teacher | $40,301 | $3,358 | $19.38 | 60,464 |
| Resource Teacher | $43,487 | $3,624 | $20.91 | 73,796 |
| ESL Teacher | $52,701 | $4,392 | $25.34 | 63,897 |
| Reading Teacher | $55,452 | $4,621 | $26.66 | 68,234 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for elementary education teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Top companies hiring elementary education teachers now:
Which companies pay elementary education teachers the most?
Elementary education teacher salaries at Baltimore City Public Schools and West Contra Costa Unified School District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average elementary education teacher salary at companies like KIPP Minnesota and Taylor Co. Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore City Public Schools | $91,612 | $44.04 |
| 2 | West Contra Costa Unified School District | $60,041 | $28.87 |
| 3 | KIPP Minnesota | $54,464 | $26.18 |
| 4 | Taylor Co. Schools | $54,049 | $25.99 |
| 5 | North Arlington School District Nj | $54,045 | $25.98 |
| 6 | Edmond Public Schools | $53,655 | $25.80 |
| 7 | Prince George's County Memorial Library System | $52,656 | $25.32 |
| 8 | El Capitan High School | $52,144 | $25.07 |
| 9 | Delaware State Government | $51,343 | $24.68 |
| 10 | Tooele County School District | $51,288 | $24.66 |
| 11 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools | $50,968 | $24.50 |
| 12 | Cleveland Metropolitan School District | $50,633 | $24.34 |
| 13 | Topeka Public Schools | $50,444 | $24.25 |
| 14 | CentroNÃa | $50,160 | $24.12 |
| 15 | New York State Restaurant Association | $48,709 | $23.42 |
| 16 | Geneva High School | $48,563 | $23.35 |
| 17 | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES | $48,407 | $23.27 |
| 18 | Pike Township Fire Dept | $48,387 | $23.26 |
| 19 | Humanity | $48,385 | $23.26 |
| 20 | Auburn-Washburn USD 437 | $48,356 | $23.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Elementary education teacher salary trends
The average elementary education teacher salary has risen by $5,457 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average elementary education teacher earned $43,530 annually, but today, they earn $48,987 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for elementary education teachers over the last decade.
Compare elementary education teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average elementary education teacher salary over time
Compare elementary education teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Elementary education teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,000 | $23.55 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $48,900 | $23.49 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $48,000 | $23.07 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $47,400 | $22.77 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $46,100 | $22.16 | +2.2% |
Recently added elementary education teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kipp Dc | Elementary Education Teacher) | Minneapolis, MN | 06/29/2025 | $44,880 |
| Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District | Elementary Teacher-General Education (4TH Grade) | Bridgewater, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $59,700 |
| Eastern Carver County Schools | Elementary Education Teacher, 3Rd Grade | Nore, MN | 06/20/2025 | $52,851 |
| Chesterfield Township School District | Upper Elementary Education Teacher | Chesterfield, NJ | 06/20/2025 | $59,265 |
| Eastchester Union Free School District | Elementary Education Teacher, Kindergarten, Probationary | Fine, NY | 06/19/2025 | $62,620 |
| Mount Olive Township School District | Anticipated Elementary Education Teacher | Downe, NJ | 06/18/2025 | $62,100 |
| Kipp Dc | Elementary Education Teacher) | Minneapolis, MN | 05/28/2025 | $44,880 |
| Corvallis School District | Elementary Alternative Education Teacher | Corvallis, OR | 05/25/2025 | $52,980 |
| Park Rapids Independent School District 309 | Elementary Education Teacher | Nore, MN | 05/24/2025 | $41,647 |
| Eastern Carver County Schools | Elementary Education Teacher, 4Th Grade FTE (Long Term Substitute) | Nore, MN | 05/23/2025 | $52,851 |
Elementary education teacher salary FAQs
Search for elementary education teacher jobs