Elementary school teacher demographics and statistics in the US
Elementary school teacher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates elementary school teacher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our elementary school teacher estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about elementary school teachers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,650,500 elementary school teachers currently employed in the United States.
- 80.5% of all elementary school teachers are women, while 19.5% are men.
- The average elementary school teacher age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of elementary school teachers is White (69.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.6%), Black or African American (9.7%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 9% of all elementary school teachers are LGBT.
- Elementary school teachers are 93% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Elementary school teacher demographics by:
Elementary school teacher gender statistics
80.5% of elementary school teachers are women and 19.5% of elementary school teachers are men.
- Female, 80.5%
- Male, 19.5%
Elementary school teacher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 80.5% |
| Male | 19.5% |
Elementary school teacher gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$47,329
Female income
$44,982
Elementary school teacher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in elementary school teacher positions over time. Currently, 80.5% of elementary school teachers are female.
Elementary school teacher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.31% | 79.69% |
| 2011 | 20.53% | 79.47% |
| 2012 | 20.81% | 79.19% |
| 2013 | 20.93% | 79.07% |
| 2014 | 20.59% | 79.41% |
| 2015 | 20.97% | 79.03% |
| 2016 | 20.99% | 79.01% |
| 2017 | 20.87% | 79.13% |
| 2018 | 21.30% | 78.70% |
| 2019 | 18.43% | 81.57% |
| 2020 | 19.01% | 80.99% |
| 2021 | 19.50% | 80.50% |
Elementary school teacher related jobs gender ratio
We compared elementary school teachers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, auto collision repair instructor and automotive technology instructor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development Associate Teacher | 3% | 97% |
| Prekindergarten Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Elementary School Teacher | 20% | 80% |
| Automotive Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Automotive Technology Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Auto Collision Repair Instructor | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Elementary school teacher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among elementary school teachers is White, which makes up 69.6% of all elementary school teachers. Comparatively, 12.6% of elementary school teachers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.7% of elementary school teachers are Black or African American.
- White, 69.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.6%
- Black or African American, 9.7%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Elementary school teacher race
| Elementary school teacher race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 69.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.6% |
| Black or African American | 9.7% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Elementary school teacher race and ethnicity over time
See how elementary school teacher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Elementary school teacher race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.40% | 10.06% | 2.45% | 9.46% |
| 2011 | 76.00% | 10.00% | 2.62% | 9.64% |
| 2012 | 75.83% | 9.86% | 2.68% | 9.77% |
| 2013 | 75.29% | 9.89% | 2.87% | 9.98% |
| 2014 | 75.38% | 9.82% | 2.86% | 10.05% |
| 2015 | 75.12% | 9.49% | 3.01% | 10.41% |
| 2016 | 74.27% | 9.91% | 3.02% | 10.80% |
| 2017 | 74.23% | 9.56% | 3.16% | 10.94% |
| 2018 | 74.00% | 9.47% | 3.16% | 11.18% |
| 2019 | 73.11% | 9.78% | 3.34% | 11.67% |
| 2020 | 71.20% | 9.45% | 3.41% | 11.79% |
| 2021 | 69.63% | 9.74% | 3.65% | 12.55% |
Elementary school teacher wage gap by race
According to our data, asian elementary school teachers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american elementary school teachers have the lowest average salary at $45,959.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $46,944 |
| White | $46,925 |
| Black or African American | $45,959 |
| Asian | $48,750 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $48,119 |
Average elementary school teacher age
See how the average age of elementary school teachers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Elementary school teacher age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 44 |
| Unknown | 42 | 41 |
| Asian | 40 | 42 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 42 |
| White | 43 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 40.5 | 48.5 |
Elementary school teacher age breakdown
The average age of elementary school teachers is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the elementary school teacher population.
Elementary school teacher age breakdown
| Elementary School Teacher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Elementary school teacher educational attainment
The most common degree for elementary school teachers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of elementary school teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Elementary school teachers by degree level
| Elementary school teacher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 73% |
| Master's | 18% |
| Associate | 5% |
| High School Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Elementary school teacher jobs you might like
Elementary school teacher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, elementary school teachers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $60,415 annually. With a Doctorate degree, elementary school teachers earn a median annual income of $59,979 compared to $50,549 for elementary school teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,415 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,549 |
| Doctorate Degree | $59,979 |
Elementary school teacher employment statistics
Company size where elementary school teachers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where elementary school teachers work.
Elementary school teacher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 32% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
Elementary school teacher jobs by company type
Employees with the elementary school teacher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most elementary school teachers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Elementary school teacher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 93% |
| Private | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
Elementary school teacher turnover and employment statistics
Elementary school teacher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for elementary school teachers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Elementary school teacher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Elementary school teacher unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.82% |
| 2011 | 2.96% |
| 2012 | 2.53% |
| 2013 | 2.43% |
| 2014 | 1.86% |
| 2015 | 1.70% |
| 2016 | 1.52% |
| 2017 | 1.41% |
| 2018 | 1.53% |
| 2019 | 1.62% |
| 2020 | 2.49% |
| 2021 | 2.16% |
Average elementary school teacher tenure
The average elementary school teacher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 12,305 elementary school teachers resumes in Zippia's database.
Elementary school teacher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Elementary school teacher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of elementary school teachers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development Teacher | 5.04% | 122,282 |
| Self Contained Special Education Teacher | 7.55% | 66,151 |
| Elementary School Teacher | 8.89% | - |
| Secondary History Teacher | 11.94% | 53,449 |
Similar elementary school teacher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development Teacher | 5.04% | 122,282 |
| Self Contained Special Education Teacher | 7.55% | 66,151 |
| Secondary History Teacher | 11.94% | 53,449 |
Foreign languages spoken by elementary school teachers
The most common foreign language among elementary school teachers is Spanish at 60.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 3.8%.
- Spanish, 60.1%
- French, 7.6%
- Chinese, 3.8%
- Portuguese, 3.6%
- German, 3.1%
- Other, 21.8%
Elementary school teacher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.1% |
| French | 7.6% |
| Chinese | 3.8% |
| Portuguese | 3.6% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Other | 21.8% |
