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Best states for an english as a second language instructor
Quoted expert
Ye Chen Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for english as a second language instructors? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for english as a second language instructor 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 english as a second language instructors in America is $72,000.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for english as a second language instructors.New Hampshire is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for english as a second language instructors.
10 best states for english as a second language instructors in 2026
1. New Hampshire
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 362 Average annual salary: $67,841 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 2.01
2. Connecticut
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 477 Average annual salary: $71,186 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
3. California
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 3,126 Average annual salary: $79,045 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
4. Rhode Island
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 124 Average annual salary: $67,780 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
5. Nevada
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 211 Average annual salary: $67,170 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
6. Vermont
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 173 Average annual salary: $61,411 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 2.19
7. Delaware
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 150 Average annual salary: $63,919 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
8. Montana
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 226 Average annual salary: $58,158 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.91
9. District of Columbia
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 161 Average annual salary: $66,727 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
10. Michigan
Total english as a second language instructor jobs: 775 Average annual salary: $58,646 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
English as a second language instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an english as a second language instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an english as a second language instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $67,841 | $50,000 | 1,342,795 | 362 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $71,186 | $52,000 | 3,588,184 | 477 |
| 3 | California | $79,045 | $56,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,126 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $67,780 | $50,000 | 1,059,639 | 124 |
| 5 | Nevada | $67,170 | $48,000 | 2,998,039 | 211 |
| 6 | Vermont | $61,411 | $46,000 | 623,657 | 173 |
| 7 | Delaware | $63,919 | $46,000 | 961,939 | 150 |
| 8 | Montana | $58,158 | $45,000 | 1,050,493 | 226 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $66,727 | $48,000 | 693,972 | 161 |
| 10 | Michigan | $58,646 | $44,000 | 9,962,311 | 775 |
| 11 | Maryland | $57,778 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,571 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $60,160 | $48,000 | 755,393 | 77 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $48,771 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 272 |
| 14 | New York | $60,606 | $44,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,168 |
| 15 | Maine | $55,302 | $42,000 | 1,335,907 | 127 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $54,906 | $40,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,186 |
| 17 | Utah | $62,395 | $46,000 | 3,101,833 | 168 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $57,193 | $49,000 | 1,427,538 | 115 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $54,245 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 973 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $55,838 | $44,000 | 869,666 | 80 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $55,017 | $42,000 | 5,795,483 | 404 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $52,792 | $39,000 | 4,684,333 | 290 |
| 23 | Washington | $54,988 | $42,000 | 7,405,743 | 618 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $51,742 | $40,000 | 1,920,076 | 181 |
| 25 | Alaska | $53,143 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 82 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $49,551 | $37,000 | 2,984,100 | 159 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $49,090 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 375 |
| 28 | Kansas | $47,953 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 287 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $49,976 | $37,000 | 3,004,279 | 108 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $46,939 | $34,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,108 |
| 31 | Oregon | $48,142 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 469 |
| 32 | Colorado | $47,677 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 789 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $47,791 | $36,000 | 4,454,189 | 299 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $45,191 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 77 |
| 35 | Illinois | $47,829 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,082 |
| 36 | Georgia | $45,475 | $34,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,054 |
| 37 | Florida | $43,784 | $32,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,485 |
| 38 | Virginia | $45,678 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,117 |
| 39 | Iowa | $45,187 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 343 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $46,703 | $34,000 | 12,805,537 | 756 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $42,648 | $31,000 | 5,024,369 | 643 |
| 42 | Arizona | $45,701 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 509 |
| 43 | Missouri | $47,489 | $36,000 | 6,113,532 | 380 |
| 44 | Alabama | $45,185 | $33,000 | 4,874,747 | 267 |
| 45 | Texas | $43,401 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,858 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $40,686 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 234 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $44,530 | $35,000 | 5,576,606 | 455 |
| 48 | Ohio | $42,554 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 701 |
| 49 | Idaho | $34,345 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 119 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $35,384 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 182 |
| 51 | Indiana | $31,587 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 389 |
Highest paying states for english as a second language instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. English As A Second Language Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $67,841 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $71,186 |
| 3 | California | $79,045 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $67,780 |
| 5 | Nevada | $67,170 |
| 6 | Vermont | $61,411 |
| 7 | Delaware | $63,919 |
| 8 | Montana | $58,158 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $66,727 |
| 10 | Michigan | $58,646 |
| 11 | Maryland | $57,778 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $60,160 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $48,771 |
| 14 | New York | $60,606 |
| 15 | Maine | $55,302 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $54,906 |
| 17 | Utah | $62,395 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $57,193 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $54,245 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $55,838 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $55,017 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $52,792 |
| 23 | Washington | $54,988 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $51,742 |
| 25 | Alaska | $53,143 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $49,551 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $49,090 |
| 28 | Kansas | $47,953 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $49,976 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $46,939 |
| 31 | Oregon | $48,142 |
| 32 | Colorado | $47,677 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $47,791 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $45,191 |
| 35 | Illinois | $47,829 |
| 36 | Georgia | $45,475 |
| 37 | Florida | $43,784 |
| 38 | Virginia | $45,678 |
| 39 | Iowa | $45,187 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $46,703 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $42,648 |
| 42 | Arizona | $45,701 |
| 43 | Missouri | $47,489 |
| 44 | Alabama | $45,185 |
| 45 | Texas | $43,401 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $40,686 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $44,530 |
| 48 | Ohio | $42,554 |
| 49 | Idaho | $34,345 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $35,384 |
| 51 | Indiana | $31,587 |
Expert opinions on the best states for english as a second language instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for english as a second language instructors to find work opportunities?
Ye Chen Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of West Georgia
You could go to higheredjobs.com, https://jobs.chronicle.com/, or university websites for a higher ed job, go-to company, or other organization websites (e.g., Google) industry/government jobs; or use LinkedIn, attend job fairs and professional conferences, to search for job opportunities.
English as a second language instructor best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025