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English language teacher salary
Average english language teacher salary
$57,831
Salary Overview for English Language Teachers
The average salary for an English Language Teacher is approximately $57,831 per year, translating to about $28 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the type of institution. For instance, metropolitan areas often offer higher salaries due to demand.
Average Salary by State
In states like California and New York, teachers can earn above the national average, with salaries reaching over $70,000 in certain districts. Conversely, states with lower living costs may offer salaries under $50,000.
Opportunities for Growth
As you gain experience and potentially pursue further education or certifications, your earning potential typically increases. Positions in specialized fields, such as ESL instruction or curriculum development, often command higher salaries. For those seeking advancement, exploring roles in administration or consultancy can lead to significant financial benefits.
Job Outlook
The demand for qualified English Language Teachers remains strong, particularly in urban areas and bilingual education settings. As global communication expands, opportunities for teaching English abroad are also on the rise. This sector not only offers competitive salaries but also the chance to make a substantial impact on students' lives.
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Where can an English Language Teacher earn more?
Average english language teacher salary by state
The average english language teacher salary in Connecticut, New York, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average english language teacher salary states are Arizona, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for english language teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $74,831 | $35.98 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $79,379 | $38.16 |
| 3 | Delaware | $72,821 | $35.01 |
| 4 | Vermont | $67,209 | $32.31 |
| 5 | New York | $76,109 | $36.59 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $75,345 | $36.22 |
| 7 | Nevada | $66,168 | $31.81 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $70,630 | $33.96 |
| 9 | Michigan | $64,697 | $31.10 |
| 10 | California | $75,874 | $36.48 |
| 11 | Maryland | $66,192 | $31.82 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $66,945 | $32.19 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $76,597 | $36.83 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $55,075 | $26.48 |
| 15 | Montana | $55,042 | $26.46 |
| 16 | Virginia | $60,271 | $28.98 |
| 17 | Maine | $60,564 | $29.12 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $58,110 | $27.94 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $57,571 | $27.68 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $59,450 | $28.58 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $57,819 | $27.80 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $62,861 | $30.22 |
| 23 | Utah | $59,968 | $28.83 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $52,361 | $25.17 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $55,804 | $26.83 |
| 26 | Illinois | $50,483 | $24.27 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $53,639 | $25.79 |
| 28 | Texas | $51,180 | $24.61 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $52,803 | $25.39 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $52,394 | $25.19 |
| 31 | Florida | $49,978 | $24.03 |
| 32 | Kansas | $48,709 | $23.42 |
| 33 | Ohio | $52,985 | $25.47 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $52,176 | $25.08 |
| 35 | Alaska | $56,446 | $27.14 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $48,565 | $23.35 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $51,534 | $24.78 |
| 38 | Iowa | $48,315 | $23.23 |
| 39 | Georgia | $50,429 | $24.24 |
| 40 | Missouri | $49,025 | $23.57 |
| 41 | Colorado | $45,665 | $21.95 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $43,719 | $21.02 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $40,620 | $19.53 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $48,214 | $23.18 |
| 45 | Alabama | $49,396 | $23.75 |
| 46 | Arizona | $45,628 | $21.94 |
| 47 | Washington | $45,688 | $21.97 |
| 48 | Oregon | $46,952 | $22.57 |
| 49 | Idaho | $32,790 | $15.76 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $36,214 | $17.41 |
| 51 | Indiana | $33,892 | $16.29 |
Highest paying cities for english language teachers
The highest-paying cities for english language teachers are New Haven, CT, Berkeley, CA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $79,509 | $38.23 |
| 2 | Berkeley, CA | $78,280 | $37.63 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $76,628 | $36.84 |
| 4 | Harrison, NY | $76,408 | $36.73 |
| 5 | Brookline, MA | $70,711 | $34.00 |
| 6 | East Lansing, MI | $64,033 | $30.79 |
| 7 | Greenville, NC | $59,356 | $28.54 |
| 8 | Roanoke, VA | $58,057 | $27.91 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $54,220 | $26.07 |
| 10 | Hattiesburg, MS | $53,898 | $25.91 |
| 11 | Little Rock, AR | $52,238 | $25.11 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $50,705 | $24.38 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $50,221 | $24.14 |
| 14 | Lubbock, TX | $50,020 | $24.05 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $49,463 | $23.78 |
| 16 | Columbia, SC | $48,602 | $23.37 |
| 17 | Roseville, MN | $48,259 | $23.20 |
| 18 | Salem, OR | $47,061 | $22.63 |
| 19 | Castle Rock, CO | $45,690 | $21.97 |
| 20 | Flagstaff, AZ | $44,573 | $21.43 |
English language teacher salary details
An english language teacher's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $82,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an english language teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $57,831 | $4,819 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying english language teacher jobs
The highest paying types of english language teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and language instructor.
| 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 |
| Student Teacher | $59,035 | $4,920 | $28.38 | 79,071 |
| Guest Teacher | $32,547 | $2,712 | $15.65 | 84,930 |
| Head Teacher | $51,715 | $4,310 | $24.86 | 73,756 |
| Language Instructor | $57,946 | $4,829 | $27.86 | 45,062 |
Top companies hiring english language teachers now:
Which companies pay english language teachers the most?
English language teacher salaries at Michigan State University and Yale University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average english language teacher salary at companies like University of California, Berkeley and Chicago State University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State University | $77,974 | $37.49 |
| 2 | Yale University | $76,321 | $36.69 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | $75,718 | $36.40 |
| 4 | Chicago State University | $74,970 | $36.04 |
| 5 | New York University | $73,392 | $35.28 |
| 6 | The University of Chicago | $72,963 | $35.08 |
| 7 | University of California | $71,431 | $34.34 |
| 8 | Rutgers University | $71,270 | $34.26 |
| 9 | LaGuardia Community College | $70,847 | $34.06 |
| 10 | Howard University | $69,622 | $33.47 |
| 11 | Harvard University | $68,532 | $32.95 |
| 12 | Florida State University | $68,277 | $32.83 |
| 13 | Alliance College-Ready Public Schools | $66,137 | $31.80 |
| 14 | Mount Holyoke College | $65,681 | $31.58 |
| 15 | University of Hawaii Foundation | $65,479 | $31.48 |
| 16 | University Of Minnesota Physicians | $64,816 | $31.16 |
| 17 | State University of New York College at Cortland | $64,494 | $31.01 |
| 18 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | $64,491 | $31.01 |
| 19 | The Dalton School | $64,381 | $30.95 |
| 20 | Texas Tech University | $64,308 | $30.92 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
English language teacher salary trends
The average english language teacher salary has risen by $6,361 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average english language teacher earned $51,470 annually, but today, they earn $57,831 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for english language teachers over the last decade.
Compare english language teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average english language teacher salary over time
Compare english language teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
English language teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,800 | $27.80 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | $57,400 | $27.60 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $55,800 | $26.83 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $54,400 | $26.16 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $53,400 | $25.68 | +2.7% |
Recently added english language teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acero Charter Schools | English Language Program Teacher | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $64,480 |
| Lucia Mar Unified School District | English Language Proficiency Assessments | Arroyo Grande, CA | 06/25/2025 | $91,557 |
| Weld County School District Re3J | English Language Learner (ELL) Teacher at Lochbuie Intermediate Academy for | Boone, CO | 06/24/2025 | $53,275 |
| DSST Public Schools | English Language Development (ELD) Teacher School Year) | Denver, CO | 06/20/2025 | $60,000 |
| Saint Peter Public Schools | English Language Learning (ELL) Teacher (Grades) | Nore, MN | 06/19/2025 | $48,872 |
| Idea Public Schools | AP English Language Teacher-Idea Robindale College Prep) | Brownsville, TX | 06/18/2025 | $56,500 |
| Education Authority | English Language Development Teacher | Los Angeles, CA | 06/16/2025 | $70,000 |
| Lewiston Public Schools | English for Speakers of Other Languages Teacher for Esol/Ell/Ml-Connors Elementary School | Lewiston, ME | 06/15/2025 | $43,351 |
| Dreams Retail | [School Year ] K-8 English Language Learner Teacher | Fine, NY | 06/14/2025 | $75,000 |
| Campbell Union High School District | English Language Development (ELD) Teacher FTE) at Prospect High School | Ione, CA | 06/11/2025 | $80,432 |
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