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Best states for an esl teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for esl teachers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for esl teacher jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for esl teachers -- where there are plenty of esl teacher jobs to go around and esl teachers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
We figured that the best places for esl teacher jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that Connecticut is the best state for esl teacher jobs, whereas Arkansas is the worst.
10 best states for esl teachers in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total esl teacher jobs: 500 Average annual salary: $67,011 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.86
2. New Jersey
Total esl teacher jobs: 1,068 Average annual salary: $61,083 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
3. Massachusetts
Total esl teacher jobs: 699 Average annual salary: $66,831 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
4. New York
Total esl teacher jobs: 983 Average annual salary: $65,446 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
5. Maryland
Total esl teacher jobs: 781 Average annual salary: $60,563 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
6. District of Columbia
Total esl teacher jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $64,332 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
7. Washington
Total esl teacher jobs: 481 Average annual salary: $63,740 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
8. Pennsylvania
Total esl teacher jobs: 911 Average annual salary: $54,302 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
9. New Hampshire
Total esl teacher jobs: 223 Average annual salary: $51,967 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
10. Nebraska
Total esl teacher jobs: 169 Average annual salary: $54,203 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
Esl teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an esl teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an esl teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $67,011 | $49,000 | 3,588,184 | 500 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $61,083 | $45,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,068 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $66,831 | $50,000 | 6,859,819 | 699 |
| 4 | New York | $65,446 | $48,000 | 19,849,399 | 983 |
| 5 | Maryland | $60,563 | $44,000 | 6,052,177 | 781 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $64,332 | $47,000 | 693,972 | 159 |
| 7 | Washington | $63,740 | $49,000 | 7,405,743 | 481 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $54,302 | $40,000 | 12,805,537 | 911 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $51,967 | $39,000 | 1,342,795 | 223 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $54,203 | $42,000 | 1,920,076 | 169 |
| 11 | California | $62,410 | $46,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,050 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $60,513 | $45,000 | 1,059,639 | 64 |
| 13 | Michigan | $49,768 | $37,000 | 9,962,311 | 755 |
| 14 | Vermont | $56,107 | $42,000 | 623,657 | 48 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $49,704 | $38,000 | 2,088,070 | 236 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $50,876 | $40,000 | 5,576,606 | 562 |
| 17 | Alaska | $58,528 | $51,000 | 739,795 | 30 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $49,055 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 47 |
| 19 | Iowa | $50,154 | $39,000 | 3,145,711 | 242 |
| 20 | Illinois | $49,007 | $38,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,459 |
| 21 | Virginia | $52,592 | $39,000 | 8,470,020 | 657 |
| 22 | Oregon | $53,833 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 237 |
| 23 | Montana | $46,874 | $37,000 | 1,050,493 | 120 |
| 24 | Ohio | $48,666 | $36,000 | 11,658,609 | 658 |
| 25 | Delaware | $48,439 | $35,000 | 961,939 | 117 |
| 26 | Texas | $46,709 | $36,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,650 |
| 27 | Utah | $48,426 | $37,000 | 3,101,833 | 132 |
| 28 | Florida | $44,876 | $35,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,284 |
| 29 | Nevada | $42,111 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 398 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $46,886 | $36,000 | 4,454,189 | 147 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $47,192 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 33 |
| 32 | Alabama | $46,114 | $36,000 | 4,874,747 | 176 |
| 33 | Colorado | $43,402 | $34,000 | 5,607,154 | 728 |
| 34 | Maine | $46,608 | $35,000 | 1,335,907 | 60 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $43,859 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 365 |
| 36 | Arizona | $40,967 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 822 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $42,199 | $32,000 | 10,273,419 | 683 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $42,091 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 342 |
| 39 | Kansas | $41,299 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 236 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $50,111 | $42,000 | 1,427,538 | 22 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,633 | $32,000 | 6,715,984 | 386 |
| 42 | Idaho | $41,810 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 98 |
| 43 | Georgia | $41,643 | $32,000 | 10,429,379 | 673 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $41,714 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 37 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $40,725 | $32,000 | 4,684,333 | 190 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,516 | $29,000 | 3,930,864 | 271 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $40,125 | $32,000 | 869,666 | 32 |
| 48 | Indiana | $37,365 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 444 |
| 49 | Missouri | $36,590 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 429 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $39,044 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 109 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $36,924 | $29,000 | 3,004,279 | 158 |
Highest paying states for esl teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. ESL Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $67,011 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $61,083 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $66,831 |
| 4 | New York | $65,446 |
| 5 | Maryland | $60,563 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $64,332 |
| 7 | Washington | $63,740 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $54,302 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $51,967 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $54,203 |
| 11 | California | $62,410 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $60,513 |
| 13 | Michigan | $49,768 |
| 14 | Vermont | $56,107 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $49,704 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $50,876 |
| 17 | Alaska | $58,528 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $49,055 |
| 19 | Iowa | $50,154 |
| 20 | Illinois | $49,007 |
| 21 | Virginia | $52,592 |
| 22 | Oregon | $53,833 |
| 23 | Montana | $46,874 |
| 24 | Ohio | $48,666 |
| 25 | Delaware | $48,439 |
| 26 | Texas | $46,709 |
| 27 | Utah | $48,426 |
| 28 | Florida | $44,876 |
| 29 | Nevada | $42,111 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $46,886 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $47,192 |
| 32 | Alabama | $46,114 |
| 33 | Colorado | $43,402 |
| 34 | Maine | $46,608 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $43,859 |
| 36 | Arizona | $40,967 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $42,199 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $42,091 |
| 39 | Kansas | $41,299 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $50,111 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,633 |
| 42 | Idaho | $41,810 |
| 43 | Georgia | $41,643 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $41,714 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $40,725 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,516 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $40,125 |
| 48 | Indiana | $37,365 |
| 49 | Missouri | $36,590 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $39,044 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $36,924 |
Expert opinions on the best states for esl teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for esl teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
If you mean in the field(s) of classics, some private schools and academies are hiring (still) Latin and Greek teachers, especially in the South and Southwest. In the upper Midwest and Northeast, not so much.
Esl teacher best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025