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Esl teacher salary
Average esl teacher salary
$52,701
Average ESL Teacher Salary
The average salary for an ESL teacher stands at approximately $52,701 per year, translating to about $25 per hour. Factors influencing this average include geographical location, years of experience, and specific teaching environments. For instance, ESL teachers in urban settings may earn significantly more than their counterparts in rural areas due to higher demand and cost of living adjustments.
Top Paying States for ESL Teachers
ESL teachers can find better compensation in states such as California, New York, and Massachusetts, where the average salaries exceed the national average. In California, for example, ESL teachers earn an average of $60,000 annually. This regional variation is critical for teachers aiming to maximize their earnings.
Salary Estimates Across Experience Levels
Entry-level ESL teachers may start with salaries around $40,000, while those with extensive experience or advanced certifications can earn upwards of $70,000. It's essential for educators to consider these differences when negotiating salaries or accepting job offers.
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Where can an ESL Teacher earn more?
Esl teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average esl teacher salary by state
The average esl teacher salary in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average esl teacher salary states are South Dakota, Mississippi, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for esl teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $67,011 | $32.22 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $61,083 | $29.37 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $66,831 | $32.13 |
| 4 | New York | $65,446 | $31.46 |
| 5 | Maryland | $60,563 | $29.12 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $64,332 | $30.93 |
| 7 | Washington | $63,740 | $30.64 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $54,302 | $26.11 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $51,967 | $24.98 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $54,203 | $26.06 |
| 11 | California | $62,410 | $30.00 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $60,513 | $29.09 |
| 13 | Michigan | $49,768 | $23.93 |
| 14 | Vermont | $56,107 | $26.97 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $49,704 | $23.90 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $50,876 | $24.46 |
| 17 | Alaska | $58,528 | $28.14 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $49,055 | $23.58 |
| 19 | Iowa | $50,154 | $24.11 |
| 20 | Illinois | $49,007 | $23.56 |
| 21 | Virginia | $52,592 | $25.28 |
| 22 | Oregon | $53,833 | $25.88 |
| 23 | Montana | $46,874 | $22.54 |
| 24 | Ohio | $48,666 | $23.40 |
| 25 | Delaware | $48,439 | $23.29 |
| 26 | Texas | $46,709 | $22.46 |
| 27 | Utah | $48,426 | $23.28 |
| 28 | Florida | $44,876 | $21.57 |
| 29 | Nevada | $42,111 | $20.25 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $46,886 | $22.54 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $47,192 | $22.69 |
| 32 | Alabama | $46,114 | $22.17 |
| 33 | Colorado | $43,402 | $20.87 |
| 34 | Maine | $46,608 | $22.41 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $43,859 | $21.09 |
| 36 | Arizona | $40,967 | $19.70 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $42,199 | $20.29 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $42,091 | $20.24 |
| 39 | Kansas | $41,299 | $19.86 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $50,111 | $24.09 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $41,633 | $20.02 |
| 42 | Idaho | $41,810 | $20.10 |
| 43 | Georgia | $41,643 | $20.02 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $41,714 | $20.05 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $40,725 | $19.58 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,516 | $17.56 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $40,125 | $19.29 |
| 48 | Indiana | $37,365 | $17.96 |
| 49 | Missouri | $36,590 | $17.59 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $39,044 | $18.77 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $36,924 | $17.75 |
Highest paying cities for esl teachers
The highest-paying cities for esl teachers are Boston, MA, New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $66,910 | $32.17 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $65,490 | $31.49 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $64,769 | $31.14 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $64,352 | $30.94 |
| 5 | Bothell, WA | $64,115 | $30.82 |
| 6 | West New York, NJ | $61,347 | $29.49 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $54,838 | $26.36 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | $54,168 | $26.04 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $50,883 | $24.46 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $49,962 | $24.02 |
| 11 | Albuquerque, NM | $49,710 | $23.90 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $49,167 | $23.64 |
| 13 | El Paso, TX | $48,217 | $23.18 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $47,919 | $23.04 |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $43,841 | $21.08 |
| 16 | Wilson, NC | $42,867 | $20.61 |
| 17 | Memphis, TN | $41,505 | $19.95 |
| 18 | Kansas City, KS | $41,378 | $19.89 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $40,674 | $19.55 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $37,227 | $17.90 |
Esl teacher salary details
An esl teacher's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $68,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an esl teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $52,701 | $4,392 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying esl teacher jobs
The highest paying types of esl teachers are student teacher, english language teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher-In-Training | $37,214 | $3,101 | $17.89 | 132,725 |
| Substitute School Teacher | $33,215 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 82,842 |
| Math And Science Teacher | $46,589 | $3,882 | $22.40 | 71,273 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $52,161 | $4,347 | $25.08 | 84,607 |
| Summer School Teacher | $52,828 | $4,402 | $25.40 | 86,467 |
| English Language Teacher | $57,831 | $4,819 | $27.80 | 74,779 |
Top companies hiring esl teachers now:
Which companies pay esl teachers the most?
Esl teacher salaries at Pace University and DC International School are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average esl teacher salary at companies like Princeton Public Schools and Robbinsdale Area Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pace University | $58,984 | $28.36 |
| 2 | DC International School | $58,919 | $28.33 |
| 3 | Princeton Public Schools | $58,675 | $28.21 |
| 4 | Robbinsdale Area Schools | $57,793 | $27.79 |
| 5 | Person High School | $57,351 | $27.57 |
| 6 | Boston Public Schools | $57,329 | $27.56 |
| 7 | Guilford County Schools | $57,063 | $27.43 |
| 8 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $56,713 | $27.27 |
| 9 | Connections Academy | $56,665 | $27.24 |
| 10 | Prince George's County Memorial Library System | $56,576 | $27.20 |
| 11 | SUNY Orange | $56,363 | $27.10 |
| 12 | Phoenix Union High School District | $56,074 | $26.96 |
| 13 | Fayette County Public Schools | $55,827 | $26.84 |
| 14 | Fairfax County Public Schools | $55,768 | $26.81 |
| 15 | Chicago Public Schools | $55,279 | $26.58 |
| 16 | Irving Isd | $55,230 | $26.55 |
| 17 | Salinas Union High School District | $54,714 | $26.30 |
| 18 | Thomasville City Schools | $54,610 | $26.25 |
| 19 | Garland Independent School District | $54,573 | $26.24 |
| 20 | Jefferson Elementary School District | $54,394 | $26.15 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Esl teacher salary trends
The average esl teacher salary has risen by $7,005 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average esl teacher earned $45,696 annually, but today, they earn $52,701 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for esl teachers over the last decade.
Compare esl teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average esl teacher salary over time
Compare esl teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Esl teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,700 | $25.34 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $51,600 | $24.81 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $50,400 | $24.21 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $49,400 | $23.77 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $48,300 | $23.20 | +1.6% |
Recently added esl teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accent Advisor | Online ESL Teacher | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| EC English | ESL Teacher | Somerville, MA | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Magic Ears | Work From Home/Online ESL Teacher | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Kindle Education Public Charter School | ESL Teacher and Student Coach | Jersey City, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $50,000 |
| EZ English Learning | Looking for Independent Certified ESL Teacher That ARE Looking for Online Work. | Coral Springs, FL | 06/29/2025 | $20,870 |
| Public School of North Carolina | Newcomer ESL Teacher (Summer) | Chapel Hill, NC | 06/28/2025 | $46,958 |
| Rahway Public Schools | ESL Teacher | Rahway, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $70,535 |
| Wayne RESA | ESL Teacher | Detroit, MI | 06/26/2025 | $50,000 |
| Lawrence Public Schools | Grade 2 Ml-Esl Teacher | Lawrence, MA | 06/25/2025 | $56,415 |
| Education First | ESL Teacher | Santa Barbara, CA | 06/25/2025 | $42,679 |
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