Best states for a grade school teacher

Q: What is the best state for grade school teachers?

The best state to be a grade school teacher is Maryland based on grade school teacher salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for grade school teachers?

The highest paying state for grade school teachers is Maine based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for grade school teachers?

The worst state for grade school teachers is Maine, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for grade school teachers in the United States. Grade school teacher positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for grade school teachers.Although there are abundant grade school teacher jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Maryland is the best state in the country for grade school teacher jobs.

Maryland is the best state for jobs for grade school teachers, and Maine is the worst. The most common pay in Maryland is $61,171, while the median pay in Maine is $31,774.We found that the South is best for grade school teachers, and the Northeast is the worst. Olney, MD is the best city in the country for grade school teacher jobs, where as Maryland is the best state in the country.

10 best states for grade school teachers in 2026

1. Maryland
Total grade school teacher jobs: 956
Average annual salary: $61,171
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Grade school teacher jobs in Maryland
2. New York
Total grade school teacher jobs: 1,277
Average annual salary: $58,342
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Grade school teacher jobs in New York
3. District of Columbia
Total grade school teacher jobs: 181
Average annual salary: $60,690
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Grade school teacher jobs in District of Columbia
4. Connecticut
Total grade school teacher jobs: 557
Average annual salary: $50,500
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.67
Grade school teacher jobs in Connecticut
5. Illinois
Total grade school teacher jobs: 2,176
Average annual salary: $48,283
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.82
Grade school teacher jobs in Illinois
6. Nebraska
Total grade school teacher jobs: 193
Average annual salary: $50,619
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Grade school teacher jobs in Nebraska
7. Massachusetts
Total grade school teacher jobs: 895
Average annual salary: $51,823
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Grade school teacher jobs in Massachusetts
8. Michigan
Total grade school teacher jobs: 1,067
Average annual salary: $47,181
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.37
Grade school teacher jobs in Michigan
9. New Jersey
Total grade school teacher jobs: 1,282
Average annual salary: $49,574
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Location Quotient:
1.61
Grade school teacher jobs in New Jersey
10. Delaware
Total grade school teacher jobs: 145
Average annual salary: $48,523
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Grade school teacher jobs in Delaware

Grade school teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a grade school teacher

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a grade school teacher

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Maryland	$61,171	$42,000	6,052,177	956
2	New York	$58,342	$41,000	19,849,399	1,277
3	District of Columbia	$60,690	$42,000	693,972	181
4	Connecticut	$50,500	$36,000	3,588,184	557
5	Illinois	$48,283	$34,000	12,802,023	2,176
6	Nebraska	$50,619	$37,000	1,920,076	193
7	Massachusetts	$51,823	$38,000	6,859,819	895
8	Michigan	$47,181	$33,000	9,962,311	1,067
9	New Jersey	$49,574	$35,000	9,005,644	1,282
10	Delaware	$48,523	$34,000	961,939	145
11	Florida	$50,470	$40,000	20,984,400	1,493
12	Ohio	$49,314	$34,000	11,658,609	729
13	Minnesota	$47,458	$34,000	5,576,606	802
14	Wyoming	$47,876	$35,000	579,315	57
15	Pennsylvania	$47,309	$33,000	12,805,537	1,134
16	California	$55,468	$40,000	39,536,653	2,309
17	Oregon	$48,651	$35,000	4,142,776	422
18	Rhode Island	$47,638	$34,000	1,059,639	120
19	Kentucky	$48,042	$34,000	4,454,189	179
20	Utah	$49,196	$36,000	3,101,833	143
21	Alaska	$50,644	$40,000	739,795	64
22	New Mexico	$45,172	$33,000	2,088,070	269
23	Washington	$49,988	$36,000	7,405,743	571
24	Virginia	$48,804	$34,000	8,470,020	784
25	Tennessee	$45,467	$33,000	6,715,984	426
26	Wisconsin	$46,060	$32,000	5,795,483	437
27	Montana	$43,081	$32,000	1,050,493	167
28	Iowa	$44,174	$32,000	3,145,711	312
29	North Carolina	$44,547	$31,000	10,273,419	831
30	Kansas	$41,936	$31,000	2,913,123	336
31	Missouri	$43,207	$32,000	6,113,532	605
32	Alabama	$44,740	$33,000	4,874,747	180
33	Georgia	$44,859	$33,000	10,429,379	823
34	Texas	$43,043	$33,000	28,304,596	1,806
35	New Hampshire	$40,291	$30,000	1,342,795	315
36	Nevada	$39,795	$28,000	2,998,039	410
37	West Virginia	$43,024	$30,000	1,815,857	40
38	Colorado	$41,199	$30,000	5,607,154	860
39	Indiana	$40,343	$28,000	6,666,818	677
40	Arizona	$39,653	$29,000	7,016,270	931
41	Hawaii	$48,211	$42,000	1,427,538	24
42	Idaho	$39,872	$29,000	1,716,943	164
43	Louisiana	$41,399	$31,000	4,684,333	276
44	South Carolina	$40,280	$29,000	5,024,369	414
45	North Dakota	$41,564	$30,000	755,393	34
46	Oklahoma	$37,049	$27,000	3,930,864	320
47	Vermont	$39,195	$29,000	623,657	71
48	South Dakota	$39,464	$29,000	869,666	31
49	Arkansas	$38,992	$29,000	3,004,279	167
50	Mississippi	$37,774	$28,000	2,984,100	128
51	Maine	$31,774	$24,000	1,335,907	88

Highest paying states for grade school teachers

Rank	State	Avg. Grade School Teacher Salary
1	Maryland	$61,171
2	New York	$58,342
3	District of Columbia	$60,690
4	Connecticut	$50,500
5	Illinois	$48,283
6	Nebraska	$50,619
7	Massachusetts	$51,823
8	Michigan	$47,181
9	New Jersey	$49,574
10	Delaware	$48,523
11	Florida	$50,470
12	Ohio	$49,314
13	Minnesota	$47,458
14	Wyoming	$47,876
15	Pennsylvania	$47,309
16	California	$55,468
17	Oregon	$48,651
18	Rhode Island	$47,638
19	Kentucky	$48,042
20	Utah	$49,196
21	Alaska	$50,644
22	New Mexico	$45,172
23	Washington	$49,988
24	Virginia	$48,804
25	Tennessee	$45,467
26	Wisconsin	$46,060
27	Montana	$43,081
28	Iowa	$44,174
29	North Carolina	$44,547
30	Kansas	$41,936
31	Missouri	$43,207
32	Alabama	$44,740
33	Georgia	$44,859
34	Texas	$43,043
35	New Hampshire	$40,291
36	Nevada	$39,795
37	West Virginia	$43,024
38	Colorado	$41,199
39	Indiana	$40,343
40	Arizona	$39,653
41	Hawaii	$48,211
42	Idaho	$39,872
43	Louisiana	$41,399
44	South Carolina	$40,280
45	North Dakota	$41,564
46	Oklahoma	$37,049
47	Vermont	$39,195
48	South Dakota	$39,464
49	Arkansas	$38,992
50	Mississippi	$37,774
51	Maine	$31,774

Expert opinions on the best states for grade school teachers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for grade school 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.

Grade school teacher best states FAQs

What is the best state for grade school teachers?

What is the highest paying state for grade school teachers?

What is the worst state for grade school teachers?

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Best states for Grade School Teachers

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total grade school teacher jobs:	956
Average annual salary:	$61,171
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$42,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$87,000
Location Quotient:	1.5

Best states for a grade school teacher

10 best states for grade school teachers in 2026

1. Maryland

2. New York

3. District of Columbia

4. Connecticut

5. Illinois

6. Nebraska

7. Massachusetts

8. Michigan

9. New Jersey

10. Delaware