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Best states for a language teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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It seems like language teachers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for language teachers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for language teachers -- where there are plenty of language teacher jobs to go around and language teachers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
In order to get you the best states for language teachers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that Vermont is the best state for language teacher jobs, whereas Arkansas is the worst.
10 best states for language teachers in 2026
1. Vermont
Total language teacher jobs: 204 Average annual salary: $57,990 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.94
2. Nevada
Total language teacher jobs: 664 Average annual salary: $56,051 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 2.32
3. New Jersey
Total language teacher jobs: 1,392 Average annual salary: $62,258 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
4. New York
Total language teacher jobs: 1,688 Average annual salary: $71,975 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
5. Delaware
Total language teacher jobs: 227 Average annual salary: $56,900 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
6. Maryland
Total language teacher jobs: 1,230 Average annual salary: $58,432 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
7. Massachusetts
Total language teacher jobs: 1,362 Average annual salary: $59,883 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
8. New Hampshire
Total language teacher jobs: 514 Average annual salary: $53,665 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 2.15
9. California
Total language teacher jobs: 3,333 Average annual salary: $66,027 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
10. Connecticut
Total language teacher jobs: 690 Average annual salary: $53,691 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
Language teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a language teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a language teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $57,990 | $39,000 | 623,657 | 204 |
| 2 | Nevada | $56,051 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 664 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $62,258 | $40,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,392 |
| 4 | New York | $71,975 | $47,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,688 |
| 5 | Delaware | $56,900 | $37,000 | 961,939 | 227 |
| 6 | Maryland | $58,432 | $38,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,230 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $59,883 | $39,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,362 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $53,665 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 514 |
| 9 | California | $66,027 | $43,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,333 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $53,691 | $35,000 | 3,588,184 | 690 |
| 11 | Michigan | $51,575 | $35,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,223 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $59,085 | $43,000 | 755,393 | 98 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $54,161 | $35,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,296 |
| 14 | Florida | $51,219 | $36,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,415 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $48,194 | $32,000 | 1,815,857 | 274 |
| 16 | Alaska | $59,440 | $50,000 | 739,795 | 70 |
| 17 | Washington | $53,638 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 873 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $51,382 | $34,000 | 1,059,639 | 153 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $60,476 | $40,000 | 693,972 | 176 |
| 20 | Virginia | $52,593 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,280 |
| 21 | Montana | $46,667 | $33,000 | 1,050,493 | 223 |
| 22 | Oregon | $51,974 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 474 |
| 23 | Illinois | $47,742 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,106 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $48,612 | $34,000 | 4,684,333 | 392 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $46,979 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 321 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $48,806 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 585 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $54,480 | $42,000 | 1,427,538 | 99 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $44,712 | $31,000 | 579,315 | 95 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $47,648 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 868 |
| 30 | Ohio | $47,097 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,035 |
| 31 | Maine | $47,434 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 141 |
| 32 | Texas | $44,322 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,796 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $45,495 | $32,000 | 6,715,984 | 587 |
| 34 | Indiana | $44,045 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 853 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $42,842 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,315 |
| 36 | Iowa | $43,005 | $30,000 | 3,145,711 | 473 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $44,376 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 358 |
| 38 | Kansas | $40,300 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 471 |
| 39 | Missouri | $43,629 | $31,000 | 6,113,532 | 693 |
| 40 | Arizona | $39,621 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,066 |
| 41 | Colorado | $40,745 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 937 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $40,541 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 679 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $37,255 | $26,000 | 2,088,070 | 400 |
| 44 | Idaho | $39,828 | $27,000 | 1,716,943 | 236 |
| 45 | Utah | $44,154 | $30,000 | 3,101,833 | 233 |
| 46 | Georgia | $41,638 | $29,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,114 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $38,570 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 226 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $32,882 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 424 |
| 49 | Alabama | $39,158 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 336 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $37,162 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 102 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $35,534 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 262 |
Highest paying states for language teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Language Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $57,990 |
| 2 | Nevada | $56,051 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $62,258 |
| 4 | New York | $71,975 |
| 5 | Delaware | $56,900 |
| 6 | Maryland | $58,432 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $59,883 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $53,665 |
| 9 | California | $66,027 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $53,691 |
| 11 | Michigan | $51,575 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $59,085 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $54,161 |
| 14 | Florida | $51,219 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $48,194 |
| 16 | Alaska | $59,440 |
| 17 | Washington | $53,638 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $51,382 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $60,476 |
| 20 | Virginia | $52,593 |
| 21 | Montana | $46,667 |
| 22 | Oregon | $51,974 |
| 23 | Illinois | $47,742 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $48,612 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $46,979 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $48,806 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $54,480 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $44,712 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $47,648 |
| 30 | Ohio | $47,097 |
| 31 | Maine | $47,434 |
| 32 | Texas | $44,322 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $45,495 |
| 34 | Indiana | $44,045 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $42,842 |
| 36 | Iowa | $43,005 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $44,376 |
| 38 | Kansas | $40,300 |
| 39 | Missouri | $43,629 |
| 40 | Arizona | $39,621 |
| 41 | Colorado | $40,745 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $40,541 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $37,255 |
| 44 | Idaho | $39,828 |
| 45 | Utah | $44,154 |
| 46 | Georgia | $41,638 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $38,570 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $32,882 |
| 49 | Alabama | $39,158 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $37,162 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $35,534 |
Expert opinions on the best states for language teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for language 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.
Language teacher best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025