Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a lead teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for lead 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 lead teacher jobs.In fact, our research shows that Connecticut is the best state for lead teachers in America. The best city in America for lead teachers with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for lead teachers. Connecticut is the best state for lead teachers, where the median salary is $46,111.We found that the South is best for lead teachers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for lead teacher jobs, where as Connecticut is the best state in the country.
10 best states for lead teachers in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total lead teacher jobs: 345 Average annual salary: $46,111 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
2. Nevada
Total lead teacher jobs: 851 Average annual salary: $38,341 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 4.46
3. Massachusetts
Total lead teacher jobs: 731 Average annual salary: $46,179 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
4. New Mexico
Total lead teacher jobs: 429 Average annual salary: $37,434 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 2.39
5. New York
Total lead teacher jobs: 1,100 Average annual salary: $44,052 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
6. California
Total lead teacher jobs: 1,841 Average annual salary: $50,352 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
7. Vermont
Total lead teacher jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $43,499 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
8. Arizona
Total lead teacher jobs: 783 Average annual salary: $35,676 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
9. New Hampshire
Total lead teacher jobs: 219 Average annual salary: $35,728 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
10. Kansas
Total lead teacher jobs: 551 Average annual salary: $33,912 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 2
Lead teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a lead teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a lead teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $46,111 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 345 |
| 2 | Nevada | $38,341 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 851 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $46,179 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 731 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $37,434 | $24,000 | 2,088,070 | 429 |
| 5 | New York | $44,052 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,100 |
| 6 | California | $50,352 | $33,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,841 |
| 7 | Vermont | $43,499 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 53 |
| 8 | Arizona | $35,676 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 783 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $35,728 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 219 |
| 10 | Kansas | $33,912 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 551 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $37,800 | $23,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,129 |
| 12 | Alaska | $37,369 | $30,000 | 739,795 | 127 |
| 13 | Washington | $41,363 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 447 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $40,128 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 54 |
| 15 | Utah | $33,554 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 591 |
| 16 | Maryland | $37,622 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 845 |
| 17 | Maine | $37,842 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 50 |
| 18 | Illinois | $34,810 | $24,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,520 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $44,482 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 17 |
| 20 | Oregon | $37,691 | $26,000 | 4,142,776 | 239 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $32,299 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 406 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $36,230 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 34 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $33,814 | $25,000 | 5,576,606 | 644 |
| 24 | Delaware | $33,607 | $21,000 | 961,939 | 112 |
| 25 | Michigan | $31,887 | $21,000 | 9,962,311 | 789 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $31,092 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 549 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $34,041 | $22,000 | 2,984,100 | 111 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $32,793 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 871 |
| 29 | Texas | $32,908 | $21,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,578 |
| 30 | Colorado | $32,729 | $23,000 | 5,607,154 | 718 |
| 31 | Idaho | $30,465 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 337 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $32,886 | $21,000 | 4,684,333 | 198 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $31,451 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 365 |
| 34 | Alabama | $32,132 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 161 |
| 35 | Montana | $27,857 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 281 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $28,013 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 407 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $29,753 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 341 |
| 38 | Florida | $30,166 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,334 |
| 39 | Ohio | $30,350 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 649 |
| 40 | Virginia | $30,885 | $19,000 | 8,470,020 | 670 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $30,127 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 32 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $29,836 | $18,000 | 693,972 | 168 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $28,635 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 799 |
| 44 | Georgia | $29,284 | $19,000 | 10,429,379 | 735 |
| 45 | Missouri | $28,517 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 431 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $28,662 | $20,000 | 5,795,483 | 330 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $28,934 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 138 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $26,334 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 46 |
| 49 | Iowa | $26,579 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 255 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $23,956 | $17,000 | 869,666 | 117 |
| 51 | Indiana | $23,146 | $16,000 | 6,666,818 | 567 |
Highest paying states for lead teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Lead Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $46,111 |
| 2 | Nevada | $38,341 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $46,179 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $37,434 |
| 5 | New York | $44,052 |
| 6 | California | $50,352 |
| 7 | Vermont | $43,499 |
| 8 | Arizona | $35,676 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $35,728 |
| 10 | Kansas | $33,912 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $37,800 |
| 12 | Alaska | $37,369 |
| 13 | Washington | $41,363 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $40,128 |
| 15 | Utah | $33,554 |
| 16 | Maryland | $37,622 |
| 17 | Maine | $37,842 |
| 18 | Illinois | $34,810 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $44,482 |
| 20 | Oregon | $37,691 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $32,299 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $36,230 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $33,814 |
| 24 | Delaware | $33,607 |
| 25 | Michigan | $31,887 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $31,092 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $34,041 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $32,793 |
| 29 | Texas | $32,908 |
| 30 | Colorado | $32,729 |
| 31 | Idaho | $30,465 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $32,886 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $31,451 |
| 34 | Alabama | $32,132 |
| 35 | Montana | $27,857 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $28,013 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $29,753 |
| 38 | Florida | $30,166 |
| 39 | Ohio | $30,350 |
| 40 | Virginia | $30,885 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $30,127 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $29,836 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $28,635 |
| 44 | Georgia | $29,284 |
| 45 | Missouri | $28,517 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $28,662 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $28,934 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $26,334 |
| 49 | Iowa | $26,579 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $23,956 |
| 51 | Indiana | $23,146 |
Expert opinions on the best states for lead teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for lead 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.
Lead teacher best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
Search for lead teacher jobs
Updated January 8, 2025