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As of October 2025, the average salary for a middle school teacher is approximately $53,363 annually. This figure can vary significantly based on several factors including geographic location, school district funding, and the teacher's level of experience. For instance, teachers in urban areas or those with advanced degrees often earn higher salaries.
Key elements affecting a middle school teacher's salary include:
States like California, New York, and Washington consistently offer some of the highest salaries for middle school teachers. This disparity can be attributed to the cost of living and state funding for education.
The demand for middle school teachers remains robust. As schools continue to prioritize education quality, opportunities for employment are projected to grow, making this career an appealing choice for those passionate about teaching.
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The highest-paying states for middle school teachers are Washington, Maine, and Massachusetts. The lowest average middle school teacher salary states are Nebraska, New Mexico, and Arizona.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $70,931 | $34.10 |
| 2 | New York | $74,159 | $35.65 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $66,086 | $31.77 |
| 4 | Maine | $80,492 | $38.70 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $66,828 | $32.13 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $68,279 | $32.83 |
| 7 | Washington | $86,338 | $41.51 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $75,546 | $36.32 |
| 9 | Oregon | $68,444 | $32.91 |
| 10 | Maryland | $67,564 | $32.48 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $74,325 | $35.73 |
| 12 | Nevada | $53,315 | $25.63 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $60,594 | $29.13 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $55,777 | $26.82 |
| 15 | Alaska | $62,790 | $30.19 |
| 16 | Illinois | $52,893 | $25.43 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $51,021 | $24.53 |
| 18 | Delaware | $53,074 | $25.52 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $57,902 | $27.84 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $50,394 | $24.23 |
| 21 | Ohio | $54,846 | $26.37 |
| 22 | California | $63,709 | $30.63 |
| 23 | Michigan | $49,120 | $23.62 |
| 24 | Virginia | $56,523 | $27.17 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $52,898 | $25.43 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $60,971 | $29.31 |
| 27 | Georgia | $50,035 | $24.06 |
| 28 | Utah | $51,825 | $24.92 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $45,943 | $22.09 |
| 30 | Kansas | $46,513 | $22.36 |
| 31 | Montana | $45,268 | $21.76 |
| 32 | Indiana | $46,961 | $22.58 |
| 33 | Idaho | $45,430 | $21.84 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $47,568 | $22.87 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $46,454 | $22.33 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $47,420 | $22.80 |
| 37 | Texas | $47,234 | $22.71 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $48,180 | $23.16 |
| 39 | Florida | $46,464 | $22.34 |
| 40 | Colorado | $43,181 | $20.76 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $43,823 | $21.07 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $40,464 | $19.45 |
| 43 | Arizona | $40,012 | $19.24 |
| 44 | Iowa | $44,153 | $21.23 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $43,477 | $20.90 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $41,116 | $19.77 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $41,936 | $20.16 |
| 48 | Alabama | $44,627 | $21.46 |
| 49 | Missouri | $39,401 | $18.94 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $39,639 | $19.06 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $35,556 | $17.09 |
The highest-paying cities for middle school teachers are Boston, MA, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $75,532 | $36.31 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $74,337 | $35.74 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $74,330 | $35.74 |
| 4 | Santa Rosa, CA | $72,416 | $34.82 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $68,502 | $32.93 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $67,872 | $32.63 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $66,938 | $32.18 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $54,211 | $26.06 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $53,407 | $25.68 |
| 10 | Savannah, GA | $50,576 | $24.32 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $49,345 | $23.72 |
| 12 | Pharr, TX | $49,186 | $23.65 |
| 13 | Miami, FL | $47,008 | $22.60 |
| 14 | Columbia, SC | $46,564 | $22.39 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $46,504 | $22.36 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $43,276 | $20.81 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $42,156 | $20.27 |
| 18 | Charlotte, NC | $42,147 | $20.26 |
| 19 | Albuquerque, NM | $40,281 | $19.37 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $40,012 | $19.24 |
A middle school teacher's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $72,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $53,363 | $4,447 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
The highest paying types of middle school teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher/Tutor | $42,955 | $3,580 | $20.65 | 68,441 |
| Reading Teacher | $55,452 | $4,621 | $26.66 | 68,234 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Pre-K Teacher | $40,301 | $3,358 | $19.38 | 60,464 |
| Guest Teacher | $32,547 | $2,712 | $15.65 | 84,930 |
| Resource Teacher | $43,487 | $3,624 | $20.91 | 73,796 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for middle school teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Maggie Beeber
Undergraduate Advising Coordinator & Teacher Certification Officer, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Top companies hiring middle school teachers now:
Middle school teacher salaries at Baltimore City Public Schools and Excel Academy Charter Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average middle school teacher salary at companies like Washington International School and DC International School are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore City Public Schools | $84,227 | $40.49 |
| 2 | Excel Academy Charter Schools | $79,723 | $38.33 |
| 3 | Washington International School | $79,152 | $38.05 |
| 4 | DC International School | $72,095 | $34.66 |
| 5 | Boston Public Schools | $71,430 | $34.34 |
| 6 | Pasadena Unified School District | $70,587 | $33.94 |
| 7 | The Archer School for Girls | $69,920 | $33.62 |
| 8 | Brooklyn Friends School | $69,497 | $33.41 |
| 9 | Chinese American International School | $69,363 | $33.35 |
| 10 | Hemet Unified School District | $67,832 | $32.61 |
| 11 | Ocean View School District | $67,174 | $32.30 |
| 12 | Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart | $66,492 | $31.97 |
| 13 | Springs Charter Schools | $66,440 | $31.94 |
| 14 | Irving Isd | $66,354 | $31.90 |
| 15 | Prince George's County Memorial Library System | $66,202 | $31.83 |
| 16 | The Nueva School | $66,061 | $31.76 |
| 17 | Salinas Union High School District | $65,567 | $31.52 |
| 18 | Greens Farms Academy | $65,562 | $31.52 |
| 19 | Santa Rosa City Schools | $64,621 | $31.07 |
| 20 | Trinity Lutheran Church | $64,111 | $30.82 |
The average middle school teacher salary has risen by $6,739 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average middle school teacher earned $46,624 annually, but today, they earn $53,363 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for middle school teachers over the last decade.
Compare middle school teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare middle school teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,400 | $25.66 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $52,400 | $25.17 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $51,400 | $24.72 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $50,700 | $24.35 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $49,800 | $23.93 | +1.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Laboratory Schools: Music Teacher, Middle School | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $50,703 |
| Crossroads Christian Church | Crossroads School-Middle School Bible Facilitator (Teacher) | Corona, CA | 06/30/2025 | $47,250 |
| Kipp Dc | Middle School: Lead Teacher-Greater Boston) | Boston, MA | 06/29/2025 | $63,000 |
| Kipp Dc | Middle School Teacher: Camden | Camden, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $63,000 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Virtual Middle School Tutor-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Middle School Tutor-Remote | WFH | Greensboro, NC | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Lansing School District | Middle School Elective Teacher | Lansing, MI | 06/29/2025 | $46,942 |
| Zetacharterschools | Middle School Humanities Teacher) | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Middle School Humanities Teacher-Remote | WFH | Tacoma, WA | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Match Charter Public Schools | Middle School Technology/Engineering Teacher) | Boston, MA | 06/28/2025 | $61,812 |
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