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Best states for a moderate needs teacher
Quoted expert
Sylvia Read Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Do you want to become a moderate needs teacher at Dcsdk12, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for moderate needs teachers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of moderate needs teachers in America is $68,000.
The median salary for moderate needs teachers in New Jersey is $58,608. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $37,807, which ranked worst for moderate needs teachers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for moderate needs teachers, and the Northeast is the worst. Montclair, NJ is the best city in the country for moderate needs teacher jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.
10 best states for moderate needs teachers in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 954 Average annual salary: $58,608 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.71
2. Michigan
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 608 Average annual salary: $53,982 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
3. New Hampshire
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 167 Average annual salary: $52,660 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
4. New York
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 881 Average annual salary: $58,562 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
5. Delaware
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 90 Average annual salary: $54,229 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
6. New Mexico
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 208 Average annual salary: $50,262 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.51
7. Texas
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 1,641 Average annual salary: $50,564 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
8. Maryland
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 678 Average annual salary: $53,442 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
9. Massachusetts
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 671 Average annual salary: $53,564 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
10. Rhode Island
Total moderate needs teacher jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $54,217 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.62
Moderate needs teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a moderate needs teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a moderate needs teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $58,608 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 954 |
| 2 | Michigan | $53,982 | $37,000 | 9,962,311 | 608 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $52,660 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 167 |
| 4 | New York | $58,562 | $39,000 | 19,849,399 | 881 |
| 5 | Delaware | $54,229 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 90 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $50,262 | $35,000 | 2,088,070 | 208 |
| 7 | Texas | $50,564 | $35,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,641 |
| 8 | Maryland | $53,442 | $35,000 | 6,052,177 | 678 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $53,564 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 671 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $54,217 | $36,000 | 1,059,639 | 53 |
| 11 | Maine | $54,451 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 40 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $47,166 | $34,000 | 3,930,864 | 282 |
| 13 | Florida | $49,251 | $33,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,251 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $54,559 | $36,000 | 3,588,184 | 71 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $47,696 | $33,000 | 6,715,984 | 368 |
| 16 | Vermont | $50,985 | $35,000 | 623,657 | 40 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $53,253 | $35,000 | 693,972 | 115 |
| 18 | Georgia | $48,523 | $34,000 | 10,429,379 | 695 |
| 19 | Nevada | $49,233 | $34,000 | 2,998,039 | 89 |
| 20 | Ohio | $45,944 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 639 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $45,192 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 881 |
| 22 | Washington | $49,028 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 416 |
| 23 | Idaho | $47,671 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 89 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $47,067 | $33,000 | 3,004,279 | 132 |
| 25 | Indiana | $43,741 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 516 |
| 26 | California | $50,235 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,682 |
| 27 | Alaska | $50,782 | $42,000 | 739,795 | 17 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $46,277 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 22 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $44,713 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 305 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $42,611 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 356 |
| 31 | Montana | $40,471 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 115 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $41,512 | $30,000 | 1,920,076 | 169 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $43,476 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 95 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $43,184 | $30,000 | 4,684,333 | 169 |
| 35 | Virginia | $43,759 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 650 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $44,436 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 20 |
| 37 | Missouri | $41,726 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 397 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $40,278 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 759 |
| 39 | Illinois | $38,974 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,253 |
| 40 | Colorado | $39,873 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 613 |
| 41 | Utah | $42,757 | $30,000 | 3,101,833 | 124 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $39,147 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 577 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $42,189 | $29,000 | 4,454,189 | 125 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $40,932 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 17 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $43,976 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 10 |
| 46 | Kansas | $35,734 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 231 |
| 47 | Arizona | $41,385 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 138 |
| 48 | Iowa | $37,242 | $26,000 | 3,145,711 | 225 |
| 49 | Oregon | $38,733 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 225 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $35,780 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 36 |
| 51 | Alabama | $37,807 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 150 |
Highest paying states for moderate needs teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Moderate Needs Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $58,608 |
| 2 | Michigan | $53,982 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $52,660 |
| 4 | New York | $58,562 |
| 5 | Delaware | $54,229 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $50,262 |
| 7 | Texas | $50,564 |
| 8 | Maryland | $53,442 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $53,564 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $54,217 |
| 11 | Maine | $54,451 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $47,166 |
| 13 | Florida | $49,251 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $54,559 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $47,696 |
| 16 | Vermont | $50,985 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $53,253 |
| 18 | Georgia | $48,523 |
| 19 | Nevada | $49,233 |
| 20 | Ohio | $45,944 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $45,192 |
| 22 | Washington | $49,028 |
| 23 | Idaho | $47,671 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $47,067 |
| 25 | Indiana | $43,741 |
| 26 | California | $50,235 |
| 27 | Alaska | $50,782 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $46,277 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $44,713 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $42,611 |
| 31 | Montana | $40,471 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $41,512 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $43,476 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $43,184 |
| 35 | Virginia | $43,759 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $44,436 |
| 37 | Missouri | $41,726 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $40,278 |
| 39 | Illinois | $38,974 |
| 40 | Colorado | $39,873 |
| 41 | Utah | $42,757 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $39,147 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $42,189 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $40,932 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $43,976 |
| 46 | Kansas | $35,734 |
| 47 | Arizona | $41,385 |
| 48 | Iowa | $37,242 |
| 49 | Oregon | $38,733 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $35,780 |
| 51 | Alabama | $37,807 |
Expert opinions on the best states for moderate needs teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for moderate needs teachers to find work opportunities?
Sylvia Read Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Dean for Teacher Education, Utah State University
Most states have shortages, especially for science, math, and special education, but we even see shortages in other content areas and in elementary education. Many teachers have chosen to retire rather than put themselves at risk by teaching in schools, so there are more openings than ever. Some states are doing more to support teachers and administrators by hiring social workers and school counselors, even at the elementary level, so this is an opportunity for graduates who want to pursue a graduate degree.
Moderate needs teacher best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025