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Best states for a para educator
Quoted expert
Terry Chvala
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for para educators? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for para educator jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Although there are abundant para educator jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Michigan is the best state in the country for para educator jobs.
The median salary for para educators in Michigan is $33,945. Compare that to the median salary in Georgia of $24,202, which ranked worst for para educators, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Michigan is the best state, and Marshfield is the city with the highest pay for para educators.
10 best states for para educators in 2026
1. Michigan
Total para educator jobs: 968 Average annual salary: $33,945 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
2. Delaware
Total para educator jobs: 168 Average annual salary: $33,746 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. Rhode Island
Total para educator jobs: 117 Average annual salary: $35,645 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
4. Illinois
Total para educator jobs: 1,617 Average annual salary: $33,197 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
5. Vermont
Total para educator jobs: 135 Average annual salary: $31,410 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.69
6. Minnesota
Total para educator jobs: 1,263 Average annual salary: $30,954 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
7. Alaska
Total para educator jobs: 114 Average annual salary: $31,853 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
8. Massachusetts
Total para educator jobs: 739 Average annual salary: $35,690 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
9. Oklahoma
Total para educator jobs: 359 Average annual salary: $31,073 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
10. Nevada
Total para educator jobs: 603 Average annual salary: $29,517 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 2.77
Para educator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a para educator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a para educator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $33,945 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 968 |
| 2 | Delaware | $33,746 | $26,000 | 961,939 | 168 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $35,645 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 117 |
| 4 | Illinois | $33,197 | $25,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,617 |
| 5 | Vermont | $31,410 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 135 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $30,954 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,263 |
| 7 | Alaska | $31,853 | $26,000 | 739,795 | 114 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $35,690 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 739 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $31,073 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 359 |
| 10 | Nevada | $29,517 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 603 |
| 11 | New York | $33,263 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,451 |
| 12 | Oregon | $33,211 | $26,000 | 4,142,776 | 350 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $29,850 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 307 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $31,549 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 473 |
| 15 | Maine | $30,334 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 155 |
| 16 | Washington | $31,853 | $25,000 | 7,405,743 | 641 |
| 17 | California | $33,788 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,426 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $30,392 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 76 |
| 19 | Arizona | $28,682 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,139 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $29,951 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 181 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $29,466 | $22,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,154 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $34,930 | $27,000 | 1,427,538 | 60 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $29,646 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 83 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $32,952 | $25,000 | 693,972 | 134 |
| 25 | Ohio | $28,551 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 810 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $28,060 | $21,000 | 3,588,184 | 655 |
| 27 | Idaho | $27,275 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 224 |
| 28 | Virginia | $29,822 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 778 |
| 29 | Iowa | $27,915 | $21,000 | 3,145,711 | 313 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $27,873 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 872 |
| 31 | Maryland | $28,410 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 837 |
| 32 | Missouri | $28,208 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 502 |
| 33 | Montana | $26,964 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 187 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $26,933 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,191 |
| 35 | Texas | $27,049 | $21,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,863 |
| 36 | Indiana | $26,617 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 643 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $27,007 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 85 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $27,647 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 402 |
| 39 | Utah | $27,821 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 210 |
| 40 | Colorado | $26,823 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 788 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $26,278 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 248 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $25,005 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 93 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $25,787 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 260 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $25,594 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 425 |
| 45 | Alabama | $25,847 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 263 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $25,161 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 273 |
| 47 | Kansas | $23,839 | $18,000 | 2,913,123 | 330 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $25,521 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 249 |
| 49 | Florida | $22,421 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,528 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $23,819 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 210 |
| 51 | Georgia | $24,202 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 770 |
Highest paying states for para educators
| Rank | State | Avg. Para Educator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $33,945 |
| 2 | Delaware | $33,746 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $35,645 |
| 4 | Illinois | $33,197 |
| 5 | Vermont | $31,410 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $30,954 |
| 7 | Alaska | $31,853 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $35,690 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $31,073 |
| 10 | Nevada | $29,517 |
| 11 | New York | $33,263 |
| 12 | Oregon | $33,211 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $29,850 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $31,549 |
| 15 | Maine | $30,334 |
| 16 | Washington | $31,853 |
| 17 | California | $33,788 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $30,392 |
| 19 | Arizona | $28,682 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $29,951 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $29,466 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $34,930 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $29,646 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $32,952 |
| 25 | Ohio | $28,551 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $28,060 |
| 27 | Idaho | $27,275 |
| 28 | Virginia | $29,822 |
| 29 | Iowa | $27,915 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $27,873 |
| 31 | Maryland | $28,410 |
| 32 | Missouri | $28,208 |
| 33 | Montana | $26,964 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $26,933 |
| 35 | Texas | $27,049 |
| 36 | Indiana | $26,617 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $27,007 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $27,647 |
| 39 | Utah | $27,821 |
| 40 | Colorado | $26,823 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $26,278 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $25,005 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $25,787 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $25,594 |
| 45 | Alabama | $25,847 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $25,161 |
| 47 | Kansas | $23,839 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $25,521 |
| 49 | Florida | $22,421 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $23,819 |
| 51 | Georgia | $24,202 |
Expert opinions on the best states for para educators
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for para educators to find work opportunities?
Terry Chvala
Senior Lecturer of Early Childhood Education, University of Houston-Clear Lake
Although oil & gas continue to suffer locally and regionally, there is still a growing trend that people continue to move to Texas. So this area continues to be a positive job market for educators and other industry. Most area school districts have become fairly competitive (with each other, but nowhere near northern and northeastern states and many others) on their starting teacher pay.
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Updated January 8, 2025