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Best states for a physical education instructor
Quoted expert
Dr. Jay Dorfman
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for physical education instructors? 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 physical education instructor jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for physical education instructors. We found that West Virginia is the best state in the nation for physical education instructors, and people in Anchorage earn the most in the field.
The median salary for physical education instructors in West Virginia is $43,124. Compare that to the median salary in Idaho of $27,290, which ranked worst for physical education instructors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a physical education instructor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for physical education instructors in 2025
1. West Virginia
Total physical education instructor jobs: 263 Average annual salary: $43,124 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.472. Alaska
Total physical education instructor jobs: 133 Average annual salary: $47,064 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.363. New Hampshire
Total physical education instructor jobs: 430 Average annual salary: $42,254 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 2.14. Massachusetts
Total physical education instructor jobs: 1,205 Average annual salary: $44,939 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.125. Rhode Island
Total physical education instructor jobs: 184 Average annual salary: $42,034 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.296. Maryland
Total physical education instructor jobs: 849 Average annual salary: $45,766 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.147. California
Total physical education instructor jobs: 3,880 Average annual salary: $46,019 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.138. North Dakota
Total physical education instructor jobs: 92 Average annual salary: $43,875 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.859. Washington
Total physical education instructor jobs: 715 Average annual salary: $46,651 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.8410. Arizona
Total physical education instructor jobs: 962 Average annual salary: $40,271 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
Physical education instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a physical education instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a physical education instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $43,124 | $29,000 | 1,815,857 | 263 |
| 2 | Alaska | $47,064 | $36,000 | 739,795 | 133 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $42,254 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 430 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,939 | $32,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,205 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $42,034 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 184 |
| 6 | Maryland | $45,766 | $30,000 | 6,052,177 | 849 |
| 7 | California | $46,019 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,880 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $43,875 | $30,000 | 755,393 | 92 |
| 9 | Washington | $46,651 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 715 |
| 10 | Arizona | $40,271 | $26,000 | 7,016,270 | 962 |
| 11 | Texas | $43,009 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,041 |
| 12 | Vermont | $39,766 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 160 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $41,235 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 562 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $42,249 | $28,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,117 |
| 15 | Delaware | $41,629 | $27,000 | 961,939 | 169 |
| 16 | Colorado | $40,341 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 948 |
| 17 | Nevada | $40,940 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 251 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $37,484 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 108 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $40,394 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 372 |
| 20 | Maine | $38,965 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 182 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $38,352 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 268 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $42,414 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 119 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $46,189 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 126 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $40,558 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 594 |
| 25 | Illinois | $39,426 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,456 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $38,825 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,137 |
| 27 | Indiana | $38,397 | $26,000 | 6,666,818 | 610 |
| 28 | Virginia | $38,488 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,243 |
| 29 | Michigan | $35,839 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 997 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $38,167 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 453 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $34,952 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 680 |
| 32 | Georgia | $35,731 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,219 |
| 33 | Utah | $37,322 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 214 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $35,497 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,055 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $33,403 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 125 |
| 36 | Oregon | $35,094 | $23,000 | 4,142,776 | 515 |
| 37 | Florida | $34,724 | $24,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,776 |
| 38 | Montana | $33,012 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 142 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $31,480 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 291 |
| 40 | New York | $35,404 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,368 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $31,643 | $21,000 | 4,684,333 | 433 |
| 42 | Kansas | $32,941 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 328 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $33,505 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 293 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $32,865 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 537 |
| 45 | Iowa | $29,808 | $20,000 | 3,145,711 | 422 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,019 | $21,000 | 6,113,532 | 582 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $28,640 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 246 |
| 48 | Ohio | $30,777 | $20,000 | 11,658,609 | 825 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $29,646 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 199 |
| 50 | Alabama | $26,862 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 430 |
| 51 | Idaho | $27,290 | $18,000 | 1,716,943 | 143 |
Highest paying states for physical education instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Physical Education Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $43,124 |
| 2 | Alaska | $47,064 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $42,254 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,939 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $42,034 |
| 6 | Maryland | $45,766 |
| 7 | California | $46,019 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $43,875 |
| 9 | Washington | $46,651 |
| 10 | Arizona | $40,271 |
| 11 | Texas | $43,009 |
| 12 | Vermont | $39,766 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $41,235 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $42,249 |
| 15 | Delaware | $41,629 |
| 16 | Colorado | $40,341 |
| 17 | Nevada | $40,940 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $37,484 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $40,394 |
| 20 | Maine | $38,965 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $38,352 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $42,414 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $46,189 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $40,558 |
| 25 | Illinois | $39,426 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $38,825 |
| 27 | Indiana | $38,397 |
| 28 | Virginia | $38,488 |
| 29 | Michigan | $35,839 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $38,167 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $34,952 |
| 32 | Georgia | $35,731 |
| 33 | Utah | $37,322 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $35,497 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $33,403 |
| 36 | Oregon | $35,094 |
| 37 | Florida | $34,724 |
| 38 | Montana | $33,012 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $31,480 |
| 40 | New York | $35,404 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $31,643 |
| 42 | Kansas | $32,941 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $33,505 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $32,865 |
| 45 | Iowa | $29,808 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,019 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $28,640 |
| 48 | Ohio | $30,777 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $29,646 |
| 50 | Alabama | $26,862 |
| 51 | Idaho | $27,290 |
Expert opinions on the best states for physical education instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for physical education instructors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Jay Dorfman
Associate Professor - Coordinator of Music Education, Kent State University
There are certainly some states with teacher shortages, but that is often because those states' political or economic climates make them less desirable as a place for teachers to work. If teachers' teaching conditions and salaries were improved, there would be more people interested in entering the profession. That said, I typically tell students that the broader their search for a job can be, the more likely they are to find a good fit.
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Updated January 8, 2025