Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Language teacher salary
Average language teacher salary
$51,413
Understanding Language Teacher Salaries
The average salary for a language teacher is $51,413 per year or approximately $25 per hour. This figure serves as a baseline, but salaries can vary widely across different states and educational levels. For instance, language teachers in urban areas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living adjustments.
Experience also plays a critical role in salary determination. Entry-level teachers may start lower, while those with several years of experience or advanced degrees can command significantly higher salaries. Additionally, specialized language teachers, such as those focusing on ESL or foreign languages, may find higher-paying opportunities in private institutions or international schools.
To maximize earning potential, consider relocating to states known for higher salaries for language teachers. For example, states like California and New York often offer more competitive compensation packages. Furthermore, exploring roles within industries such as private tutoring or online education can lead to lucrative opportunities.
Top Paying States for Language Teachers
- California
- New York
- Texas
- Florida
By staying informed about salary trends and seeking positions in high-demand regions, language teachers can enhance their career prospects and financial rewards.
Let Zippia find your next language teacher job
Let Zippia find your next language teacher job
Where can a Language Teacher earn more?
Language teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average language teacher salary by state
The average language teacher salary in New York, California, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average language teacher salary states are Alabama, Mississippi, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for language teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $57,990 | $27.88 |
| 2 | Nevada | $56,051 | $26.95 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $62,258 | $29.93 |
| 4 | New York | $71,975 | $34.60 |
| 5 | Delaware | $56,900 | $27.36 |
| 6 | Maryland | $58,432 | $28.09 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $59,883 | $28.79 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $53,665 | $25.80 |
| 9 | California | $66,027 | $31.74 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $53,691 | $25.81 |
| 11 | Michigan | $51,575 | $24.80 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $59,085 | $28.41 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $54,161 | $26.04 |
| 14 | Florida | $51,219 | $24.62 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $48,194 | $23.17 |
| 16 | Alaska | $59,440 | $28.58 |
| 17 | Washington | $53,638 | $25.79 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $51,382 | $24.70 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $60,476 | $29.07 |
| 20 | Virginia | $52,593 | $25.29 |
| 21 | Montana | $46,667 | $22.44 |
| 22 | Oregon | $51,974 | $24.99 |
| 23 | Illinois | $47,742 | $22.95 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $48,612 | $23.37 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $46,979 | $22.59 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $48,806 | $23.46 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $54,480 | $26.19 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $44,712 | $21.50 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $47,648 | $22.91 |
| 30 | Ohio | $47,097 | $22.64 |
| 31 | Maine | $47,434 | $22.80 |
| 32 | Texas | $44,322 | $21.31 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $45,495 | $21.87 |
| 34 | Indiana | $44,045 | $21.18 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $42,842 | $20.60 |
| 36 | Iowa | $43,005 | $20.68 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $44,376 | $21.33 |
| 38 | Kansas | $40,300 | $19.38 |
| 39 | Missouri | $43,629 | $20.98 |
| 40 | Arizona | $39,621 | $19.05 |
| 41 | Colorado | $40,745 | $19.59 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $40,541 | $19.49 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $37,255 | $17.91 |
| 44 | Idaho | $39,828 | $19.15 |
| 45 | Utah | $44,154 | $21.23 |
| 46 | Georgia | $41,638 | $20.02 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $38,570 | $18.54 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $32,882 | $15.81 |
| 49 | Alabama | $39,158 | $18.83 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $37,162 | $17.87 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $35,534 | $17.08 |
Highest paying cities for language teachers
The highest-paying cities for language teachers are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Clifton, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $72,351 | $34.78 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $71,539 | $34.39 |
| 3 | Clifton, NJ | $62,273 | $29.94 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $60,553 | $29.11 |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $59,645 | $28.68 |
| 6 | Wilmington, DE | $57,162 | $27.48 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,072 | $26.48 |
| 8 | Medford, OR | $54,994 | $26.44 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $54,027 | $25.97 |
| 10 | New Haven, CT | $53,916 | $25.92 |
| 11 | Miami, FL | $53,170 | $25.56 |
| 12 | Rochester Hills, MI | $52,088 | $25.04 |
| 13 | Harrisonburg, VA | $51,526 | $24.77 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $49,108 | $23.61 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $48,015 | $23.08 |
| 16 | Saint George, UT | $47,864 | $23.01 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $47,678 | $22.92 |
| 18 | Sugar Land, TX | $44,700 | $21.49 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $44,006 | $21.16 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,847 | $21.08 |
Language teacher salary details
A language teacher's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a language teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,413 | $4,284 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying language teacher jobs
The highest paying types of language teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and language instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher/Tutor | $42,955 | $3,580 | $20.65 | 68,441 |
| High School Teacher | $52,441 | $4,370 | $25.21 | 83,554 |
| History Teacher | $53,780 | $4,482 | $25.86 | 65,399 |
| Summer School Teacher | $52,828 | $4,402 | $25.40 | 86,467 |
| Certified Teacher | $50,708 | $4,226 | $24.38 | 92,051 |
| Social Studies Teacher | $49,725 | $4,144 | $23.91 | 94,087 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for language teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Larry Herzberg Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Asian Languages, Director of Asian Studies, Calvin University
Suppose you only have a B.A. in Asia-related subjects. In that case, you will need to seek a job in the business world, in government work, or in gaining expertise in computers so that you can combine your knowledge of an East Asian language with a job that pays a decent salary.
Which companies pay language teachers the most?
Language teacher salaries at The Gow School and King Low Heywood Thomas are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average language teacher salary at companies like Poly Prep Country Day School and Ef International School of English are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Gow School | $182,724 | $87.85 |
| 2 | King Low Heywood Thomas | $86,032 | $41.36 |
| 3 | Poly Prep Country Day School | $79,587 | $38.26 |
| 4 | Ef International School of English | $78,249 | $37.62 |
| 5 | York Prep School | $77,737 | $37.37 |
| 6 | DC International School | $74,720 | $35.92 |
| 7 | West Contra Costa Unified School District | $73,580 | $35.38 |
| 8 | Princeton Public Schools | $72,624 | $34.92 |
| 9 | Pasadena Unified School District | $72,586 | $34.90 |
| 10 | Saint Ann's School | $72,174 | $34.70 |
| 11 | Salisbury School | $70,843 | $34.06 |
| 12 | Head-Royce School | $70,395 | $33.84 |
| 13 | Alhambra Unified School District | $70,111 | $33.71 |
| 14 | Chino Valley Unified School District | $69,291 | $33.31 |
| 15 | Washington International School | $68,192 | $32.78 |
| 16 | Rancho Alamitos High School | $68,019 | $32.70 |
| 17 | Harvard-Westlake School | $67,556 | $32.48 |
| 18 | Riverdale Country School | $67,479 | $32.44 |
| 19 | Central Catholic High School | $67,070 | $32.25 |
| 20 | Bellevue School District | $66,673 | $32.05 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Language Teacher salary by industry
The average language teacher salary varies across industries:
- The average language teacher salary in the education industry is $50,678, the highest of any industry.
- The average language teacher salary in the finance industry is $45,515.
- Language teachers in the government industry earn an average salary of $44,486, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for language teachers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $50,678 | $24.36 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $45,515 | $21.88 |
| 3 | Retail | $45,515 | $21.88 |
| 4 | Professional | $45,423 | $21.84 |
| 5 | Government | $44,486 | $21.39 |
High paying language teacher jobs
Language teacher salary trends
The average language teacher salary has risen by $7,566 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average language teacher earned $43,847 annually, but today, they earn $51,413 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for language teachers over the last decade.
Compare language teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average language teacher salary over time
Compare language teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Language teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $51,400 | $24.72 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | $51,500 | $24.74 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $49,700 | $23.91 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $47,800 | $22.98 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $46,700 | $22.45 | +3.3% |
Recently added language teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Public Schools | Dual Language Teacher | Vancouver, WA | 06/27/2025 | $62,925 |
| Addison Elementary School District 4 | SY-Kindergarten Dual Language Teacher | Kane, IL | 06/27/2025 | $52,932 |
| Oregon Public Schools | Grade 3 Teacher, Dual Language-Chavez | Salem, OR | 06/26/2025 | $50,011 |
| International Leadership of Texas | Dual Language Slar Teacher (5TH Grade) | Lancaster, TX | 06/26/2025 | $58,500 |
| Salem-Keizer School District | Grade 3 Teacher, Dual Language-Chavez | Salem, OR | 06/24/2025 | $50,011 |
| Concordia College (Moorhead, Mn | Spanish Language Summer Camp Teacher (2025) | Bakersfield, CA | 06/20/2025 | $27,131 |
| Illinois Association of School | Kindergarten Dual Language Teacher | Addison, IL | 06/18/2025 | $52,932 |
| Metropolitan School District of Warren Township | Multi Language Learner Teacher | Hope, IN | 06/11/2025 | $50,500 |
| Loyola High School of Baltimore | Modern Language Teacher | Towson, MD | 06/10/2025 | $50,000 |
| Berlitz | Language Teachers Wanted | San Antonio, TX | 06/10/2025 | $12,522 |
Language teacher salary FAQs
Search for language teacher jobs