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Lead teacher salary
Average lead teacher salary
$16.18
Average Lead Teacher Salary
The average salary for a Lead Teacher in the United States is approximately $33,652 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographic location, years of teaching experience, and the specific educational institution. For instance, Lead Teachers in urban areas tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in rural regions.
Salary Breakdown by State
In states like California and New York, Lead Teachers often see salaries that exceed the national average. To illustrate:
- California: $40,000
- New York: $38,000
- Texas: $34,000
Additionally, specialized roles and administrative positions within educational institutions can lead to increased compensation. Understanding these variations helps aspiring educators to target their job searches effectively and negotiate better salaries.
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Where can a Lead Teacher earn more?
Lead teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average lead teacher salary by state
The average lead teacher salary in California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lead teacher salary states are Arkansas, Montana, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $46,111 | $22.17 |
| 2 | Nevada | $38,341 | $18.43 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $46,179 | $22.20 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $37,434 | $18.00 |
| 5 | New York | $44,052 | $21.18 |
| 6 | California | $50,352 | $24.21 |
| 7 | Vermont | $43,499 | $20.91 |
| 8 | Arizona | $35,676 | $17.15 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $35,728 | $17.18 |
| 10 | Kansas | $33,912 | $16.30 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $37,800 | $18.17 |
| 12 | Alaska | $37,369 | $17.97 |
| 13 | Washington | $41,363 | $19.89 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $40,128 | $19.29 |
| 15 | Utah | $33,554 | $16.13 |
| 16 | Maryland | $37,622 | $18.09 |
| 17 | Maine | $37,842 | $18.19 |
| 18 | Illinois | $34,810 | $16.74 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $44,482 | $21.39 |
| 20 | Oregon | $37,691 | $18.12 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $32,299 | $15.53 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $36,230 | $17.42 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $33,814 | $16.26 |
| 24 | Delaware | $33,607 | $16.16 |
| 25 | Michigan | $31,887 | $15.33 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $31,092 | $14.95 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $34,041 | $16.37 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $32,793 | $15.77 |
| 29 | Texas | $32,908 | $15.82 |
| 30 | Colorado | $32,729 | $15.74 |
| 31 | Idaho | $30,465 | $14.65 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $32,886 | $15.81 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $31,451 | $15.12 |
| 34 | Alabama | $32,132 | $15.45 |
| 35 | Montana | $27,857 | $13.39 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $28,013 | $13.47 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $29,753 | $14.30 |
| 38 | Florida | $30,166 | $14.50 |
| 39 | Ohio | $30,350 | $14.59 |
| 40 | Virginia | $30,885 | $14.85 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $30,127 | $14.48 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | $29,836 | $14.34 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $28,635 | $13.77 |
| 44 | Georgia | $29,284 | $14.08 |
| 45 | Missouri | $28,517 | $13.71 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $28,662 | $13.78 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $28,934 | $13.91 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $26,334 | $12.66 |
| 49 | Iowa | $26,579 | $12.78 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $23,956 | $11.52 |
| 51 | Indiana | $23,146 | $11.13 |
Highest paying cities for lead teachers
The highest-paying cities for lead teachers are San Francisco, CA, Brookline, MA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $51,695 | $24.85 |
| 2 | Brookline, MA | $46,130 | $22.18 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $44,113 | $21.21 |
| 4 | Auburn, WA | $41,562 | $19.98 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $38,471 | $18.50 |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $38,027 | $18.28 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $37,929 | $18.24 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,745 | $17.19 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $34,887 | $16.77 |
| 10 | San Antonio, TX | $33,785 | $16.24 |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $33,292 | $16.01 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $33,066 | $15.90 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs, CO | $32,769 | $15.75 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $32,297 | $15.53 |
| 15 | Ashburn, VA | $31,982 | $15.38 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $31,896 | $15.33 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $30,837 | $14.83 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $29,972 | $14.41 |
| 19 | Washington, DC | $29,847 | $14.35 |
| 20 | Greenville, SC | $29,771 | $14.31 |
Lead Teachers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Lead teacher salary details
A lead teacher's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $50,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $33,652 | $2,804 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying lead teacher jobs
The highest paying types of lead teachers are summer school teacher, kindergarten teacher, and teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | $29,606 | $2,467 | $14.23 | 63,094 |
| Summer School Teacher | $52,828 | $4,402 | $25.40 | 86,467 |
| Early Childhood Teacher | $33,205 | $2,767 | $15.96 | 56,821 |
| Teacher Aide | $29,480 | $2,457 | $14.17 | 106,207 |
| Child Care Teacher | $26,036 | $2,170 | $12.52 | 139,010 |
| Preschool Teacher | $33,582 | $2,798 | $16.14 | 55,298 |
Top companies hiring lead teachers now:
Which companies pay lead teachers the most?
Lead teacher salaries at Success Preparatory Academy and DC Prep are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead teacher salary at companies like Columbia University in the City of New York and Johnson County Community College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Success Preparatory Academy | $65,327 | $31.41 |
| 2 | DC Prep | $65,039 | $31.27 |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $63,552 | $30.55 |
| 4 | Johnson County Community College | $58,390 | $28.07 |
| 5 | Newton Public Schools | $57,298 | $27.55 |
| 6 | Pasadena Unified School District | $56,367 | $27.10 |
| 7 | Democracy Prep Public Schools | $55,680 | $26.77 |
| 8 | Distinctive Schools | $53,677 | $25.81 |
| 9 | Children’s School | $53,292 | $25.62 |
| 10 | KIPP Austin Public Schools | $53,271 | $25.61 |
| 11 | University of California-Berkeley | $53,202 | $25.58 |
| 12 | Aspire Public Schools | $52,949 | $25.46 |
| 13 | Save the Children US | $52,743 | $25.36 |
| 14 | Presidio Knolls School | $52,501 | $25.24 |
| 15 | Paulding County High School | $52,049 | $25.02 |
| 16 | Charter Schools USA | $51,683 | $24.85 |
| 17 | Grandville Public Schools | $51,659 | $24.84 |
| 18 | Exalt Card | $51,649 | $24.83 |
| 19 | Boston College | $51,459 | $24.74 |
| 20 | Baptist Health Home Care | $50,718 | $24.38 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead teacher salary trends
The average lead teacher salary has risen by $4,603 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead teacher earned $29,049 annually, but today, they earn $33,652 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for lead teachers over the last decade.
Compare lead teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead teacher salary over time
Compare lead teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,700 | $16.18 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $33,000 | $15.87 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $32,300 | $15.52 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $31,700 | $15.23 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $31,100 | $14.93 | +1.4% |
Recently added lead teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Care Group | Lead Teacher | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $36,105 |
| Learning Care Group | Lead Teacher, Everbrook of Manhattan | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Ccg Business Solutions | Lead Teacher | Jacksonville, FL | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Methodist Home for Children | Lead Teacher-CC | Raleigh, NC | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Mission Montessori | Primary Spanish Immersion Lead Teacher | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $55,000 |
| Willows Child Learning Centers | Childcare Lead Teacher * | Centennial, CO | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Lead Teacher-Remote | WFH | Montgomery, WV | 06/29/2025 | $40,000 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Lead Teacher-Remote | WFH | Philadelphia, PA | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Lead Teacher-Remote | WFH | Framingham, MA | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Certified Lead Teacher-Remote | WFH | Bennettsville, SC | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
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