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Literature teacher salary

Average literature teacher salary

$56,543

$27.18 hourly rate

Entry-level literature teacher salary
$39,000 yearly salary
Updated January 8, 2025

Average Literature Teacher Salary

The average salary for a literature teacher in the United States stands at $56,543 annually, which breaks down to about $27 per hour. Salaries can vary considerably based on location, experience, and educational background. For instance, literature teachers in states like California and New York often earn more than their counterparts in less populous regions.

Factors Influencing Salary

Experience greatly impacts earning potential. New teachers typically start at lower salaries, while those with several years in the field can command significantly higher wages. Additionally, specialized roles or advanced degrees can also lead to increased compensation.

Opportunities for Growth

Literature teachers have the chance to expand their careers into administrative or leadership positions, which can enhance their earning potential. Engaging with professional organizations and continuous education can also play a pivotal role in career advancement.

Overall, literature teaching is not only a fulfilling career but also offers competitive salaries and opportunities for growth.

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Where can a Literature Teacher earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
115k
95k
75k
55k
35k
15k
Columbus, OH$86,604
Memphis, TN$44,842
Compare salary by company
Vs
91k
71k
51k
31k
11k
French-American School of New York$73,501
Kenilworth Science and Technology School$41,055

Literature teacher salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and Comparably, the average salary for a literature teacher typically falls between $45,962 and $68,225.
zippia
$56,543yearly
glassdoor[1]
$68,225yearly
comparably[2]
$66,469yearly
Salary.com[3]
$45,962yearly
ZipRecruiter[4]
$49,250yearly

Average literature teacher salary by state

The average literature teacher salary in New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Maryland are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average literature teacher salary states are Tennessee, Idaho, and Mississippi.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for literature teachers

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Jersey$92,014$44.24
2Maryland$88,618$42.60
3Connecticut$84,760$40.75
4Massachusetts$86,690$41.68
5New York$84,192$40.48
6New Hampshire$67,106$32.26
7Delaware$77,809$37.41
8Rhode Island$88,663$42.63
9District of Columbia$76,428$36.74
10Vermont$82,835$39.82
11Minnesota$67,884$32.64
12Illinois$62,948$30.26
13Nevada$60,927$29.29
14Wyoming$66,620$32.03
15Wisconsin$66,368$31.91
16Pennsylvania$62,039$29.83
17Washington$68,800$33.08
18Ohio$63,576$30.57
19Michigan$57,929$27.85
20Iowa$61,760$29.69
21Virginia$64,068$30.80
22Kansas$56,428$27.13
23Alaska$67,225$32.32
24Oregon$62,950$30.26
25Georgia$57,366$27.58
26Kentucky$59,750$28.73
27Utah$58,560$28.15
28California$59,916$28.81
29North Dakota$57,283$27.54
30South Carolina$53,477$25.71
31North Carolina$53,395$25.67
32New Mexico$48,618$23.37
33Texas$51,833$24.92
34Nebraska$52,510$25.25
35Florida$50,165$24.12
36Colorado$47,317$22.75
37Arkansas$51,353$24.69
38Arizona$47,137$22.66
39Indiana$46,586$22.40
40Alabama$51,966$24.98
41Missouri$48,436$23.29
42Maine$51,426$24.72
43Tennessee$46,548$22.38
44West Virginia$49,528$23.81
45Montana$41,021$19.72
46Hawaii$52,793$25.38
47Louisiana$46,581$22.39
48Idaho$45,424$21.84
49Oklahoma$37,967$18.25
50Mississippi$43,363$20.85
51South Dakota$39,617$19.05

Highest paying cities for literature teachers

The highest-paying cities for literature teachers are Cambridge, MA, Mamaroneck, NY, and Washington, DC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Cambridge, MA$86,604$41.64
2Mamaroneck, NY$84,529$40.64
3Washington, DC$76,504$36.78
4San Francisco, CA$65,398$31.44
5Harrisonburg, VA$64,679$31.10
6Chicago, IL$63,607$30.58
7Lauderhill, FL$50,217$24.14
8New Orleans, LA$46,707$22.46
9Memphis, TN$44,842$21.56

Literature teacher salary details

A literature teacher's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average literature teacher salary graph
Average literature teacher salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a literature teacher's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$81,000$6,750$39
75th Percentile$68,000$5,667$33
Average$56,543$4,712$27
25th Percentile$46,000$3,833$22
10th Percentile$39,000$3,250$19

Highest paying literature teacher jobs

The highest paying types of literature teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Teacher Internship$48,398$4,033$23.27105,496
Language Arts Teacher$51,969$4,331$24.9988,551
Spanish Teacher$52,445$4,370$25.2154,666
Reading Teacher$55,452$4,621$26.6668,234
Biology Teacher$51,721$4,310$24.8768,958
Teacher$47,989$3,999$23.0771,918

Which companies pay literature teachers the most?

Literature teacher salaries at French-American School of New York and Grace Church School are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average literature teacher salary at companies like St. Paul's School and French American International School are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1French-American School of New York$73,501$35.34
2Grace Church School$63,521$30.54
3St. Paul's School$55,705$26.78
4French American International School$50,896$24.47
5Washington International School$50,173$24.12
6Bright Horizons$46,525$22.37
7James Madison University$45,769$22.00
8Kenilworth Science and Technology School$41,055$19.74

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$52,000$51,200$50,400$49,600$48,800$48,000
MaleFemale

Literature teacher salary trends

The average literature teacher salary has risen by $7,734 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average literature teacher earned $48,809 annually, but today, they earn $56,543 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for literature teachers over the last decade.

Compare literature teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average literature teacher salary over time

Compare literature teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Literature teacher salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$56,500$27.18+1.9%
2024$55,500$26.66+2.2%
2023$54,200$26.08+1.9%
2022$53,200$25.58+1.9%
2021$52,200$25.09+1.4%

Recently added literature teacher salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Westlake AcademyTeacher-English/Literature (9TH & 10Th Grade)-187 DaysWestlake, TX05/13/2025$61,000
Mechon HadarTeacher of Rabbinic LiteratureNew York, NY02/28/2025$152,080
The International School of San FranciscoEnglish Literature Teacher Upper School-Starts August 2025San Francisco, CA02/21/2025$66,404
Lakes International Language AcademyCommunication Arts and Literature Teacher)Nore, MN02/21/2025$39,500
California Department of EducationHistory & Literature Teacher-Immaculate Heart of Mary SchoolSan Francisco, CA02/21/2025$56,953
District of Columbia International SchoolSpanish Language & Literature TeacherIone, WA02/18/2025$105,575
District of Columbia International SchoolSpanish Language & Literature TeacherWashington, DC01/09/2025$63,113
District of Columbia International SchoolSpanish Language & Literature TeacherIone, WA01/03/2025$63,113
Dc International SchoolSpanish Language & Literature Teacher Washington, D.C.Ione, WA12/11/2024$105,575
C2 EducationAP Literature TeacherPalo Alto, CA10/15/2024$43,827

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