Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Psychology teacher salary
Average psychology teacher salary
$54,388
Understanding Psychology Teacher Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Psychology Teacher in the United States is $54,388 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of school—public or private. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
Psychology teachers with advanced degrees or certifications typically command higher wages. Additionally, educators in urban areas may receive better compensation compared to those in rural regions. The role involves teaching students about human behavior, effectively preparing them for further studies or careers in psychology.
Salary Comparison by State
To better understand how salaries vary, consider that states with the highest pay for psychology teachers include:
- California
- New York
- Texas
Each of these states presents unique opportunities and challenges, contributing to the overall salary landscape for psychology educators. Aspiring teachers should research specific districts and institutions to identify the best opportunities available.
Let Zippia find your next psychology teacher job
Let Zippia find your next psychology teacher job
Where can a Psychology Teacher earn more?
Psychology teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average psychology teacher salary by state
The highest-paying states for psychology teachers are California, North Dakota, and Nevada. The lowest average psychology teacher salary states are Iowa, New Mexico, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for psychology teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $65,510 | $31.50 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $61,800 | $29.71 |
| 3 | Delaware | $65,495 | $31.49 |
| 4 | Illinois | $60,611 | $29.14 |
| 5 | California | $73,405 | $35.29 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $63,572 | $30.56 |
| 7 | Nevada | $67,925 | $32.66 |
| 8 | Kansas | $59,574 | $28.64 |
| 9 | New York | $65,005 | $31.25 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $66,331 | $31.89 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $59,387 | $28.55 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $69,373 | $33.35 |
| 13 | Michigan | $56,517 | $27.17 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $59,782 | $28.74 |
| 15 | Indiana | $55,063 | $26.47 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $58,968 | $28.35 |
| 17 | Ohio | $55,553 | $26.71 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $64,269 | $30.90 |
| 19 | Montana | $53,760 | $25.85 |
| 20 | Alaska | $62,069 | $29.84 |
| 21 | Maryland | $55,293 | $26.58 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $53,159 | $25.56 |
| 23 | Utah | $55,940 | $26.89 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $52,419 | $25.20 |
| 25 | Colorado | $54,075 | $26.00 |
| 26 | Oregon | $55,964 | $26.91 |
| 27 | Idaho | $53,502 | $25.72 |
| 28 | Vermont | $54,527 | $26.21 |
| 29 | Washington | $55,341 | $26.61 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $50,214 | $24.14 |
| 31 | Missouri | $51,562 | $24.79 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $61,325 | $29.48 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $50,609 | $24.33 |
| 34 | Florida | $50,346 | $24.20 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $55,756 | $26.81 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $48,218 | $23.18 |
| 37 | Arizona | $53,098 | $25.53 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $49,153 | $23.63 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $50,815 | $24.43 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $51,673 | $24.84 |
| 41 | Maine | $51,827 | $24.92 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $44,655 | $21.47 |
| 43 | Virginia | $49,948 | $24.01 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $48,632 | $23.38 |
| 45 | Alabama | $48,617 | $23.37 |
| 46 | Georgia | $46,359 | $22.29 |
| 47 | Texas | $43,781 | $21.05 |
| 48 | Iowa | $44,917 | $21.59 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $41,912 | $20.15 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $42,373 | $20.37 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $42,283 | $20.33 |
Highest paying cities for psychology teachers
The highest-paying cities for psychology teachers are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $75,516 | $36.31 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $65,152 | $31.32 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $61,791 | $29.71 |
| 4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $61,381 | $29.51 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $60,700 | $29.18 |
| 6 | Manhattan, KS | $59,757 | $28.73 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $59,009 | $28.37 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $56,752 | $27.28 |
| 9 | Ann Arbor, MI | $56,385 | $27.11 |
| 10 | Middletown, CT | $55,801 | $26.83 |
| 11 | Bellingham, WA | $55,777 | $26.82 |
| 12 | Muncie, IN | $55,272 | $26.57 |
| 13 | College Park, MD | $55,186 | $26.53 |
| 14 | Fort Collins, CO | $54,071 | $26.00 |
| 15 | Moscow, ID | $53,988 | $25.96 |
| 16 | Tucson, AZ | $52,599 | $25.29 |
| 17 | Coral Gables, FL | $51,595 | $24.81 |
| 18 | Chester, PA | $50,421 | $24.24 |
| 19 | Harrisonburg, VA | $49,544 | $23.82 |
| 20 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $48,679 | $23.40 |
Psychology teacher salary details
A psychology teacher's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $76,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a psychology teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $54,388 | $4,532 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying psychology teacher jobs
The highest paying types of psychology teachers are social sciences department chairperson, psychology department chairperson, and professor of psychology.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Teacher | $50,708 | $4,226 | $24.38 | 92,051 |
| Student Teacher | $59,035 | $4,920 | $28.38 | 79,071 |
| Language Teacher | $51,413 | $4,284 | $24.72 | 74,479 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Psychology Instructor | $58,760 | $4,897 | $28.25 | 36,350 |
Top companies hiring psychology teachers now:
Which companies pay psychology teachers the most?
Psychology teacher salaries at University of California, Berkeley and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average psychology teacher salary at companies like University of Michigan and Boston College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $79,656 | $38.30 |
| 2 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | $76,618 | $36.84 |
| 3 | University of Michigan | $65,318 | $31.40 |
| 4 | Boston College | $64,624 | $31.07 |
| 5 | University of Hawaii Foundation | $64,469 | $30.99 |
| 6 | California State University, Fresno | $62,617 | $30.10 |
| 7 | Western Washington University | $62,517 | $30.06 |
| 8 | UMiami Health System | $61,121 | $29.39 |
| 9 | Cleveland State University | $60,570 | $29.12 |
| 10 | The University System of Maryland Foundation | $59,888 | $28.79 |
| 11 | Widener University | $59,861 | $28.78 |
| 12 | James Madison University | $59,854 | $28.78 |
| 13 | Nova Southeastern University | $58,731 | $28.24 |
| 14 | Kansas State University | $58,215 | $27.99 |
| 15 | The Ohio State University | $57,612 | $27.70 |
| 16 | KIPP Northern California Public Schools | $57,281 | $27.54 |
| 17 | The University of Alabama | $57,048 | $27.43 |
| 18 | Ball State University | $56,588 | $27.21 |
| 19 | Georgia State University | $56,329 | $27.08 |
| 20 | Alliant International University | $55,953 | $26.90 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Psychology teacher salary trends
The average psychology teacher salary has risen by $6,978 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average psychology teacher earned $47,410 annually, but today, they earn $54,388 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for psychology teachers over the last decade.
Compare psychology teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average psychology teacher salary over time
Compare psychology teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Psychology teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,400 | $26.15 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | $53,300 | $25.63 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | $53,400 | $25.66 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | $51,300 | $24.67 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $50,900 | $24.46 | +3.9% |
Recently added psychology teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSST Public Schools | AP Psychology Teacher School Year) | Denver, CO | 05/16/2025 | $60,000 |
| Lansing School District | Psychology Teacher | Lansing, MI | 04/30/2025 | $46,942 |
| Arizona Department of Education | 2387 Teacher-Psychology | Tucson, AZ | 03/29/2025 | $46,587 |
| Prescott Unified School District | French and AP Psychology Teacher | Prescott, AZ | 02/13/2025 | $54,292 |
| Envision Education | AP Psychology Teacher | San Francisco, CA | 01/24/2025 | $62,424 |
| Idea Public Schools | Psychology Teacher-Idea Judson College Prep (Immediate Opening) | San Antonio, TX | 01/08/2025 | $58,500 |
| Csgrammar | Teacher of Psychology | Bexley, OH | 10/17/2024 | $44,985 |
| Education 365 | Teacher of Psychology | Conde, SD | 10/05/2024 | $43,806 |
| Education 365 | Teacher of Psychology | Conde, SD | 09/25/2024 | $43,806 |
| Education 365 | Teacher of Psychology | Conde, SD | 09/15/2024 | $43,806 |
Psychology teacher salary FAQs
Search for psychology teacher jobs