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The average salary for a social science teacher in the United States is approximately $52,056 annually, translating to about $25 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and the specific school district. For instance, teachers in metropolitan areas often earn higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living adjustments.
States like California, New York, and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for social science teachers, reflecting both the cost of living and funding for education. In contrast, rural areas may offer lower salaries but can provide unique opportunities for community engagement.
In addition to traditional teaching roles, social science educators can explore positions in curriculum development, educational consulting, and administrative roles, which often come with higher pay scales. Understanding these options can help teachers plan their career paths effectively.
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The average social science teacher salary in Maryland, New York, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social science teacher salary states are Mississippi, Idaho, and Montana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $75,074 | $36.09 |
| 2 | Delaware | $65,558 | $31.52 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $64,535 | $31.03 |
| 4 | New York | $66,694 | $32.06 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $57,987 | $27.88 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $64,426 | $30.97 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $63,581 | $30.57 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $64,958 | $31.23 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $64,426 | $30.97 |
| 10 | Washington | $61,074 | $29.36 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $59,452 | $28.58 |
| 12 | Nevada | $52,800 | $25.38 |
| 13 | Vermont | $53,887 | $25.91 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $59,152 | $28.44 |
| 15 | Alaska | $57,921 | $27.85 |
| 16 | Illinois | $54,309 | $26.11 |
| 17 | Ohio | $59,608 | $28.66 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $56,241 | $27.04 |
| 19 | Oregon | $56,341 | $27.09 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $50,904 | $24.47 |
| 21 | Kansas | $50,692 | $24.37 |
| 22 | Georgia | $53,459 | $25.70 |
| 23 | Michigan | $47,377 | $22.78 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $52,158 | $25.08 |
| 25 | California | $55,363 | $26.62 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $46,851 | $22.52 |
| 27 | Virginia | $55,235 | $26.56 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $44,185 | $21.24 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $46,563 | $22.39 |
| 30 | Utah | $49,724 | $23.91 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $46,868 | $22.53 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $43,191 | $20.76 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $45,704 | $21.97 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $46,133 | $22.18 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| 36 | Texas | $47,056 | $22.62 |
| 37 | Alabama | $47,291 | $22.74 |
| 38 | Florida | $44,858 | $21.57 |
| 39 | Colorado | $42,072 | $20.23 |
| 40 | Arizona | $41,726 | $20.06 |
| 41 | Idaho | $38,114 | $18.32 |
| 42 | Montana | $35,223 | $16.93 |
| 43 | Iowa | $42,990 | $20.67 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $41,711 | $20.05 |
| 45 | Missouri | $43,633 | $20.98 |
| 46 | Maine | $32,791 | $15.76 |
| 47 | Indiana | $40,133 | $19.29 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $41,779 | $20.09 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $39,426 | $18.95 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $34,485 | $16.58 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $34,923 | $16.79 |
The highest-paying cities for social science teachers are Frederick, MD, New York, NY, and Bridgeport, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederick, MD | $74,794 | $35.96 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $67,672 | $32.53 |
| 3 | Bridgeport, CT | $65,890 | $31.68 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,090 | $31.29 |
| 5 | Warwick, RI | $63,963 | $30.75 |
| 6 | Benicia, CA | $62,614 | $30.10 |
| 7 | Marysville, WA | $60,970 | $29.31 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $60,875 | $29.27 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $59,036 | $28.38 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $54,644 | $26.27 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $53,497 | $25.72 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $47,722 | $22.94 |
| 13 | Fayetteville, AR | $46,912 | $22.55 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $46,687 | $22.45 |
| 15 | Dallas, TX | $46,333 | $22.28 |
| 16 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $45,722 | $21.98 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $45,356 | $21.81 |
| 18 | Clinton, IA | $44,343 | $21.32 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $44,298 | $21.30 |
| 20 | Morgantown, WV | $43,237 | $20.79 |
A social science teacher's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $52,056 | $4,338 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of social science teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| History Teacher | $53,780 | $4,482 | $25.86 | 65,399 |
| Math Teacher | $51,088 | $4,257 | $24.56 | 59,347 |
| Head Teacher | $51,715 | $4,310 | $24.86 | 73,756 |
| Spanish Teacher | $52,445 | $4,370 | $25.21 | 54,666 |
| Biology Teacher | $51,721 | $4,310 | $24.87 | 68,958 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for social science teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Maggie Beeber
Undergraduate Advising Coordinator & Teacher Certification Officer, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Top companies hiring social science teachers now:
Social science teacher salaries at Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles and Rutgers University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social science teacher salary at companies like Marywood University and University of California, Berkeley are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles | $75,884 | $36.48 |
| 2 | Rutgers University | $72,593 | $34.90 |
| 3 | Marywood University | $71,370 | $34.31 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | $68,822 | $33.09 |
| 5 | University of Hawaii Foundation | $64,931 | $31.22 |
| 6 | San Jose State University | $63,041 | $30.31 |
| 7 | Campbell Union High School District | $62,505 | $30.05 |
| 8 | East Side Union High School District | $62,483 | $30.04 |
| 9 | Fontana Unified School District | $61,554 | $29.59 |
| 10 | State University of New York College at Cortland | $60,386 | $29.03 |
| 11 | West Covina USD | $59,731 | $28.72 |
| 12 | Benicia Unified School District | $59,512 | $28.61 |
| 13 | Florida International University | $59,489 | $28.60 |
| 14 | Patterson Joint Unified School District | $58,123 | $27.94 |
| 15 | Sacramento City Unified School District | $56,912 | $27.36 |
| 16 | Perris Union High School District | $55,280 | $26.58 |
| 17 | Sweetwater Union High School District | $55,156 | $26.52 |
| 18 | CAPITAL PREP HARBOR SCHOOL | $54,162 | $26.04 |
| 19 | Mobo USA | $54,113 | $26.02 |
| 20 | Connections Academy | $54,102 | $26.01 |
The average social science teacher salary has risen by $7,121 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social science teacher earned $44,935 annually, but today, they earn $52,056 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for social science teachers over the last decade.
Compare social science teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare social science teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,100 | $25.03 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $51,100 | $24.55 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $49,900 | $24.01 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $49,000 | $23.55 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $48,000 | $23.10 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista Christian School | Social Sciences Teacher Academic Year) | Watsonville, CA | 06/30/2025 | $50,000 |
| Capital Prep Harbor School Inc. | Social Justice Teacher | Fine, NY | 06/29/2025 | $62,784 |
| Encinitas Union Elementary | Social Emotional Learning-Trac Teacher (Teamwork, Regulation, Awareness, Community) for The | Encinitas, CA | 06/28/2025 | $49,589 |
| Decatur Public Schools | Social/Emotional Development Teacher | Decatur, IL | 06/25/2025 | $44,500 |
| Rochambeau, The French International School of Washington Dc | Teacher Secondary Economy-Social Sciences* | Bethesda, MD | 06/19/2025 | $49,911 |
| Brentwood Union School District | Teacher-7Th/8Th Grade Social Science/World Cultures School Year | Ione, CA | 06/14/2025 | $65,357 |
| Edgewood ISD | ACE-MS Science/Social Studies | Nome, TX | 06/12/2025 | $58,500 |
| Standard School District | Teacher, Social Science | Ione, CA | 06/01/2025 | $56,701 |
| Rochambeau, The French International School of Washington Dc | Teacher Secondary Economy-Social Sciences* | Bethesda, MD | 05/26/2025 | $49,911 |
| Scott Valley Unified School District | Teacher, 7Th or 8Th Grade, English/Social Science, Scott Valley Junior High | Fort Jones, CA | 05/23/2025 | $47,043 |
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