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World language teacher salary
Average world language teacher salary
$53,288
World Language Teacher Salary Insights
The salary for a World Language Teacher varies significantly by state and experience. Currently, the average salary stands at $53,288 per year. Teachers in states like California and New York tend to earn higher salaries, often exceeding $60,000, due to the higher cost of living and demand for bilingual education professionals.
In addition to geographic factors, experience plays a crucial role in salary determination. New teachers can expect to start at approximately $40,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $70,000. Professional development and advanced certifications can also contribute to increased earning potential.
As educational institutions increasingly focus on language acquisition and multicultural education, the demand for qualified World Language Teachers is expected to grow. This trend presents numerous job opportunities across various educational settings, including public schools, private institutions, and language academies.
Salary by State
- California: $60,000+
- New York: $58,000+
- Texas: $52,000+
- Florida: $50,000+
By understanding these salary insights, aspiring and current teachers can better navigate their career paths.
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Where can a World Language Teacher earn more?
World language teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average world language teacher salary by state
The highest-paying states for world language teachers are New York, New Hampshire, and North Dakota. The lowest average world language teacher salary states are Kentucky, Texas, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for world language teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $67,770 | $32.58 |
| 2 | Illinois | $62,559 | $30.08 |
| 3 | Vermont | $60,211 | $28.95 |
| 4 | Nevada | $57,487 | $27.64 |
| 5 | New York | $72,871 | $35.03 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $62,308 | $29.96 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $61,078 | $29.36 |
| 8 | Michigan | $57,392 | $27.59 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $64,661 | $31.09 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $56,273 | $27.05 |
| 11 | California | $63,607 | $30.58 |
| 12 | Florida | $54,200 | $26.06 |
| 13 | Maryland | $55,163 | $26.52 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $54,384 | $26.15 |
| 15 | Montana | $49,789 | $23.94 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $54,035 | $25.98 |
| 17 | Alaska | $60,055 | $28.87 |
| 18 | Washington | $56,437 | $27.13 |
| 19 | Indiana | $51,081 | $24.56 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $49,029 | $23.57 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $52,541 | $25.26 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $53,376 | $25.66 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $52,002 | $25.00 |
| 24 | Delaware | $50,258 | $24.16 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $60,432 | $29.05 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $49,045 | $23.58 |
| 27 | Idaho | $48,447 | $23.29 |
| 28 | Iowa | $48,932 | $23.52 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $49,248 | $23.68 |
| 30 | Kansas | $45,533 | $21.89 |
| 31 | Virginia | $48,119 | $23.13 |
| 32 | Missouri | $48,081 | $23.12 |
| 33 | Arizona | $44,235 | $21.27 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $43,838 | $21.08 |
| 35 | Ohio | $46,520 | $22.37 |
| 36 | Oregon | $46,245 | $22.23 |
| 37 | Colorado | $42,437 | $20.40 |
| 38 | Maine | $45,508 | $21.88 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $42,429 | $20.40 |
| 40 | Georgia | $44,741 | $21.51 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $44,633 | $21.46 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $35,316 | $16.98 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $31,986 | $15.38 |
| 44 | Texas | $40,304 | $19.38 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $43,479 | $20.90 |
| 46 | Alabama | $42,735 | $20.55 |
| 47 | Utah | $43,606 | $20.96 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $41,331 | $19.87 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $33,532 | $16.12 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $40,643 | $19.54 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $39,857 | $19.16 |
Highest paying cities for world language teachers
The highest-paying cities for world language teachers are New York, NY, Merrimack, NH, and Santa Rosa, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $73,059 | $35.12 |
| 2 | Merrimack, NH | $67,993 | $32.69 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $65,631 | $31.55 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $62,773 | $30.18 |
| 5 | Andover, MA | $61,857 | $29.74 |
| 6 | Paterson, NJ | $61,098 | $29.37 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $60,440 | $29.06 |
| 8 | Mercer Island, WA | $56,700 | $27.26 |
| 9 | Westport, CT | $56,295 | $27.06 |
| 10 | Annapolis, MD | $55,409 | $26.64 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $54,445 | $26.18 |
| 12 | Jacksonville, FL | $52,956 | $25.46 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,973 | $24.51 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $49,166 | $23.64 |
| 15 | Alexandria, VA | $49,148 | $23.63 |
| 16 | Lewiston, ME | $45,301 | $21.78 |
| 17 | Duluth, GA | $44,744 | $21.51 |
| 18 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $43,447 | $20.89 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $42,393 | $20.38 |
| 20 | Jackson, MS | $41,404 | $19.91 |
World language teacher salary details
A world language teacher's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a world language teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $53,288 | $4,441 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying world language teacher jobs
The highest paying types of world language teachers are german instructor, russian language instructor, and adjunct spanish instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor Of Spanish | $54,930 | $4,578 | $26.41 | 25,516 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Russian Language Instructor | $64,990 | $5,416 | $31.24 | 45,129 |
| Language Instructor | $57,946 | $4,829 | $27.86 | 45,062 |
| Spanish Teacher | $52,445 | $4,370 | $25.21 | 54,666 |
| ESL Teacher | $52,701 | $4,392 | $25.34 | 63,897 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for world language teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sharon Rowley Ph.D.
Professor, Christopher Newport University
Top companies hiring world language teachers now:
Which companies pay world language teachers the most?
World language teacher salaries at The University of Chicago and Harvard-Westlake School are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average world language teacher salary at companies like Scituate High School and The Hudson School are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Chicago | $79,672 | $38.30 |
| 2 | Harvard-Westlake School | $71,640 | $34.44 |
| 3 | Scituate High School | $67,872 | $32.63 |
| 4 | The Hudson School | $66,264 | $31.86 |
| 5 | Northshore School District | $66,065 | $31.76 |
| 6 | DC International School | $66,003 | $31.73 |
| 7 | The Chicago High School for the Arts | $62,973 | $30.28 |
| 8 | Town Of East Hartford, Ct | $62,591 | $30.09 |
| 9 | Chicago Public Schools | $61,578 | $29.60 |
| 10 | St. Andrew's Episcopal School | $61,223 | $29.43 |
| 11 | Santa Rosa City Schools | $59,860 | $28.78 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Unified School District | $59,534 | $28.62 |
| 13 | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | $59,307 | $28.51 |
| 14 | Ascension Episcopal School | $59,212 | $28.47 |
| 15 | La Jolla Country Day School | $58,221 | $27.99 |
| 16 | Special School District | $58,004 | $27.89 |
| 17 | University School of Nashville | $57,641 | $27.71 |
| 18 | Alpine School District | $56,942 | $27.38 |
| 19 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $56,808 | $27.31 |
| 20 | Broward County Public Schools | $56,668 | $27.24 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
World language teacher salary trends
The average world language teacher salary has risen by $7,843 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average world language teacher earned $45,445 annually, but today, they earn $53,288 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for world language teachers over the last decade.
Compare world language teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average world language teacher salary over time
Compare world language teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
World language teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,300 | $25.62 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | $53,300 | $25.64 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $51,500 | $24.78 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $49,500 | $23.82 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $48,400 | $23.27 | +3.3% |
Recently added world language teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shore Regional High School District | World Language Teacher (Spanish) | West Long Branch, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $62,600 |
| Orange Schools | World Language ~ Spanish (Elementary-Shared Between 2 Locations) | Downe, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $70,488 |
| Beloved Community Charter School | World Language and Spanish Teachers | Jersey City, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $62,000 |
| Minneapolis Public School District | Teacher, World Languages (Ojibwe), South | Minneapolis, MN | 06/26/2025 | $53,629 |
| Downingtown Area School District | Teacher-Secondary-World Languages | Downingtown, PA | 06/25/2025 | $50,000 |
| Dover Public Schools | World Language Teacher-Spanish | Dover, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $92,685 |
| Eastchester Union Free School District | World Language (Fles) Teacher, Probationary (Middle School) | Eastchester, NY | 06/21/2025 | $62,620 |
| Cook County School District 130 | World People Studies Teacher | Kane, IL | 06/19/2025 | $49,029 |
| Illinois Association of School | World People Studies Teacher | Blue Island, IL | 06/18/2025 | $49,029 |
| Anoka-Hennepin School District | World Language Teacher | Nore, MN | 06/18/2025 | $50,029 |
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