Teacher demographics and statistics in the US
Teacher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates teacher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our teacher estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about teachers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,842,796 teachers currently employed in the United States.
- 74.3% of all teachers are women, while 25.7% are men.
- The average teacher age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of teachers is White (68.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.9%), Black or African American (10.1%) and Unknown (3.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 9% of all teachers are LGBT.
- Teachers are 82% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Teacher demographics by:
Teacher gender statistics
74.3% of teachers are women and 25.7% of teachers are men.
- Female, 74.3%
- Male, 25.7%
Teacher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 74.3% |
| Male | 25.7% |
Teacher gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,693
Female income
$40,160
Teacher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in teacher positions over time. Currently, 74.3% of teachers are female.
Teacher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.64% | 73.36% |
| 2011 | 26.91% | 73.09% |
| 2012 | 27.24% | 72.76% |
| 2013 | 27.39% | 72.61% |
| 2014 | 26.98% | 73.02% |
| 2015 | 27.43% | 72.57% |
| 2016 | 27.46% | 72.54% |
| 2017 | 27.32% | 72.68% |
| 2018 | 27.84% | 72.16% |
| 2019 | 24.35% | 75.65% |
| 2020 | 25.07% | 74.93% |
| 2021 | 25.66% | 74.34% |
Teacher related jobs gender ratio
We compared teachers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, auto collision repair instructor and automotive technology instructor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development Associate Teacher | 3% | 97% |
| Prekindergarten Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Teacher | 26% | 74% |
| Automotive Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Automotive Technology Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Auto Collision Repair Instructor | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Teacher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among teachers is White, which makes up 68.8% of all teachers. Comparatively, 12.9% of teachers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.1% of teachers are Black or African American.
- White, 68.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.9%
- Black or African American, 10.1%
- Unknown, 3.9%
- Asian, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Teacher race
| Teacher race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 68.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.9% |
| Black or African American | 10.1% |
| Unknown | 3.9% |
| Asian | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Teacher race and ethnicity over time
See how teacher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Teacher race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.62% | 10.41% | 2.49% | 9.82% |
| 2011 | 75.22% | 10.35% | 2.67% | 10.01% |
| 2012 | 75.05% | 10.21% | 2.72% | 10.14% |
| 2013 | 74.51% | 10.25% | 2.91% | 10.35% |
| 2014 | 74.60% | 10.18% | 2.90% | 10.41% |
| 2015 | 74.34% | 9.85% | 3.05% | 10.77% |
| 2016 | 73.49% | 10.26% | 3.06% | 11.17% |
| 2017 | 73.44% | 9.91% | 3.20% | 11.31% |
| 2018 | 73.22% | 9.82% | 3.21% | 11.55% |
| 2019 | 72.33% | 10.13% | 3.39% | 12.04% |
| 2020 | 70.42% | 9.80% | 3.46% | 12.16% |
| 2021 | 68.85% | 10.09% | 3.70% | 12.92% |
Teacher wage gap by race
According to our data, asian teachers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american teachers have the lowest average salary at $41,211.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $42,276 |
| White | $42,255 |
| Black or African American | $41,211 |
| Asian | $44,240 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $43,552 |
Average teacher age
See how the average age of teachers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Teacher age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 44 |
| Unknown | 42 | 41 |
| Asian | 40 | 42 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 42 |
| White | 43 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 40.5 | 48.5 |
Teacher age breakdown
The average age of teachers is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the teacher population.
Teacher age breakdown
| Teacher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Teacher educational attainment
The most common degree for teachers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Teachers by degree level
| Teacher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 64% |
| Master's | 15% |
| Associate | 10% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Teacher jobs you might like
Teacher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, teachers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $57,264 annually. With a Doctorate degree, teachers earn a median annual income of $56,767 compared to $46,211 for teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,264 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,211 |
| Doctorate Degree | $56,767 |
Teacher employment statistics
Most teachers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where teachers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where teachers work.
Teacher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 28% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Teacher jobs by company type
Employees with the teacher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most teachers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Teacher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 82% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 11% |
| Government | 6% |
Teacher jobs by industry
The most common industries for teachers are education, non profits and government.
Teacher industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 76% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Teacher turnover and employment statistics
Teacher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for teachers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Teacher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Teacher unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.82% |
| 2011 | 2.96% |
| 2012 | 2.53% |
| 2013 | 2.43% |
| 2014 | 1.86% |
| 2015 | 1.70% |
| 2016 | 1.52% |
| 2017 | 1.41% |
| 2018 | 1.53% |
| 2019 | 1.62% |
| 2020 | 2.49% |
| 2021 | 2.16% |
Average teacher tenure
The average teacher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 372,826 teachers resumes in Zippia's database.
Teacher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Teacher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of teachers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery Supervisor | 5.04% | 1,088 |
| Special Education Coordinator | 7.55% | 65,507 |
| Teacher | 8.89% | - |
| Power Equipment Technology Instructor | 11.94% | 94,417 |
Similar teacher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery Supervisor | 5.04% | 1,088 |
| Special Education Coordinator | 7.55% | 65,507 |
| Power Equipment Technology Instructor | 11.94% | 94,417 |
Foreign languages spoken by teachers
The most common foreign language among teachers is Spanish at 46.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.7% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 6.5%.
- Spanish, 46.2%
- French, 10.7%
- Chinese, 6.5%
- Mandarin, 5.6%
- Japanese, 4.4%
- Other, 26.6%
Teacher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 46.2% |
| French | 10.7% |
| Chinese | 6.5% |
| Mandarin | 5.6% |
| Japanese | 4.4% |
| Other | 26.6% |
