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Best states for a third grade teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
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Third grade teacher opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for third grade teachers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for third grade teachers.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of third grade teachers in America is $64,000.
New Jersey is the best state for jobs for third grade teachers, and Arkansas is the worst. The most common pay in New Jersey is $60,393, while the median pay in Arkansas is $33,408.We found that the South is best for third grade teachers, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for third grade teacher jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.
10 best states for third grade teachers in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total third grade teacher jobs: 1,042 Average annual salary: $60,393 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
2. Connecticut
Total third grade teacher jobs: 374 Average annual salary: $60,936 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
3. New York
Total third grade teacher jobs: 977 Average annual salary: $73,945 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
4. Massachusetts
Total third grade teacher jobs: 722 Average annual salary: $64,286 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
5. Maryland
Total third grade teacher jobs: 784 Average annual salary: $55,856 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
6. Michigan
Total third grade teacher jobs: 765 Average annual salary: $52,796 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
7. District of Columbia
Total third grade teacher jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $59,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
8. Pennsylvania
Total third grade teacher jobs: 852 Average annual salary: $54,398 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
9. Minnesota
Total third grade teacher jobs: 587 Average annual salary: $50,535 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
10. New Mexico
Total third grade teacher jobs: 224 Average annual salary: $46,568 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.44
Third grade teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a third grade teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a third grade teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $60,393 | $42,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,042 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $60,936 | $43,000 | 3,588,184 | 374 |
| 3 | New York | $73,945 | $52,000 | 19,849,399 | 977 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $64,286 | $47,000 | 6,859,819 | 722 |
| 5 | Maryland | $55,856 | $39,000 | 6,052,177 | 784 |
| 6 | Michigan | $52,796 | $38,000 | 9,962,311 | 765 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $59,557 | $42,000 | 693,972 | 166 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $54,398 | $38,000 | 12,805,537 | 852 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $50,535 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 587 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $46,568 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 224 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $46,351 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 219 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $49,521 | $36,000 | 1,920,076 | 167 |
| 13 | California | $56,914 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,841 |
| 14 | Illinois | $46,148 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,474 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $52,376 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 57 |
| 16 | Alaska | $56,001 | $48,000 | 739,795 | 25 |
| 17 | Oregon | $52,499 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 217 |
| 18 | Montana | $45,407 | $34,000 | 1,050,493 | 116 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $44,720 | $33,000 | 579,315 | 45 |
| 20 | Washington | $50,477 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 429 |
| 21 | Utah | $49,427 | $36,000 | 3,101,833 | 125 |
| 22 | Delaware | $44,225 | $31,000 | 961,939 | 110 |
| 23 | Iowa | $43,015 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 250 |
| 24 | Vermont | $44,970 | $33,000 | 623,657 | 51 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $54,106 | $46,000 | 1,427,538 | 17 |
| 26 | Nevada | $39,221 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 393 |
| 27 | Texas | $42,205 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,531 |
| 28 | Ohio | $42,831 | $30,000 | 11,658,609 | 610 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $42,783 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 148 |
| 30 | Colorado | $40,731 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 708 |
| 31 | Virginia | $43,085 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 660 |
| 32 | Indiana | $39,178 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 577 |
| 33 | Arizona | $38,560 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 697 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $41,005 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 344 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $42,696 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 28 |
| 36 | Florida | $39,323 | $29,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,377 |
| 37 | Alabama | $41,401 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 165 |
| 38 | Kansas | $37,538 | $27,000 | 2,913,123 | 257 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $40,862 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 196 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $38,382 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 677 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $36,736 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 343 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $37,538 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 381 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $38,942 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 31 |
| 44 | Idaho | $37,296 | $27,000 | 1,716,943 | 112 |
| 45 | Georgia | $37,070 | $27,000 | 10,429,379 | 738 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $37,046 | $27,000 | 869,666 | 23 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $32,923 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 260 |
| 48 | Maine | $36,818 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 55 |
| 49 | Missouri | $35,646 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 398 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,341 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 110 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $33,408 | $24,000 | 3,004,279 | 143 |
Highest paying states for third grade teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Third Grade Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $60,393 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $60,936 |
| 3 | New York | $73,945 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $64,286 |
| 5 | Maryland | $55,856 |
| 6 | Michigan | $52,796 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $59,557 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $54,398 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $50,535 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $46,568 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $46,351 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $49,521 |
| 13 | California | $56,914 |
| 14 | Illinois | $46,148 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $52,376 |
| 16 | Alaska | $56,001 |
| 17 | Oregon | $52,499 |
| 18 | Montana | $45,407 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $44,720 |
| 20 | Washington | $50,477 |
| 21 | Utah | $49,427 |
| 22 | Delaware | $44,225 |
| 23 | Iowa | $43,015 |
| 24 | Vermont | $44,970 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $54,106 |
| 26 | Nevada | $39,221 |
| 27 | Texas | $42,205 |
| 28 | Ohio | $42,831 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $42,783 |
| 30 | Colorado | $40,731 |
| 31 | Virginia | $43,085 |
| 32 | Indiana | $39,178 |
| 33 | Arizona | $38,560 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $41,005 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $42,696 |
| 36 | Florida | $39,323 |
| 37 | Alabama | $41,401 |
| 38 | Kansas | $37,538 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $40,862 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $38,382 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $36,736 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $37,538 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $38,942 |
| 44 | Idaho | $37,296 |
| 45 | Georgia | $37,070 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $37,046 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $32,923 |
| 48 | Maine | $36,818 |
| 49 | Missouri | $35,646 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,341 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $33,408 |
Expert opinions on the best states for third grade teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for third grade teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
If you mean in the field(s) of classics, some private schools and academies are hiring (still) Latin and Greek teachers, especially in the South and Southwest. In the upper Midwest and Northeast, not so much.
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Updated January 8, 2025