Teaching Profession Report Roundup

Teacher Salaries

By Brenda Iasevoli — February 28, 2017 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Alaska and New York state pay teachers nearly double the salaries of those working in Mississippi and Oklahoma, says a study by GoBankingRates.

According to the finance website, teachers in Alaska and New York are paid each year on average $77,843 and $76,593, respectively. By contrast, the averages in Mississippi and Oklahoma are $42,043 and $42,647, respectively.

The average teacher salaries in 50 states (not including the District of Columbia) were calculated using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The authors averaged the mean salaries of elementary, middle, and high school teachers to get the average salary in each state. The calculations did not include the salaries of special education teachers.

The 10 states where teachers get paid the most:
1. Alaska: $77,843
2. New York: $76,593
3. Connecticut: $75,867
4. California: $72,050
5. Massachusetts: $71,587
6. New Jersey: $70,700
7. Rhode Island: $67,533
8. Maryland: $65,257
9. Illinois: $65,153
10. Virginia: $63,493

The 10 states where teachers get paid the least:
1. Mississippi: $42,043
2. Oklahoma: $42,647
3. South Dakota: $43,200
4. North Carolina: $43,587
5. Arizona: $43,800
6. West Virginia: $45,477
7. Arkansas: $47,053
8. Idaho: $47,063
9. Kansas: $47,127
10. Louisiana: $48,587

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the March 01, 2017 edition of Education Week as Teacher Salaries

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Managing AI in Schools: Practical Strategies for Districts
How should districts govern AI in schools? Learn practical strategies for policies, safety, transparency, as well as responsible adoption.
Content provided by Lightspeed Systems
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Unlocking Success for Struggling Adolescent Readers
The Science of Reading transformed K-3 literacy. Now it's time to extend that focus to students in grades 6 through 12.
Content provided by STARI
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Teachers Say Student Behavior Has Made the Job (Almost) Impossible
Teachers say their morale is affected when student misbehavior is on the rise.
3 min read
swingspaces pgk 38
A sign reminds students about classroom norms at an elementary school on Aug. 15, 2025 in Bowie, Md. Many teachers in a recent Education Week survey said student behavior was a top problem—and affected their morale.
Pete Kiehart for Education Week
Teaching Profession 'Treated as a Professional': How District and School Leaders Can Boost Teacher Morale
California educators talked about the support they need at an event hosted by Education Week and EdSource.
5 min read
tk
From left, Alicia Simba, a transitional kindergarten teacher; Eric Lewis, a science teacher; Vito Chiala, a principal; Chris Hoffman, a school superintendent; and moderator Diana Lambert of EdSource appear on a panel during the State of Teaching discussion in San Francisco on March 19, 2026. The administrators and classroom educators spoke of what it takes to boost teacher morale.
Andrew Reed/EdSource
Teaching Profession Data From 50 States: Teachers on Class Sizes, Improving Morale, and How Salaries Stack Up
Teachers across the states report that they make a significant amount beyond what they earn teaching.
1 min read
Allyson Maldonado, a New Teacher Support Coach, brainstorms during New Teacher Support Coaches Professional Learning session on November 7, 2025 at Center for Professional Development in Fresno. California.
Allyson Maldonado, a New Teacher Support Coach, brainstorms during New Teacher Support Coaches Professional Learning session on November 7, 2025 at Center for Professional Development in Fresno. California.
Andri Tambunan for Education Week
Teaching Profession Data From 50 States: Teachers' Views of How the Profession Is Seen—And Their Own Career Plans
Most believe the public views teaching negatively, and many say they plan to work in other fields.
1 min read
A look at the state of teaching in Fresno, Calif.
A look at the state of teaching in Fresno, Calif.
Andri Tambunan for Education Week