Education Week analyzed U.S. Census Bureau earnings data and confirmed what’s long been suspected: Teachers make less than other college-educated workers—a lot less. From 1994 to 1998, for example, the average salary for teachers with a master’s degree climbed all of $200, after adjusting for inflation. During that time, the average pay for other workers with the same credentials jumped $17,505.
Here is Education Week‘s state-by-state comparison of the salaries of teachers—both public and private—with other workers. The pay of teachers and nonteachers with a bachelor’s degree is compared first, then the salaries of those with a master’s. In each case, we’ve added a ranking, assigning “1" to the state where the salary gap between teachers is the smallest, based on percentage differences.
| Bachelor’s degree | Master’s Degree | |||||
| Teachers | Others | Rank | Teachers | Others | Rank | |
| Alabama | $32,104 | $44,391 | 25 | $37,041 | $65,699 | 43 |
| Alaska | $29,113 | $33,850 | 5 | $41,666 | $51,850 | 2 |
| Arizona | $28,106 | $43,051 | 43 | $37,771 | $60,808 | 35 |
| Arkansas | $27,572 | $38,942 | 29 | $37,035 | $59,433 | 34 |
| California | $30,332 | $39,673 | 19 | $37,274 | $57,740 | 25 |
| Colorado | $24,475 | $41,138 | 47 | $37,579 | $59,895 | 32 |
| Connecticut | $33,086 | $37,818 | 3 | $42,516 | $61,424 | 15 |
| Delaware | $28,929 | $42,456 | 37 | $42,489 | $55,668 | 18 |
| D.C | n/a | $31,485 | _ | $36,973 | $54,026 | 3 |
| Florida | $31,645 | $41,801 | 21 | $39,034 | $62,403 | 33 |
| Georgia | $31,011 | $44,422 | 33 | $38,730 | $63,226 | 38 |
| Hawaii | $26,445 | $29,903 | 1 | $25,132 | $45,137 | 44 |
| Idaho | $27,733 | $39,973 | 35 | $35,813 | $54.707 | 35 |
| Illinois | $30,519 | $45,391 | 40 | $43,258 | $64,146 | 19 |
| Indiana | n/a | $43,484 | _ | $45,309 | $65,641 | 16 |
| Iowa | $30,296 | $39,137 | 16 | $40,306 | $65,077 | 36 |
| Kansas | $27,819 | $41,745 | 41 | $39,434 | $61,667 | 29 |
| Kentucky | $26,568 | $45,036 | 48 | $39,324 | $73,201 | 49 |
| Louisiana | $26,612 | $46,058 | 49 | $32,270 | $67,880 | 50 |
| Maine | $27,214 | $38,444 | 30 | n/a | $53,200 | _ |
| Maryland | $28,980 | $42,326 | 36 | $40,905 | $58,045 | 11 |
| Massachusetts | $28,075 | $38,438 | 22 | $36,362 | $56,587 | 27 |
| Michigan | $36,359 | $46,643 | 15 | $51,562 | $68,794 | 5 |
| Minnesota | $31,599 | $41,657 | 20 | $47,756 | $65,360 | 7 |
| Mississippi | $27,606 | $40,917 | 39 | $34,810 | $58,116 | 39 |
| Missouri | $26,889 | $38,471 | 32 | $36,502 | $55,221 | 21 |
| Montana | $28,341 | $32,105 | 2 | $39,496 | $43,417 | 1 |
| Nebraska | $28,174 | $39,577 | 28 | $40,197 | $57,891 | 14 |
| Nevada | $29,989 | $41,731 | 26 | $40,802 | $63,387 | 26 |
| New Hampshire | $31,352 | $40,747 | 18 | $34,849 | $55,400 | 31 |
| New Jersey | $34,567 | $42,814 | 13 | $43,375 | $62,042 | 13 |
| New Mexico | $25,796 | $37,105 | 34 | $33,518 | $54,343 | 37 |
| New York | $30,400 | $41,851 | 23 | $41,831 | $60,887 | 17 |
| North Carolina | $26,149 | $40,185 | 44 | $31,860 | $58,387 | 47 |
| North Dakota | $26,830 | $32,937 | 9 | $36,349 | $55,425 | 23 |
| Ohio | $32,410 | $44,961 | 42 | $34,710 | $62,922 | 41 |
| Oklahoma | $29,886 | $44,961 | 42 | $34,710 | $62,922 | 45 |
| Oregon | $32,978 | $40,399 | 8 | $41,011 | $56,613 | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,218 | $42,596 | 6 | $45,692 | $67,894 | 20 |
| Rhode Island | $31,734 | $39,131 | 11 | $40,389 | $57,342 | 12 |
| South Carolina | $29,812 | $46,123 | 45 | $38,594 | $60,590 | 30 |
| South Dakota | $27,091 | $35,140 | 17 | $38,267 | $58,103 | 22 |
| Tennessee | $29,167 | $46,740 | 46 | $37,665 | $69,545 | 48 |
| Texas | $32,390 | $47,804 | 38 | $41,420 | $75,136 | 46 |
| Utah | $29,464 | $41,283 | 27 | $36,203 | $61,090 | 40 |
| Vermont | $30,409 | $34,891 | 4 | $37,490 | $50,602 | 6 |
| Virginia | $30,660 | $43,644 | 31 | $39,048 | $67,442 | 42 |
| Washington | $33,172 | $40,839 | 10 | $40,050 | $56,116 | 10 |
| West Virginia | $30,994 | $39,131 | 14 | $37,328 | $58,261 | 28 |
| Wisconsin | $34,839 | $43,141 | 12 | $48,057 | $65,881 | 8 |
| Wyoming | $29,109 | $35,384 | 7 | $36,910 | $48,596 | 4 |
| U.S. | $30,074 | $43,075 | _ | $40,703 | $63,483 | _ |
Data in the table are averages from annual surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau 1992-99. All figures have been adjusted using a cost of living index developed by the American Federation of Teachers.
Education Week worked on this analysis with Martha Scobee of the University of Louisville’s Kentucky Data Center.
