Average U.S. Public School Teacher Salary by State 2026: Statistics, Charts & Rankings
The 2026 state ranking uses NEA Table E-6 estimated average salaries of public school teachers for school year 2025-26. The table also keeps the 2024-25 comparison salary, one-year estimated change, current-dollar decade change, and constant-dollar decade change.
Salary values are reported in current dollars unless the constant-dollar column is named. State ranks are computed from the 2025-26 estimated salary column.
Teacher Salary Snapshot
NEA estimates a national average public school teacher salary of $76,552 for school year 2025-26, up from $74,495 in 2024-25.
Highest Estimated Teacher Salaries in 2025-26
The chart shows the top 15 jurisdictions by estimated average public school teacher salary. The full 51-row ranking follows in the main table.
Top 15 states and jurisdictions by estimated teacher salary
NEA E-6 estimated average salary, school year 2025-26.
The visual is a top-15 summary. The ranking table contains all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Chart analysis
- California leads the 2025-26 estimate at $105,726.
- New York is second at $100,367, followed by Washington at $99,649.
- Seven jurisdictions are estimated at or above $90,000.
- The top-15 cutoff is $78,007, held by Minnesota.
- Values are current dollars and are not regional price-level adjustments.
Salary band grid by state
Each chip is assigned to a 2025-26 estimated salary band.
The grid is a salary-band view, not a geographic map projection. Hover labels show the estimated value.
Map analysis
- 7 jurisdictions fall in the $90,000+ band.
- 6 states fall below $60,000.
- The largest band is $65,000-$74,999, with 16 states.
- The $75,000-$89,999 band contains 11 jurisdictions.
State Ranking Table: Estimated Average Teacher Salary, 2025-26
Ranks are ordered by estimated 2025-26 average public school teacher salary. Current-dollar and constant-dollar decade changes are from NEA E-6.
| Rank | State | Code | Region | 2025-26 Salary | 2024-25 Salary | $ Change | 1-Year Change | Current $ 2017-26 | Constant $ 2017-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | CA | West | $105,726 | $103,552 | $2,174 | 2.10% | 33.61% | -0.58% |
| 2 | New York | NY | Northeast | $100,367 | $98,655 | $1,712 | 1.74% | 22.55% | -8.82% |
| 3 | Washington | WA | West | $99,649 | $96,589 | $3,060 | 3.17% | 83.07% | 36.21% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | DC | South | $96,971 | $95,077 | $1,894 | 1.99% | 28.11% | -4.68% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | MA | Northeast | $96,165 | $93,554 | $2,611 | 2.79% | 22.24% | -9.05% |
| 6 | Connecticut | CT | Northeast | $91,081 | $89,593 | $1,488 | 1.66% | 24.52% | -7.35% |
| 7 | Maryland | MD | South | $90,741 | $87,409 | $3,332 | 3.81% | 32.75% | -1.23% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | RI | Northeast | $88,120 | $85,772 | $2,348 | 2.74% | 21.18% | -9.83% |
| 9 | New Jersey | NJ | Northeast | $86,096 | $84,974 | $1,122 | 1.32% | 20.24% | -10.54% |
| 10 | Oregon | OR | West | $83,727 | $81,657 | $2,070 | 2.53% | 35.35% | 0.71% |
| 11 | Alaska | AK | West | $82,629 | $81,450 | $1,179 | 1.45% | 20.15% | -10.60% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | PA | Northeast | $81,142 | $79,078 | $2,064 | 2.61% | 22.45% | -8.89% |
| 13 | Illinois | IL | Midwest | $80,077 | $78,495 | $1,582 | 2.02% | 24.12% | -7.65% |
| 14 | Delaware | DE | South | $78,614 | $76,570 | $2,044 | 2.67% | 27.89% | -4.84% |
| 15 | Minnesota | MN | Midwest | $78,007 | $76,234 | $1,773 | 2.33% | 31.40% | -2.23% |
| 16 | Hawaii | HI | West | $77,812 | $75,860 | $1,952 | 2.57% | 37.35% | 2.20% |
| 17 | Utah | UT | West | $75,306 | $72,882 | $2,424 | 3.33% | 55.03% | 15.35% |
| 18 | Nevada | NV | West | $75,074 | $74,812 | $262 | 0.35% | 37.31% | 2.17% |
| 19 | Colorado | CO | West | $74,790 | $72,781 | $2,009 | 2.76% | 44.35% | 7.41% |
| 20 | Vermont | VT | Northeast | $73,694 | $71,871 | $1,823 | 2.54% | 24.40% | -7.44% |
| 21 | Michigan | MI | Midwest | $73,088 | $71,023 | $2,065 | 2.91% | 17.34% | -12.69% |
| 22 | Georgia | GA | South | $72,758 | $71,524 | $1,234 | 1.73% | 31.02% | -2.51% |
| 23 | Virginia | VA | South | $72,014 | $69,254 | $2,760 | 3.99% | 37.59% | 2.38% |
| 24 | Ohio | OH | Midwest | $71,868 | $70,586 | $1,282 | 1.82% | 23.48% | -8.12% |
| 25 | New Hampshire | NH | Northeast | $71,857 | $69,432 | $2,425 | 3.49% | 24.92% | -7.05% |
| 26 | New Mexico | NM | West | $71,057 | $69,736 | $1,321 | 1.89% | 50.79% | 12.20% |
| 27 | Wisconsin | WI | Midwest | $68,943 | $67,794 | $1,149 | 1.69% | 22.04% | -9.19% |
| 28 | Maine | ME | Northeast | $68,820 | $65,621 | $3,199 | 4.87% | 30.15% | -3.16% |
| 29 | Texas | TX | South | $68,001 | $63,749 | $4,252 | 6.67% | 29.46% | -3.67% |
| 30 | Wyoming | WY | West | $67,914 | $65,668 | $2,246 | 3.42% | 16.72% | -13.16% |
| 31 | South Carolina | SC | South | $67,107 | $64,050 | $3,057 | 4.77% | 34.21% | -0.14% |
| 32 | Iowa | IA | Midwest | $67,041 | $65,312 | $1,729 | 2.65% | 20.48% | -10.36% |
| 33 | Arizona | AZ | West | $66,748 | $64,291 | $2,457 | 3.82% | 41.03% | 4.94% |
| 34 | Idaho | ID | West | $66,085 | $62,786 | $3,299 | 5.25% | 39.14% | 3.53% |
| 35 | Nebraska | NE | Midwest | $64,854 | $63,326 | $1,528 | 2.41% | 23.91% | -7.80% |
| 36 | Alabama | AL | South | $64,466 | $62,985 | $1,481 | 2.35% | 27.93% | -4.81% |
| 37 | Kansas | KS | Midwest | $63,411 | $61,470 | $1,941 | 3.16% | 28.31% | -4.53% |
| 38 | Indiana | IN | Midwest | $63,116 | $61,661 | $1,455 | 2.36% | 25.68% | -6.48% |
| 39 | Tennessee | TN | South | $62,941 | $61,222 | $1,719 | 2.81% | 25.63% | -6.52% |
| 40 | Kentucky | KY | South | $62,457 | $60,594 | $1,863 | 3.07% | 19.33% | -11.21% |
| 41 | North Dakota | ND | Midwest | $62,325 | $60,704 | $1,621 | 2.67% | 19.83% | -10.84% |
| 42 | Oklahoma | OK | South | $62,055 | $61,931 | $124 | 0.20% | 37.01% | 1.95% |
| 43 | South Dakota | SD | Midwest | $60,451 | $58,486 | $1,965 | 3.36% | 28.68% | -4.26% |
| 44 | Montana | MT | West | $60,392 | $59,305 | $1,087 | 1.83% | 21.29% | -9.75% |
| 45 | Arkansas | AR | South | $60,120 | $59,193 | $927 | 1.57% | 24.46% | -7.39% |
| 46 | North Carolina | NC | South | $59,971 | $60,323 | -$352 | -0.58% | 21.44% | -9.64% |
| 47 | Missouri | MO | Midwest | $59,534 | $57,366 | $2,168 | 3.78% | 22.45% | -8.89% |
| 48 | West Virginia | WV | South | $58,281 | $58,099 | $182 | 0.31% | 27.94% | -4.81% |
| 49 | Florida | FL | South | $58,069 | $56,663 | $1,406 | 2.48% | 21.34% | -9.72% |
| 50 | Louisiana | LA | South | $57,660 | $56,785 | $875 | 1.54% | 15.78% | -13.85% |
| 51 | Mississippi | MS | South | $56,504 | $54,975 | $1,529 | 2.78% | 26.52% | -5.86% |
Table analysis
- California ranks first at $105,726; Mississippi ranks 51st at $56,504.
- The top-to-bottom spread is $49,222.
- New Mexico is the median-ranked jurisdiction at $71,057.
- Texas has the largest estimated one-year change at 6.67%, equal to $4,252.
- North Carolina is the only listed state with a negative estimated one-year change, at -0.58%.
- Washington has the largest constant-dollar decade change at 36.21%.
- Louisiana has the lowest constant-dollar decade change at -13.85%.
- 11 jurisdictions show positive constant-dollar change from 2017 to 2026, while 40 show negative constant-dollar change.
- The national average is teacher-weighted by NEA; the state median is a 51-jurisdiction median computed from the state table.
Regional Salary Summary and Distribution Bands
Regional tables use Census-style regions for state grouping. Regional averages shown here are unweighted state averages, not teacher-weighted national averages.
| Region | Jurisdictions | Avg Salary | Median | Highest State | Highest Salary | Lowest State | Lowest Salary | Avg 1-Year | Avg Constant $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 9 | $84,149 | $86,096 | New York | $100,367 | Maine | $68,820 | 2.64% | -8.01% |
| Midwest | 12 | $67,726 | $65,948 | Illinois | $80,077 | Missouri | $59,534 | 2.60% | -7.75% |
| South | 17 | $67,572 | $62,941 | District of Columbia | $96,971 | Mississippi | $56,504 | 2.48% | -5.09% |
| West | 13 | $77,455 | $75,074 | California | $105,726 | Montana | $60,392 | 2.65% | 3.89% |
Table analysis
- Northeast has the highest regional average at $84,149.
- South has the lowest regional median at $62,941.
- West is the only region with a positive average constant-dollar decade change, at 3.89%.
- New York, Illinois, District of Columbia, and California are the regional high points.
| Salary Band | States | Avg Salary | Highest in Band | Lowest in Band | State Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <$60,000 | 6 | $58,336 | North Carolina | Mississippi | NC, MO, WV, FL, LA, MS |
| $60,000-$64,999 | 11 | $62,417 | Nebraska | Arkansas | NE, AL, KS, IN, TN, KY, ND, OK, SD, MT, AR |
| $65,000-$74,999 | 16 | $70,112 | Colorado | Idaho | CO, VT, MI, GA, VA, OH, NH, NM, WI, ME, TX, WY, SC, IA, AZ, ID |
| $75,000-$89,999 | 11 | $80,600 | Rhode Island | Nevada | RI, NJ, OR, AK, PA, IL, DE, MN, HI, UT, NV |
| $90,000+ | 7 | $97,243 | California | Maryland | CA, NY, WA, DC, MA, CT, MD |
Table analysis
- The $65,000-$74,999 band contains the most states, with 16.
- The $90,000+ band contains 7 jurisdictions.
- The below-$60,000 band contains 6 states.
- The average within the $90,000+ band is $97,243.
What the Teacher Salary Data Shows
The ranking is based on estimated average salary only. It does not measure total compensation, benefits, workload, retirement contributions, local labor markets, or regional price levels.
Estimate year and comparison year
The main ranking uses 2025-26 estimated salary. The comparison column uses 2024-25 salary from the same NEA table.
Nominal salary and constant dollars
Current-dollar salary is the reported dollar amount. Constant-dollar decade change adjusts for price inflation in the NEA table, but it is not a regional cost adjustment.
State rank scope
Rank values compare 50 states and the District of Columbia. A rank does not compare districts, teacher experience levels, subject areas, or local salary schedules.
Regional patterns
High salary estimates cluster in several Northeast and West jurisdictions, while regional averages still contain wide within-region spreads.
One-year movement
Most states show positive estimated one-year salary movement in current dollars. North Carolina is the only negative one-year value in the E-6 state list.
Decade purchasing value
Only 11 jurisdictions show positive constant-dollar change from 2017 to 2026. The national constant-dollar estimate is -4.63%.
Source and Methodology
National Education Association, Rankings of the States 2025 and Estimates of School Statistics 2026, Table E-6, published April 2026.
NCES Common Core of Data provides federal public school data context, but the salary rows on this page come from NEA E-6.
School year 2025-26 estimated salary; school year 2024-25 comparison salary.
50 states and the District of Columbia. The national average is supplied by NEA and is teacher-weighted.
Average annual salary of public school teachers, shown in dollars.
State ranks are computed by sorting the 2025-26 estimated salary column from highest to lowest.
Dollar values are shown as whole dollars. Percent values are shown to two decimals where NEA reports two-decimal precision.
NEA state notes identify cases where salary values use estimates or state-specific reporting rules. State salary averages may differ in coverage and method.
Regional averages are unweighted averages across the state-level estimates in each region. They are not NEA national averages and are not adjusted for regional price parity, benefits, pension cost, teacher experience mix, or local salary schedule design.
A salary ranking is not a total teacher compensation ranking. Salary averages exclude benefits, taxes, local supplement design, district-level pay schedules, housing costs, and teacher experience distribution. Constant-dollar change adjusts for inflation over time, while regional cost-of-living differences require a separate adjustment source.