The coronavirus pandemic rages on, but one way or another, teachers returned to work last fall and have continued doing their jobs throughout this school year.
Elementary school teachers in the U.S. earned an average annual wage of $63,930 as of 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Middle school teachers earned an average of $63,550 at that same time. High school teachers averaged $65,930 per year.
But teacher pay varies considerably by state. States also vary as to which level pays best. Often, elementary school teachers make less than their middle school and high school counterparts, but not always.
Following are the average annual wages for elementary, middle and high school teachers in each state. The states are ranked based on elementary-school pay.
50. Mississippi
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,060
- Employment: 12,340
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,170
- Employment: 6,180
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $46,580
- Employment: 8,850
49. South Dakota
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,110
- Employment: 4,070
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,990
- Employment: 1,920
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,610
- Employment: 3,500
48. West Virginia
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,390
- Employment: 5,330
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,570
- Employment: 5,160
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,610
- Employment: 4,460
47. Arizona
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,600
- Employment: 23,290
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,120
- Employment: 12,330
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,320
- Employment: 16,990
46. Oklahoma
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,970
- Employment: 17,980
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $46,360
- Employment: 8,320
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,320
- Employment: 11,680
45. North Carolina (tie)
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,560
- Employment: 42,520
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,620
- Employment: 18,770
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,930
- Employment: 24,030
44. Louisiana
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,630
- Employment: 23,670
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,790
- Employment: 7,600
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,090
- Employment: 14,810
43. Arkansas
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,800
- Employment: 13,010
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,720
- Employment: 6,450
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,870
- Employment: 11,940
42. Idaho
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,880
- Employment: 8,380
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,970
- Employment: 1,820
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,640
- Employment: 6,210
41. Alabama
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,270
- Employment: 23,650
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,600
- Employment: 10,310
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,950
- Employment: 15,230
40. Kansas
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,650
- Employment: 16,340
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,500
- Employment: 6,630
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,050
- Employment: 12,310
39. Missouri
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,920
- Employment: 22,850
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,930
- Employment: 11,080
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,980
- Employment: 30,640
38. Montana
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,160
- Employment: 4,920
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,710
- Employment: 2,070
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,360
- Employment: 3,670
37. Indiana
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,570
- Employment: 25,530
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,450
- Employment: 11,320
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,150
- Employment: 21,180
36. Kentucky
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,660
- Employment: 19,270
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,830
- Employment: 8,160
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,100
- Employment: 12,280
35. Maine
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,860
- Employment: 5,780
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,740
- Employment: 3,230
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,260
- Employment: 5,400
34. South Carolina
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,450
- Employment: 22,550
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,180
- Employment: 9,790
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,730
- Employment: 14,050
33. Tennessee
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,540
- Employment: 30,620
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,880
- Employment: 13,240
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,060
- Employment: 20,690
32. Iowa
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,950
- Employment: 18,720
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,250
- Employment: 7,920
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,570
- Employment: 11,950
31. Colorado
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,670
- Employment: 25,740
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,940
- Employment: 12,980
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,370
- Employment: 17,580
30. Florida
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,210
- Employment: 77,170
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,640
- Employment: 33,600
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,880
- Employment: 50,640
29. North Dakota
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,630
- Employment: 4,450
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,700
- Employment: 1,380
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,250
- Employment: 2,800
28. Texas
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,280
- Employment: 131,880
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,290
- Employment: 64,340
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,000
- Employment: 107,190
27. Nevada
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,980
- Employment: 10,480
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,150
- Employment: 4,000
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,090
- Employment: 5,760
26. New Mexico
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,330
- Employment: 7,650
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,570
- Employment: 3,250
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,410
- Employment: 6,880
25. Wisconsin
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,980
- Employment: 28,240
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,940
- Employment: 13,800
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,180
- Employment: 17,880
24. Georgia
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,190
- Employment: 50,250
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,830
- Employment: 28,440
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,860
- Employment: 26,500
23. Wyoming
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,940
- Employment: 2,550
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,340
- Employment: 1,090
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,400
- Employment: 1,690
22. New Hampshire
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,930
- Employment: 6,070
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,290
- Employment: 3,100
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,720
- Employment: 5,000
21. Nebraska
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,390
- Employment: 9,810
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,130
- Employment: 4,310
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,500
- Employment: 6,890
20. Utah
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,660
- Employment: 13,110
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,720
- Employment: 6,540
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,050
- Employment: 8,920
19. Minnesota
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,250
- Employment: 22,420
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,790
- Employment: 9,730
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,960
- Employment: 20,130
18. Illinois
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,280
- Employment: 64,270
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,630
- Employment: 21,700
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,340
- Employment: 44,810
17. Hawaii
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,360
- Employment: 5,780
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,520
- Employment: 2,090
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,580
- Employment: 4,320
16. Vermont
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,480
- Employment: 3,770
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,470
- Employment: 1,030
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,660
- Employment: 2,770
15. Delaware
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,970
- Employment: 3,800
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,800
- Employment: 2,200
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,920
- Employment: 3,330
14. Ohio
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,090
- Employment: 57,220
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,510
- Employment: 30,880
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,410
- Employment: 47,510
13. Michigan
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,050
- Employment: 37,130
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,920
- Employment: 13,910
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,000
- Employment: 22,820
12. Washington
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,390
- Employment: 30,440
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $70,970
- Employment: 9,430
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,690
- Employment: 14,810
11. Pennsylvania
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,630
- Employment: 57,100
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,330
- Employment: 26,460
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,920
- Employment: 46,130
10. Virginia
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,690
- Employment: 38,700
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,920
- Employment: 18,300
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,070
- Employment: 25,620
9. Oregon
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,980
- Employment: 15,950
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $70,660
- Employment: 6,250
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,780
- Employment: 8,840
8. New Jersey
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,880
- Employment: 40,640
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $73,380
- Employment: 26,590
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,090
- Employment: 30,230
7. Rhode Island
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $72,310
- Employment: 4,100
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,130
- Employment: 1,670
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,950
- Employment: 4,840
6. Maryland
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,380
- Employment: 28,610
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,400
- Employment: 14,890
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $77,050
- Employment: 17,150
5. Alaska
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,860
- Employment: 3,820
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,730
- Employment: 1,160
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,820
- Employment: 2,790
4. Connecticut
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,070
- Employment: 15,930
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $79,510
- Employment: 8,320
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,540
- Employment: 15,820
3. Massachusetts
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,450
- Employment: 31,430
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,520
- Employment: 15,910
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $81,070
- Employment: 27,120
2. California
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,560
- Employment: 164,910
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,160
- Employment: 39,780
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $85,080
- Employment: 109,840
1. New York
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,830
- Employment: 92,560
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $87,050
- Employment: 42,010
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $87,240
- Employment: 75,360
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Source: moneytalksnews.com