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Teachers deserve more credit, respect, and money than they get. Many feel teachers are grossly underpaid for the importance of their jobs. Of course, some would argue the opposite. I’m not here to debate that issue. There are reasonable arguments on both sides.
I want to take an objective look at teachers’ salaries nationwide—the statistics I use come from the 2022 to 2023 school year. I used NEA’s Teacher Pay & Per Student Spending Rankings & Estimates. The average teacher in the U.S. earns a salary of $69,544. Interestingly, teachers made 5% less when adjusted for inflation than the previous year. Some states are better, while others are worse.
For this article, we’ve listed the top 12 states where teachers earn the most. Decide for yourselves whether this is reasonable or not. These are what the ranking and estimates tell us.
1. California
Is this surprising? California is an expensive state. Teachers in California make more than teachers in any other state. The average teacher in California earned $95,160.
During the 2021 to 2022 school year, California teachers ranked third in pay with an average of $88,508. This 7.5% increase is helpful.
2. New York
Did you know New York used to be in first place? During the 2021 to 2022 school year, New York teachers earned an average of $91,097. That’s up nearly 2%.
Now, New York teachers make $92,696 a year. Like California, New York is an expensive state. It ranks 44th for cost of living and 45th for affordability.
3. Massachusetts
Another expensive state makes our list. Massachusetts ranks high in many things, but affordability isn’t one of them. On average, teachers in Massachusetts earned $92,307 for the 2022 to 2023 school year.
This is a 3.1% increase from the 2021 to 2022 school year. Massachusetts was ranked number two in the previous year, and teachers earned $89,538.
4. Washington
Teachers in Washington don’t feel too strapped for cash. On average, they earned $86,804 from 2022 to 2023. This is more than enough to live on as a single adult.
According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single adult needs to make $25.60 an hour to afford to live in Massachusetts. Well, $86,804 is around $40 an hour.
5. District of Columbia
The District of Columbia doesn’t fall far behind Washington State. In the District of Columbia, the average teacher made $84,882. Although ranking fifth for 2023, previously they ranked as number four.
From 2021 to 2022, teachers made $82,523. This means the average salary jumped nearly 3% in a year.
6. Connecticut
Next is the Constitution State, Connecticut. In this state, the average teacher made $83,400. This is about $15,000 more than the average teacher in the country.
During the previous year, Connecticut teachers ranked the same. Still, wages went up 2.7%. From 2021 to 2022, Connecticut teachers earned $81,185.
7. New Jersey
New Jersey ranked seventh for teacher pay in the country in the 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023 school years.
On average, teachers in New Jersey made $81,102 from 2022 to 2023. This is a 3.5% increase from the previous year. In the last school year, teachers made $78,387.
8. Maryland
Like other states on this list, Maryland is expensive. It’s constantly mentioned in expensive state rankings. In response to the state’s cost of living, teachers make more than most states.
On average, teachers in Maryland during the 2022 to 2023 school year earned $79,420. This is nearly $4,000 more than the previous school year.
9. Rhode Island
Rhode Island is an average state. It usually ranks in the middle for education. Currently, the state sits at 31st for Pre-K-12 education and 31st for college readiness.
Teachers play a large role in these statistics. It’s easier to do your job when money troubles aren’t weighing you down. It probably helps that the average Rhode Island teacher made $79,289 during the 2022 to 2023 school year.
10. Alaska
Living in Alaska is not for the weak. You can expect long days, long nights, and super expensive food. A gallon of milk in Alaska can cost you as much as $10. However, the cost depends on your city.
Groceries are cheaper in a larger city like Anchorage than in a small town. And what about teacher pay? Teachers in Alaska earned $76,371 from 2022 to 2023, a 3% increase from the previous school year.
11. Pennsylvania
Teachers in Pennsylvania make a pretty good salary. During the 2022 to 2023 school year, the average teacher earned about $74,945. The state’s rank stayed the same from the previous year, although salaries increased by about 2.6%. Teachers made $73,072 the previous year. Still, some in Pennsylvania make as little as $35,348.
12. Illinois
Last but not least is Illinois. Ranking in twelfth place, Illinois teachers earn about $73,916 a year. This is only around a $1,000 difference from the previous school year.
While the median is $73,916, teachers in Illinois make anywhere from $49,719 to $80,000. Illinois ranks 16th in the nation for education.
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