Economics Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for economics teachers, postsecondarys across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $138,850 ≈ $67/hr
National median salary $123,920
Total employment 11,560 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.1%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 15,800 → 16,100 (+300)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New Hampshire$236,510
- Massachusetts$185,980
- Connecticut$180,860
- District of Columbia$166,230
- Maryland$163,950
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$86,890
- Arkansas$90,010
- Mississippi$90,220
- Florida$90,610
- Iowa$94,620
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $236,510 | $201,610 | $114 | +70.3% | 80 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $185,980 | $164,410 | $89 | +33.9% | 750 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $180,860 | $155,950 | $87 | +30.3% | 300 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $166,230 | $161,860 | $80 | +19.7% | 220 |
| 5 | Maryland | $163,950 | $133,540 | $79 | +18.1% | 200 |
| 6 | Arizona | $162,390 | $137,250 | $78 | +17% | 100 |
| 7 | California | $160,800 | $137,360 | $77 | +15.8% | 770 |
| 8 | Missouri | $159,250 | $116,530 | $77 | +14.7% | 150 |
| 9 | Michigan | $148,340 | $129,400 | $71 | +6.8% | 350 |
| 10 | New York | $145,760 | $127,500 | $70 | +5% | 1,240 |
| 11 | Oregon | $139,940 | $136,450 | $67 | +0.8% | 180 |
| 12 | Virginia | $139,310 | $128,790 | $67 | +0.3% | 460 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $135,230 | $132,670 | $65 | -2.6% | 70 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $133,140 | $99,970 | $64 | -4.1% | 310 |
| 15 | Indiana | $132,650 | $105,390 | $64 | -4.5% | 150 |
| 16 | Kansas | $132,650 | $103,490 | $64 | -4.5% | 130 |
| 17 | Texas | $131,650 | $118,530 | $63 | -5.2% | 770 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $131,590 | $114,200 | $63 | -5.2% | 490 |
| 19 | Vermont | $131,570 | $134,850 | $63 | -5.2% | 80 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $130,850 | $106,250 | $63 | -5.8% | 120 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $130,050 | $108,460 | $63 | -6.3% | 250 |
| 22 | Utah | $129,440 | $128,370 | $62 | -6.8% | 150 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $129,390 | $109,880 | $62 | -6.8% | 410 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $129,270 | $130,980 | $62 | -6.9% | 90 |
| 25 | Illinois | $128,760 | $124,850 | $62 | -7.3% | 460 |
| 26 | Maine | $124,730 | $125,960 | $60 | -10.2% | 70 |
| 27 | Georgia | $124,390 | $117,600 | $60 | -10.4% | 370 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $121,840 | $117,970 | $59 | -12.3% | 610 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $117,970 | $109,060 | $57 | -15% | 110 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $115,090 | $110,020 | $55 | -17.1% | 60 |
| 31 | Ohio | $114,920 | $105,930 | $55 | -17.2% | 410 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $113,890 | $104,560 | $55 | -18% | 250 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $110,670 | $107,260 | $53 | -20.3% | 110 |
| 34 | Colorado | $110,430 | $98,870 | $53 | -20.5% | 270 |
| 35 | Washington | $109,570 | $96,500 | $53 | -21.1% | 190 |
| 36 | Alabama | $102,820 | $101,250 | $49 | -25.9% | 90 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $98,020 | $91,170 | $47 | -29.4% | 40 |
| 38 | Iowa | $94,620 | $85,090 | $45 | -31.9% | 80 |
| 39 | Florida | $90,610 | $91,140 | $44 | -34.7% | 150 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $90,220 | $88,290 | $43 | -35% | 70 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $90,010 | $76,610 | $43 | -35.2% | 40 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $86,890 | $85,700 | $42 | -37.4% | 40 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 58 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $220,690 | $205,000 | 30 |
| 2 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $219,160 | $190,330 | 50 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $203,720 | $181,860 | 50 |
| 4 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $202,030 | $182,030 | 30 |
| 5 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $194,520 | $174,140 | 40 |
| 6 | Ann Arbor, MI | $185,830 | $234,120 | 70 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $174,910 | $206,420 | 530 |
| 8 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $164,050 | $175,020 | 90 |
| 9 | Knoxville, TN | $162,850 | $145,460 | 30 |
| 10 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $155,060 | $161,520 | 360 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing economics teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $150,960 | $154,860 | 450 |
| 2 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $127,430 | $139,810 | 5,070 |
| 3 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $127,420 | $144,380 | 10,110 |
| 4 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Privately Owned | $125,210 | $148,410 | 4,580 |
| 5 | Educational Services, Privately Owned | $125,020 | $148,100 | 4,600 |
| 6 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $125,020 | $148,100 | 4,600 |
| 7 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $124,290 | $134,400 | 5,530 |
| 8 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $124,290 | $134,400 | 5,530 |
| 9 | Educational Services | $123,920 | $138,850 | 11,560 |
| 10 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $123,920 | $138,850 | 11,560 |
| 11 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $123,920 | $138,850 | 11,560 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $121,830 | $132,740 | 6,950 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do economics teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median economics teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $123,920 per year (mean $138,850), and about 80% earn between $64,060 and $224,200.
How much do economics teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $67 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $138,850 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays economics teachers, postsecondary the most?
New Hampshire has the highest average pay for economics teachers, postsecondary at $236,510 per year (median $201,610).
What is the job outlook for economics teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +2.1% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,200 openings per year.
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