Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations 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 $76,320 ≈ $37/hr
National median salary $72,040
Total employment 1,065,210 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -1.6%
Decline
Annual openings 66,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 1,094,500 → 1,076,700 (-17,800)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$105,880
- Washington$99,350
- New York$97,220
- Massachusetts$90,270
- Illinois$89,320
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$53,690
- South Dakota$53,960
- Oklahoma$54,950
- North Carolina$55,760
- West Virginia$56,630
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $105,880 | $101,370 | $51 | +38.7% | 99,230 |
| 2 | Washington | $99,350 | $102,670 | $48 | +30.2% | 14,880 |
| 3 | New York | $97,220 | $97,070 | $47 | +27.4% | 70,660 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $90,270 | $95,260 | $43 | +18.3% | 28,460 |
| 5 | Illinois | $89,320 | $79,990 | $43 | +17% | 44,670 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $88,460 | $82,750 | $43 | +15.9% | 2,800 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $87,100 | $82,200 | $42 | +14.1% | 38,140 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $84,460 | $80,970 | $41 | +10.7% | 14,800 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $84,120 | $92,610 | $40 | +10.2% | 4,910 |
| 10 | Alaska | $82,460 | $79,650 | $40 | +8% | 2,790 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $80,020 | $76,460 | $38 | +4.8% | 16,020 |
| 12 | Maryland | $79,820 | $78,670 | $38 | +4.6% | 16,640 |
| 13 | Oregon | $79,050 | $79,570 | $38 | +3.6% | 11,730 |
| 14 | Ohio | $78,110 | $78,800 | $38 | +2.3% | 49,540 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $77,650 | $78,800 | $37 | +1.7% | 52,240 |
| 16 | Utah | $75,460 | $76,330 | $36 | -1.1% | 11,030 |
| 17 | Virginia | $75,060 | $72,170 | $36 | -1.7% | 31,100 |
| 18 | Delaware | $74,240 | $77,960 | $36 | -2.7% | 5,360 |
| 19 | Colorado | $73,330 | $72,900 | $35 | -3.9% | 18,310 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $73,230 | $74,310 | $35 | -4% | 5,590 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $72,920 | $75,900 | $35 | -4.5% | 8,120 |
| 22 | Vermont | $72,350 | $76,220 | $35 | -5.2% | 2,450 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $72,040 | $77,060 | $35 | -5.6% | 5,860 |
| 24 | Georgia | $72,000 | $75,480 | $35 | -5.7% | 25,730 |
| 25 | Michigan | $71,200 | $66,030 | $34 | -6.7% | 25,540 |
| 26 | Nevada | $68,570 | $65,520 | $33 | -10.2% | 8,920 |
| 27 | Indiana | $67,640 | $61,880 | $33 | -11.4% | 20,430 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $66,880 | $62,870 | $32 | -12.4% | 15,910 |
| 29 | Maine | $66,820 | $64,880 | $32 | -12.4% | 5,540 |
| 30 | Idaho | $66,470 | $61,690 | $32 | -12.9% | 6,570 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $66,020 | $62,690 | $32 | -13.5% | 1,600 |
| 32 | Texas | $65,740 | $63,590 | $32 | -13.9% | 111,660 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $65,520 | $63,450 | $32 | -14.2% | 7,170 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $65,340 | $62,580 | $31 | -14.4% | 16,080 |
| 35 | Arizona | $64,440 | $58,360 | $31 | -15.6% | 21,190 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $63,450 | $61,560 | $31 | -16.9% | 12,780 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $62,950 | $61,860 | $30 | -17.5% | 21,230 |
| 38 | Alabama | $62,280 | $61,990 | $30 | -18.4% | 15,880 |
| 39 | Iowa | $61,860 | $61,200 | $30 | -18.9% | 12,310 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $61,830 | $61,210 | $30 | -19% | 3,070 |
| 41 | Florida | $61,570 | $60,410 | $30 | -19.3% | 49,810 |
| 42 | Montana | $61,550 | $60,990 | $30 | -19.4% | 3,670 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $61,170 | $59,850 | $29 | -19.9% | 15,210 |
| 44 | Missouri | $60,310 | $59,240 | $29 | -21% | 24,380 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $59,710 | $59,660 | $29 | -21.8% | 12,890 |
| 46 | Kansas | $58,930 | $59,920 | $28 | -22.8% | 10,860 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $56,630 | $56,610 | $27 | -25.8% | 3,590 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $55,760 | $57,650 | $27 | -26.9% | 28,620 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $54,950 | $48,710 | $26 | -28% | 15,480 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $53,960 | $51,050 | $26 | -29.3% | 3,360 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $53,690 | $50,980 | $26 | -29.7% | 10,400 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 503 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $121,190 | $107,640 | 240 |
| 2 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $108,850 | $106,480 | 2,210 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $108,230 | $111,240 | 4,130 |
| 4 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $105,200 | $98,210 | 490 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $105,060 | $101,820 | 6,040 |
| 6 | Walla Walla, WA | $104,940 | $94,490 | 120 |
| 7 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $104,180 | $104,000 | 420 |
| 8 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $104,110 | $93,690 | 200 |
| 9 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $103,170 | $99,610 | 710 |
| 10 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $102,950 | $100,730 | 470 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $103,520 | $104,550 | 930 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $77,330 | $82,890 | 2,310 |
| 3 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $77,330 | $82,890 | 2,310 |
| 4 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $74,770 | $77,190 | 7,730 |
| 5 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,770 | $78,670 | 9,250 |
| 6 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $74,310 | $75,800 | 8,310 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $74,220 | $77,770 | 910,670 |
| 8 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $74,190 | $77,770 | 900,040 |
| 9 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, Local Government Owned | $74,190 | $77,780 | 898,830 |
| 10 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,190 | $77,760 | 901,420 |
| 11 | Elementary and Secondary Schools | $72,340 | $76,410 | 1,055,050 |
| 12 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $72,240 | $68,230 | 1,380 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make in the U.S.?
The median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in the United States is $72,040 per year (mean $76,320), and about 80% earn between $48,780 and $107,600.
How much do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make per hour?
Roughly $37 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $76,320 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education the most?
California has the highest average pay for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education at $105,880 per year (median $101,370).
What is the job outlook for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education?
Employment is projected to change -1.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 66,200 openings per year.
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