A cost-of-living adjustment is a compensation increase or decrease based on the differing costs of goods and services across states. In other words, teachers in high-cost areas receive higher salaries to maintain their standard of living, while those in lower-cost areas may receive lower adjustments.
For this article, USAFacts applied each state’s 2022 regional price parity to the average teacher salary in each state to get a better comparison of teacher wages.
For example, if a teacher in Virginia and Iowa each make around $59,000 per year, that money would go further in Iowa because Virginia has a higher cost of living. If these salaries were adjusted to compensate for the different costs of living, the teacher in Iowa would make closer to $66,000 and the Virginia teacher would make closer to $58,000.
When considering cost of living adjustments, New York and Massachusetts K-12 teachers are compensated more than teachers in the rest of the country. Adjusted teacher pay is the lowest in Florida.
How does teacher pay differ by state?
For the 2021–22 school year, the nation’s average cost-of-living-adjusted K-12 public teacher salary was $64,300. Nineteen states and Washington, DC, paid higher than this national average and 31 states paid less.
Florida had the lowest average adjusted salary at $50,508.
Florida was an outlier compared to other states that pay lower teacher salaries. In the next three states with adjusted salaries close to Florida – Mississippi, South Dakota, and West Virginia – the average teacher salary was within $600 of $55,000, or nearly $5000 more than the average Florida teacher salary.
More than a third of states paid teachers an adjusted average of less than $60,000 per year.
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Meanwhile, New York paid the highest teacher salary — $84,218 — when adjusted for cost of living. Massachusetts was second highest, with an average teacher salary of $83,434. This pair was separated by nearly $5,000 from the third-highest teacher salary: $79,125 in Connecticut.
Hawaii’s teacher salary was the most impacted by the cost-of-living adjustment. Hawaii’s unadjusted teacher salary is the 15th highest in the nation, but 35th when taking cost of living into account. Its unadjusted teacher salary of $67,000 is much more difficult to live on compared to a state with a similar nominal teacher salary, such as Minnesota, where the average unadjusted teacher salary is $68,491.
How does teacher pay compare to other college-educated jobs?
Teachers typically need to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree to work as a K-12 educator. Nationwide, more than half of teachers also have a master’s degree. In 48 states and Washington, DC, teachers generally earn less than the average salary for other workers with a bachelor's or master’s degree.
In two states — New York and Rhode Island — the average unadjusted teacher salary is higher than the average salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree, also not adjusted for cost of living.
Salaries are unadjusted for this comparison because nationwide adjustments aren’t needed for salaries within the same state.
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FAQs
New York's average teacher salary is about 11.5% higher than the average earnings of a full-time, year-round employee. Massachusetts and California follow, with $88,903 and $87,275 respectively. Mississippi has the lowest average teacher salary of $47,162, followed by South Dakota with $49,761.
What state pays teachers most to least? ›
New York's average teacher salary is about 11.5% higher than the average earnings of a full-time, year-round employee. Massachusetts and California follow, with $88,903 and $87,275 respectively. Mississippi has the lowest average teacher salary of $47,162, followed by South Dakota with $49,761.
What state needs teachers the most? ›
- Nevada, Utah, and California are the states with the most severe teacher shortages, while Vermont has the least.
- New report highlights states with critical levels of teacher shortages, with an estimated 200,000 public school teachers in demand by the 2025-26 school year.
How does teacher salary compare with the average worker's salary in each state? While average teacher pay ranges from around $48,000 in Mississippi to around $88,000 in New York, teachers are paid less than the average employee in nearly every state.
What teacher gets paid the most? ›
Professors in universities and colleges are among the highest-paid teaching professionals in the education sector.
Which state has the happiest teachers? ›
2023's Best & Worst States for Teachers, WalletHub Study
| Best States for Teachers | Worst States for Teachers |
|---|
| 1. Virginia | 42. Tennessee |
| 2. New York | 43. Rhode Island |
| 3. Utah | 44. New Mexico |
| 4. Washington | 45. Missouri |
6 more rowsSep 25, 2023
Virginia, New York and Utah are the best states for teachers, according to a new WalletHub survey. The personal finance website ranked all 50 states and Washington D.C. from most teacher friendly to least.
What is the hardest state to become a teacher? ›
New Hampshire and New Mexico topped WalletHub's 2020 ranking of the worst states for teachers.
Where is the best place to live as a teacher? ›
10 best states to be a teacher
- Rhode Island. ...
- Maryland. ...
- New York. ...
- New Mexico. ...
- Virginia. ...
- Texas. The average salary for a teacher in Texas is $54,375 per year . ...
- Colorado. The average salary for a teacher in Colorado is $52,235 per year . ...
- Nevada. The average salary for a teacher in Nevada is $51,847 per year .
Lowest-Paid States for Teachers
- South Dakota ($49,190)
- Mississippi ($49,770)
- West Virginia ($50,770.
- North Carolina ($51,570)
- Arkansas ($53,080)
Historical Context. The teacher pay gap is not a new issue. It has roots in historical factors such as the feminization of the teaching profession, where teaching was seen as “women's work” and, therefore, undervalued and underpaid.
Why are so many teachers quitting? ›
The #1 reason why teachers leave education is compensation. 48% of educators are planning on leaving the field due to compensation, while 42% have already left because of the same reason. Expectations are the second most common reason – 33% plan on leaving while 31% have left due to this reason.
Is it worth it to be a teacher? ›
Provides an Enduring Impact to Students and Society. When veteran educators are asked about whether being a teacher is worth it, one of the most often-repeated responses you might hear is yes, because they were given the opportunity to make a lasting impact on both their students and their community.
Which field is best for teaching? ›
The best course to become a teacher in India is a Bachelor in Education (B. Ed), those students who want to make a career in Physical Education can pursue the course of Bachelor in Physical Education.
Which is highest paying jobs in world? ›
Highest Paying Jobs in The World 2024
- Data Scientist.
- Investment Banker.
- Corporate Lawyer.
- Project Manager.
- Senior Software Engineer.
- Chief Executive Officer.
- Financial Analyst.
- Chartered Accountant.
New York
Whereas New York has the highest cost of living in the continental U.S., the state pays teachers the most overall and ranks high in terms of teacher-friendliness. Not only does New York pay teachers better than any other state, but the state emphasizes education in other ways.
What is the best state to teach in cost of living? ›
Average Teacher Salary By State
| State | Average Teacher Salary | Average Cost of Living |
|---|
| California | $82,746 | $72,845 |
| Colorado | $56,973 | $63,323 |
| Connecticut | $75,389 | $74,168 |
| Delaware | $64,670 | $61,258 |
46 more rowsThis data estimates the average salary of public school educators in all 50 states. According to this information, New York, Massachusetts and California—all places that are more expensive to live in—float to the top. Source: National Center for Education Statistics.
