Best US States for Teachers
All 50 states + DC ranked by Teacher salary. State tax structure noted for take-home math.
| # | State | Estimated salary | Cost mult. | State tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $77,300 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $75,800 | 1.12× | ~5% effective |
| 3 | Maryland | $73,800 | 1.08× | ~5% effective |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $71,800 | 1.20× | ~5% effective |
| 5 | California | $70,900 | 1.18× | ~5% effective |
| 6 | Hawaii | $69,600 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 7 | Alaska | $68,700 | 1.13× | No state tax |
| 8 | New Jersey | $68,700 | 1.13× | ~5% effective |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $68,500 | 0.97× | ~5% effective |
| 10 | Texas | $68,500 | 0.97× | No state tax |
| # | State | Salary | After state tax (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $77,300 | $56,700 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $75,800 | $55,599 |
| 3 | Maryland | $73,800 | $54,132 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $71,800 | $52,665 |
| 5 | California | $70,900 | $52,005 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $69,600 | $51,052 |
| 7 | Alaska | $68,700 | $53,826 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $68,700 | $50,391 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $68,500 | $50,245 |
| 10 | Texas | $68,500 | $53,670 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $67,400 | $49,438 |
| 12 | Washington | $67,400 | $52,808 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $67,000 | $49,145 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $66,500 | $48,778 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $66,000 | $51,711 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $65,500 | $48,044 |
| 17 | Colorado | $65,200 | $47,824 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $65,200 | $51,084 |
| 19 | Oregon | $65,200 | $47,824 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $64,300 | $47,164 |
| 21 | Virginia | $64,300 | $47,164 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $64,000 | $46,944 |
| 23 | Nevada | $63,900 | $50,066 |
| 24 | Arizona | $63,000 | $46,211 |
| 25 | Delaware | $63,000 | $46,211 |
| 26 | Florida | $63,000 | $49,361 |
| 27 | Illinois | $63,000 | $46,211 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $63,000 | $46,211 |
| 29 | Vermont | $62,600 | $45,917 |
| 30 | Maine | $61,700 | $45,257 |
| 31 | Utah | $61,700 | $45,257 |
| 32 | Georgia | $60,400 | $44,303 |
| 33 | Idaho | $59,900 | $43,937 |
| 34 | Michigan | $59,900 | $43,937 |
| 35 | Montana | $59,900 | $43,937 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $59,900 | $46,932 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $59,500 | $43,643 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $59,500 | $43,643 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $59,500 | $43,643 |
| 40 | Indiana | $59,000 | $43,277 |
| 41 | Kansas | $59,000 | $43,277 |
| 42 | Ohio | $59,000 | $43,277 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $59,000 | $46,227 |
| 44 | Iowa | $58,600 | $42,983 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $58,600 | $42,983 |
| 46 | Missouri | $58,600 | $42,983 |
| 47 | Alabama | $57,700 | $42,323 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $57,700 | $42,323 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $56,800 | $41,663 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $56,800 | $41,663 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $55,900 | $41,003 |
What moves with you and what does not
Because Teacher is a licensed occupation (State teaching license/certification required for public schools), the pay differences between states persist in a way they would not otherwise. Workers cannot freely move to the highest-paying state, so the gap does not close. That is worth knowing both as a barrier and, once you hold the license, as protection.
Tax and what the numbers are worth
Income tax reshuffles this ranking. Alaska, Texas appear in the top ten and levy no state income tax, so the gross figures understate take-home there by roughly 3–6% relative to a taxing state at the same salary. Against a high-tax state, that is worth several thousand dollars a year at this occupation's median of $63,000.
The offset is usually property tax. States without an income tax recover the revenue elsewhere, so the advantage is largest for renters and narrows considerably for homeowners. Run both if you plan to buy.
The spread from Mississippi ($55,900) to New York ($77,300) is 38%. Cost of living explains most of it — a state paying 25% above the national median for this role usually costs proportionally more to live in, which is why cost-adjusted rankings look different from nominal ones.
Where the field is heading
Worth weighing against the pay figures: Teacher employment is projected to decline 2% nationally through 2034. There are still roughly 66,500 openings a year from replacement demand, but a shrinking field rewards geographic flexibility and tends to punish being in the wrong state at the wrong time.
Salaries are modelled from BLS national medians adjusted for local price level at a wage elasticity below 1 — pay rises with local costs but not proportionally. See our methodology.