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The coronavirus pandemic rages on, but one way or another, teachers returned to work last fall and have continued doing their jobs throughout this school year.
Elementary school teachers in the U.S. earned an average annual wage of $63,930 as of 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Middle school teachers earned an average of $63,550 at that same time. High school teachers averaged $65,930 per year.
But teacher pay varies considerably by state. States also vary as to which level pays best. Often, elementary school teachers make less than their middle school and high school counterparts, but not always.
Following are the average annual wages for elementary, middle and high school teachers in each state. The states are ranked based on elementary-school pay.
50. Mississippi
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,060
- Employment: 12,340
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,170
- Employment: 6,180
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $46,580
- Employment: 8,850
49. South Dakota
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,110
- Employment: 4,070
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,990
- Employment: 1,920
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $44,610
- Employment: 3,500
48. West Virginia
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,390
- Employment: 5,330
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,570
- Employment: 5,160
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,610
- Employment: 4,460
47. Arizona
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,600
- Employment: 23,290
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,120
- Employment: 12,330
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,320
- Employment: 16,990
46. Oklahoma
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $45,970
- Employment: 17,980
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $46,360
- Employment: 8,320
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $47,320
- Employment: 11,680
45. Louisiana
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,630
- Employment: 23,670
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,790
- Employment: 7,600
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,090
- Employment: 14,810
44. Arkansas
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,800
- Employment: 13,010
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,720
- Employment: 6,450
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,870
- Employment: 11,940
43. Idaho
Agenturfotografin / Shutterstock.com
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,880
- Employment: 8,380
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,970
- Employment: 1,820
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,640
- Employment: 6,210
42. Alabama
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,270
- Employment: 23,650
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,600
- Employment: 10,310
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,950
- Employment: 15,230
41. Kansas
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,650
- Employment: 16,340
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,500
- Employment: 6,630
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,050
- Employment: 12,310
40. Missouri
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,920
- Employment: 22,850
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $51,930
- Employment: 11,080
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $50,980
- Employment: 30,640
39. Montana
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,160
- Employment: 4,920
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,710
- Employment: 2,070
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,360
- Employment: 3,670
38. Indiana
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,570
- Employment: 25,530
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,450
- Employment: 11,320
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,150
- Employment: 21,180
37. Kentucky
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,660
- Employment: 19,270
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,830
- Employment: 8,160
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,100
- Employment: 12,280
36. Maine
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $52,860
- Employment: 5,780
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,740
- Employment: 3,230
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,260
- Employment: 5,400
35. South Carolina
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,450
- Employment: 22,550
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,180
- Employment: 9,790
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,730
- Employment: 14,050
34. Tennessee
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,540
- Employment: 30,620
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,880
- Employment: 13,240
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,060
- Employment: 20,690
33. Iowa
iofoto / Shutterstock.com
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $53,950
- Employment: 18,720
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,250
- Employment: 7,920
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,570
- Employment: 11,950
32. Colorado
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,670
- Employment: 25,740
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $54,940
- Employment: 12,980
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,370
- Employment: 17,580
31. Florida
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,210
- Employment: 77,170
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,640
- Employment: 33,600
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,880
- Employment: 50,640
29. North Carolina (tie)
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $48,560
- Employment: 42,520
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,620
- Employment: 18,770
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,930
- Employment: 24,030
29. North Dakota (tie)
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $55,630
- Employment: 4,450
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,700
- Employment: 1,380
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,250
- Employment: 2,800
28. Texas
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,280
- Employment: 131,880
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,290
- Employment: 64,340
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,000
- Employment: 107,190
27. Nevada
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $56,980
- Employment: 10,480
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,150
- Employment: 4,000
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,090
- Employment: 5,760
26. New Mexico
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,330
- Employment: 7,650
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $49,570
- Employment: 3,250
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,410
- Employment: 6,880
25. Wisconsin
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $57,980
- Employment: 28,240
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,940
- Employment: 13,800
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,180
- Employment: 17,880
24. Georgia
Oksana Kuzmina / Shutterstock.com
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,190
- Employment: 50,250
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,830
- Employment: 28,440
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,860
- Employment: 26,500
23. Wyoming
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $58,940
- Employment: 2,550
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,340
- Employment: 1,090
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,400
- Employment: 1,690
22. New Hampshire
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $59,930
- Employment: 6,070
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,290
- Employment: 3,100
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,720
- Employment: 5,000
21. Nebraska
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,390
- Employment: 9,810
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,130
- Employment: 4,310
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,500
- Employment: 6,890
20. Utah
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $60,660
- Employment: 13,110
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,720
- Employment: 6,540
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,050
- Employment: 8,920
19. Minnesota
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,250
- Employment: 22,420
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,790
- Employment: 9,730
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,960
- Employment: 20,130
18. Illinois
ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,280
- Employment: 64,270
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,630
- Employment: 21,700
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,340
- Employment: 44,810
17. Hawaii
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,360
- Employment: 5,780
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,520
- Employment: 2,090
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $62,580
- Employment: 4,320
16. Vermont
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,480
- Employment: 3,770
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $61,470
- Employment: 1,030
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,660
- Employment: 2,770
15. Delaware
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,970
- Employment: 3,800
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,800
- Employment: 2,200
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,920
- Employment: 3,330
14. Ohio
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,090
- Employment: 57,220
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,510
- Employment: 30,880
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,410
- Employment: 47,510
13. Michigan
l i g h t p o e t / Shutterstock.com
Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,050
- Employment: 37,130
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $64,920
- Employment: 13,910
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $63,000
- Employment: 22,820
12. Washington
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,390
- Employment: 30,440
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $70,970
- Employment: 9,430
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,690
- Employment: 14,810
11. Pennsylvania
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,630
- Employment: 57,100
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,330
- Employment: 26,460
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $66,920
- Employment: 46,130
10. Virginia
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,690
- Employment: 38,700
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,920
- Employment: 18,300
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,070
- Employment: 25,620
9. Oregon
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $69,980
- Employment: 15,950
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $70,660
- Employment: 6,250
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,780
- Employment: 8,840
8. New Jersey
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $71,880
- Employment: 40,640
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $73,380
- Employment: 26,590
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,090
- Employment: 30,230
7. Rhode Island
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $72,310
- Employment: 4,100
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,130
- Employment: 1,670
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,950
- Employment: 4,840
6. Maryland
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,380
- Employment: 28,610
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $74,400
- Employment: 14,890
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $77,050
- Employment: 17,150
5. Alaska
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,860
- Employment: 3,820
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,730
- Employment: 1,160
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $75,820
- Employment: 2,790
4. Connecticut
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,070
- Employment: 15,930
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $79,510
- Employment: 8,320
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $78,540
- Employment: 15,820
3. Massachusetts
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,450
- Employment: 31,430
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,520
- Employment: 15,910
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $81,070
- Employment: 27,120
2. California
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,560
- Employment: 164,910
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $80,160
- Employment: 39,780
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $85,080
- Employment: 109,840
1. New York
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Elementary school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $82,830
- Employment: 92,560
Middle school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $87,050
- Employment: 42,010
High school teachers:
- Average annual wage: $87,240
- Employment: 75,360
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