25 Series · SOC 25-2021

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$63,970
Median / year
+2.6%
2024→2025
$104,340
Top 10% earn
-2%
Growth '24–'34
1,388,390
Estimated US jobs

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $63,970 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $63,970, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $47,960 (10th percentile) to $104,340 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 1,388,390 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($102,350).

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The pay verdict

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn a median of $63,970, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 55% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #50 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 2% by 2034.

$63,970
Median annual wage
Top 45%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#50 of 64
in Educational Instruction and Library
2.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $102,350. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education moved from $59,670 in May 2019 to $63,970 in May 2025 (+7.2%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education sits -17.2 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2021) has a national median of $63,970 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $47,960 to $104,340, and the published mean is $72,650. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 1,388,390 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 518 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $62,340 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $63,970 in May 2025, a rise of $1,630 (+2.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 91,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Educational Instruction and Library Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $102,350, which is +60% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA at $104,650. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 1,388,390 jobs Median $63,970/yr

Median Salary

$63,970

per year

Median Hourly

N/A

per hour

Mean Salary

$72,650

average

Employment

1,388,390

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$63,970 Top 45% higher than 55% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$63,970 · 55th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education sits on the slower-growing side at -2% growth and $63,970 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Teaching Assistants,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $36780Elementary School Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2% · Median annual wage: $63970Secondary School Tea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $72040Middle School Teache… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2% · Median annual wage: $64370Substitute Teachers,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.6% · Median annual wage: $41670Preschool Teachers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $38140Self-Enrichment Teac… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $46800Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $65120Instructional Coordi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.3% · Median annual wage: $77440Health Specialties T… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 17.3% · Median annual wage: $107310Tutors - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $43350Teaching Assistants,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $42910Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $74260Postsecondary Teache… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.8% · Median annual wage: $77640Librarians and Media… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $68270Educational Instruct… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.5% · Median annual wage: $50890Career/Technical Edu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $63820Teachers and Instruc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $66140Career/Technical Edu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $66270Kindergarten Teacher… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $62680Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.9% · Median annual wage: $66810Art, Drama, and Musi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $78620Business Teachers, P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.7% · Median annual wage: $99080Nursing Instructors … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.8% · Median annual wage: $80250
Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education sits on the slower-growing side at -2% growth and $63,970 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Teaching Assistants,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $36780
  • Elementary School Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2%, Median annual wage $63970
  • Secondary School Tea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $72040
  • Middle School Teache…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2%, Median annual wage $64370
  • Substitute Teachers,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $41670
  • Preschool Teachers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $38140
  • Self-Enrichment Teac…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $46800
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $65120
  • Instructional Coordi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.3%, Median annual wage $77440
  • Health Specialties T…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 17.3%, Median annual wage $107310
  • Tutors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $43350
  • Teaching Assistants,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $42910
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $74260
  • Postsecondary Teache…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $77640
  • Librarians and Media…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $68270
  • Educational Instruct…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $50890
  • Career/Technical Edu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $63820
  • Teachers and Instruc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $66140
  • Career/Technical Edu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $66270
  • Kindergarten Teacher…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $62680
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.9%, Median annual wage $66810
  • Art, Drama, and Musi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $78620
  • Business Teachers, P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $99080
  • Nursing Instructors …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $80250

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-2%

Declining

Annual Openings

91,000

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-27,900

1,422,700 (2024) → 1,394,800 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

3.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Learning Strategies 4.3
Instructing 4.3
Speaking 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Monitoring 4.0
Social Perceptiveness 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.9
Writing 3.9
Coordination 3.9

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.9
Education and Training 4.8
Mathematics 3.9
Customer and Personal Service 3.9
Psychology 3.7
Therapy and Counseling 3.3
Computers and Electronics 3.2
Public Safety and Security 3.2
Administrative 3.2
Administration and Management 3.1

Key Tasks

  • Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.
  • Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.
  • Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
  • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
  • Read books to entire classes or small groups.
  • Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
  • Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$47,960
25th$57,710
Median$63,970
75th$81,450
90th$104,340

Hourly Rate Distribution

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$54,000$56,000$58,000$60,000$62,000$64,000$66,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $54,890National median - 2016: $55,800National median - 2017: $57,160National median - 2018: $58,230National median - 2019: $59,670National median - 2020: $60,940National median - 2021: $61,400National median - 2022: $61,690National median - 2023: $63,680National median - 2024: $62,340National median - 2025: $63,970$63,970
National median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $54,890
2016 $55,800
2017 $57,160
2018 $58,230
2019 $59,670
2020 $60,940
2021 $61,400
2022 $61,690
2023 $63,680
2024 $62,340
2025 $63,970

2015 median

$54,890

2025 median

$63,970

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$4,300 (+7.2%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+1.2%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $54,890 First banked release 1,381,430
May 2016 $55,800 +1.7% 1,392,660
May 2017 $57,160 +2.4% 1,409,140
May 2018 $58,230 +1.9% 1,410,970
May 2019 $59,670 Classification break 1,430,480
May 2020 $60,940 +2.1% 1,364,870
May 2021 $61,400 +0.8% 1,329,280
May 2022 $61,690 +0.5% 1,394,200
May 2023 $63,680 +3.2% 1,410,070
May 2024 $62,340 -2.1% 1,393,310
May 2025 $63,970 +2.6% 1,388,390

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $54,890 in May 2015 to $63,970 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +1.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 1,430,480 in May 2019 to 1,388,390 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $102,350 +60% above national
2 California $99,650 +56% above national
3 District of Columbia $96,580 +51% above national
4 Massachusetts $94,000 +47% above national
5 Rhode Island $90,930 +42% above national
6 New York $85,760 +34% above national
7 Connecticut $80,600 +26% above national
8 Alaska $79,260 +24% above national
9 New Jersey $78,200 +22% above national
10 Maryland $77,680 +21% above national
11 Ohio $77,370 +21% above national
12 Oregon $77,130 +21% above national
13 Pennsylvania $77,060 +20% above national
14 Minnesota $76,350 +19% above national
15 Delaware $75,920 +19% above national
16 Illinois $75,320 +18% above national
17 Utah $74,810 +17% above national
18 New Mexico $74,550 +17% above national
19 New Hampshire $72,410 +13% above national
20 Georgia $72,290 +13% above national
21 Hawaii $71,410 +12% above national
22 Virginia $65,550 +2% above national
23 Michigan $65,110 +2% above national
24 Nevada $65,040 +2% above national
25 Colorado $63,410 1% below national
26 Vermont $63,070 1% below national
27 Texas $62,760 2% below national
28 Maine $62,390 2% below national
29 Nebraska $62,380 2% below national
30 Guam $62,240 3% below national
31 Idaho $61,600 4% below national
32 Alabama $61,380 4% below national
33 Wisconsin $61,210 4% below national
34 Wyoming $61,150 4% below national
35 South Carolina $60,820 5% below national
36 Kentucky $60,610 5% below national
37 Iowa $60,580 5% below national
38 Virgin Islands $60,560 5% below national
39 North Dakota $60,030 6% below national
40 Tennessee $59,980 6% below national
41 Indiana $59,700 7% below national
42 Florida $58,930 8% below national
43 Louisiana $58,770 8% below national
44 Montana $57,530 10% below national
45 Arizona $56,590 12% below national
46 Kansas $56,450 12% below national
47 West Virginia $55,630 13% below national
48 North Carolina $54,930 14% below national
49 Arkansas $52,700 18% below national
50 Puerto Rico $51,540 19% below national
51 Missouri $50,910 20% below national
52 South Dakota $50,130 22% below national
53 Mississippi $49,790 22% below national
54 Oklahoma $48,200 25% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 383 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $104,650 +64% above national
2 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $103,390 +62% above national
3 Walla Walla, WA $102,980 +61% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $102,920 +61% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $102,860 +61% above national
6 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $102,650 +60% above national
7 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $101,860 +59% above national
8 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $101,860 +59% above national
9 Modesto, CA $101,640 +59% above national
10 Bellingham, WA $101,230 +58% above national
11 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $101,030 +58% above national
12 Vallejo, CA $100,790 +58% above national
13 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $100,730 +57% above national
14 Napa, CA $100,410 +57% above national
15 El Centro, CA $100,390 +57% above national
16 Kennewick-Richland, WA $100,380 +57% above national
17 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $100,340 +57% above national
18 Barnstable Town, MA $100,320 +57% above national
19 Salinas, CA $100,220 +57% above national
20 Merced, CA $100,120 +57% above national
21 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $99,420 +55% above national
22 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $99,260 +55% above national
23 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $99,060 +55% above national
24 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $98,800 +54% above national
25 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $98,600 +54% above national
26 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $98,520 +54% above national
27 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $98,470 +54% above national
28 Visalia, CA $98,430 +54% above national
29 Yakima, WA $98,330 +54% above national
30 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $98,060 +53% above national
31 Kingston, NY $97,920 +53% above national
32 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $97,620 +53% above national
33 Stockton-Lodi, CA $97,400 +52% above national
34 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $97,000 +52% above national
35 Yuba City, CA $97,000 +52% above national
36 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $96,900 +51% above national
37 Chico, CA $95,000 +49% above national
38 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $86,720 +36% above national
39 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $83,840 +31% above national
40 Redding, CA $83,780 +31% above national
41 Worcester, MA $82,810 +29% above national
42 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $82,330 +29% above national
43 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $81,770 +28% above national
44 Boulder, CO $80,640 +26% above national
45 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $80,480 +26% above national
46 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $80,360 +26% above national
47 Longview-Kelso, WA $79,910 +25% above national
48 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $79,900 +25% above national
49 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $79,900 +25% above national
50 Reading, PA $79,860 +25% above national
51 New Haven, CT $79,820 +25% above national
52 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $79,800 +25% above national
53 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $79,730 +25% above national
54 York-Hanover, PA $79,730 +25% above national
55 Springfield, MA $79,640 +24% above national
56 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $79,640 +24% above national
57 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $79,470 +24% above national
58 Anchorage, AK $79,270 +24% above national
59 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $79,240 +24% above national
60 Fairbanks-College, AK $79,160 +24% above national
61 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $79,040 +24% above national
62 Pittsfield, MA $78,910 +23% above national
63 Fresno, CA $78,800 +23% above national
64 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $78,570 +23% above national
65 Akron, OH $78,560 +23% above national
66 Syracuse, NY $78,560 +23% above national
67 Glens Falls, NY $78,470 +23% above national
68 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $78,390 +23% above national
69 Lancaster, PA $78,360 +22% above national
70 Vineland, NJ $78,260 +22% above national
71 Columbus, OH $78,150 +22% above national
72 Canton-Massillon, OH $77,940 +22% above national
73 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $77,920 +22% above national
74 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $77,850 +22% above national
75 Bend, OR $77,810 +22% above national
76 Harrisonburg, VA $77,340 +21% above national
77 Springfield, OH $77,320 +21% above national
78 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $77,160 +21% above national
79 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $77,030 +20% above national
80 Utica-Rome, NY $77,010 +20% above national
81 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $76,910 +20% above national
82 Farmington, NM $76,840 +20% above national
83 Portland-South Portland, ME $76,770 +20% above national
84 State College, PA $76,760 +20% above national
85 Chambersburg, PA $76,750 +20% above national
86 Corvallis, OR $76,710 +20% above national
87 Athens-Clarke County, GA $76,600 +20% above national
88 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $76,590 +20% above national
89 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $76,570 +20% above national
90 Pittsburgh, PA $76,550 +20% above national
91 Binghamton, NY $76,540 +20% above national
92 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $76,490 +20% above national
93 Lebanon, PA $76,490 +20% above national
94 Cleveland, OH $76,470 +20% above national
95 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $76,400 +19% above national
96 Lexington Park, MD $76,170 +19% above national
97 Lima, OH $75,830 +19% above national
98 Rochester, MN $75,770 +18% above national
99 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $75,530 +18% above national
100 Albuquerque, NM $75,520 +18% above national
101 Gettysburg, PA $75,450 +18% above national
102 Dover, DE $75,080 +17% above national
103 Salem, OR $74,810 +17% above national
104 Logan, UT-ID $74,790 +17% above national
105 Williamsport, PA $74,610 +17% above national
106 Grants Pass, OR $74,260 +16% above national
107 Las Cruces, NM $74,100 +16% above national
108 Bay City, MI $74,010 +16% above national
109 Warner Robins, GA $74,000 +16% above national
110 Saginaw, MI $73,810 +15% above national
111 Santa Fe, NM $73,750 +15% above national
112 Manchester-Nashua, NH $73,380 +15% above national
113 St. Cloud, MN $73,160 +14% above national
114 Urban Honolulu, HI $73,080 +14% above national
115 Albany, OR $72,960 +14% above national
116 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $72,930 +14% above national
117 Youngstown-Warren, OH $72,560 +13% above national
118 Salisbury, MD $72,250 +13% above national
119 St. George, UT $72,100 +13% above national
120 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $71,830 +12% above national
121 Johnstown, PA $71,300 +11% above national
122 Erie, PA $69,920 +9% above national
123 Hinesville, GA $67,090 +5% above national
124 Traverse City, MI $66,020 +3% above national
125 Duluth, MN-WI $65,840 +3% above national
126 Medford, OR $65,830 +3% above national
127 Flint, MI $65,620 +3% above national
128 Bloomington, IL $65,590 +3% above national
129 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $65,210 +2% above national
130 Battle Creek, MI $65,090 +2% above national
131 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $65,070 +2% above national
132 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $65,040 +2% above national
133 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $64,990 +2% above national
134 Gainesville, GA $64,780 +1% above national
135 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $64,740 +1% above national
136 Lewiston, ID-WA $64,600 +1% above national
137 Grand Island, NE $64,530 +1% above national
138 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $64,500 +1% above national
139 Rome, GA $64,360 +1% above national
140 Eugene-Springfield, OR $64,260 same as national
141 Rockford, IL $64,200 same as national
142 Ann Arbor, MI $64,060 same as national
143 Mansfield, OH $63,980 same as national
144 Ogden, UT $63,910 same as national
145 El Paso, TX $63,800 same as national
146 Jackson, MI $63,770 same as national
147 Savannah, GA $63,710 same as national
148 Madison, WI $63,690 same as national
149 Ithaca, NY $63,610 1% below national
150 Coeur d'Alene, ID $63,550 1% below national
151 Valdosta, GA $63,480 1% below national
152 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $63,450 1% below national
153 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $63,380 1% below national
154 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $63,350 1% below national
155 Dalton, GA $63,340 1% below national
156 Toledo, OH $63,250 1% below national
157 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $63,190 1% below national
158 Killeen-Temple, TX $63,120 1% below national
159 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $63,110 1% below national
160 Mankato, MN $63,070 1% below national
161 Monroe, MI $63,030 1% below national
162 Odessa, TX $63,020 1% below national
163 Owensboro, KY $63,010 2% below national
164 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $63,000 2% below national
165 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $62,930 2% below national
166 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $62,930 2% below national
167 Rochester, NY $62,840 2% below national
168 Omaha, NE-IA $62,670 2% below national
169 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $62,660 2% below national
170 Birmingham, AL $62,630 2% below national
171 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $62,510 2% below national
172 Ames, IA $62,430 2% below national
173 Reno, NV $62,430 2% below national
174 Billings, MT $62,390 2% below national
175 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $62,370 3% below national
176 Springfield, IL $62,340 3% below national
177 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $62,270 3% below national
178 Huntsville, AL $62,250 3% below national
179 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $62,150 3% below national
180 Paducah, KY-IL $62,030 3% below national
181 Roanoke, VA $62,010 3% below national
182 Pueblo, CO $62,000 3% below national
183 Knoxville, TN $61,980 3% below national
184 Lincoln, NE $61,940 3% below national
185 Altoona, PA $61,920 3% below national
186 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $61,900 3% below national
187 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $61,850 3% below national
188 Elizabethtown, KY $61,840 3% below national
189 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $61,720 4% below national
190 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $61,680 4% below national
191 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $61,650 4% below national
192 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $61,650 4% below national
193 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $61,610 4% below national
194 Midland, MI $61,540 4% below national
195 Macon-Bibb County, GA $61,510 4% below national
196 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $61,510 4% below national
197 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $61,480 4% below national
198 Lexington-Fayette, KY $61,460 4% below national
199 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $61,460 4% below national
200 Cedar Rapids, IA $61,430 4% below national
201 Grand Forks, ND-MN $61,430 4% below national
202 Columbus, GA-AL $61,360 4% below national
203 Midland, TX $61,350 4% below national
204 Minot, ND $61,350 4% below national
205 Johnson City, TN $61,330 4% below national
206 Laredo, TX $61,310 4% below national
207 Richmond, VA $61,290 4% below national
208 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $61,270 4% below national
209 Bowling Green, KY $61,260 4% below national
210 Arecibo, PR $61,230 4% below national
211 Boise City, ID $61,230 4% below national
212 Elmira, NY $61,220 4% below national
213 Anniston-Oxford, AL $61,200 4% below national
214 Winchester, VA-WV $61,200 4% below national
215 Kokomo, IN $61,180 4% below national
216 Amarillo, TX $61,170 4% below national
217 Cheyenne, WY $61,150 4% below national
218 Colorado Springs, CO $61,140 4% below national
219 Sheboygan, WI $61,110 4% below national
220 Decatur, AL $61,090 5% below national
221 Idaho Falls, ID $61,080 5% below national
222 Jacksonville, FL $61,080 5% below national
223 Kansas City, MO-KS $61,060 5% below national
224 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $61,020 5% below national
225 Bismarck, ND $61,010 5% below national
226 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $61,010 5% below national
227 Spartanburg, SC $60,990 5% below national
228 Mobile, AL $60,970 5% below national
229 Dothan, AL $60,950 5% below national
230 Florence, SC $60,910 5% below national
231 Twin Falls, ID $60,890 5% below national
232 Iowa City, IA $60,870 5% below national
233 Appleton, WI $60,840 5% below national
234 Pocatello, ID $60,840 5% below national
235 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $60,840 5% below national
236 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $60,780 5% below national
237 Charlottesville, VA $60,770 5% below national
238 Niles, MI $60,760 5% below national
239 Bozeman, MT $60,740 5% below national
240 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $60,690 5% below national
241 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $60,680 5% below national
242 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $60,680 5% below national
243 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $60,670 5% below national
244 St. Louis, MO-IL $60,650 5% below national
245 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $60,600 5% below national
246 Green Bay, WI $60,600 5% below national
247 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $60,580 5% below national
248 Kenosha, WI $60,530 5% below national
249 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $60,510 5% below national
250 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $60,470 5% below national
251 Naples-Marco Island, FL $60,470 5% below national
252 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $60,350 6% below national
253 Eau Claire, WI $60,340 6% below national
254 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $60,330 6% below national
255 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $60,260 6% below national
256 Janesville-Beloit, WI $60,220 6% below national
257 Tuscaloosa, AL $60,220 6% below national
258 Corpus Christi, TX $60,210 6% below national
259 Fargo, ND-MN $60,210 6% below national
260 Longview, TX $60,210 6% below national
261 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $60,190 6% below national
262 Raleigh-Cary, NC $60,170 6% below national
263 Greeley, CO $60,160 6% below national
264 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $60,150 6% below national
265 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $60,120 6% below national
266 Tyler, TX $60,120 6% below national
267 Bangor, ME $60,080 6% below national
268 Columbia, SC $60,050 6% below national
269 Sherman-Denison, TX $60,030 6% below national
270 Auburn-Opelika, AL $59,970 6% below national
271 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $59,930 6% below national
272 Fond du Lac, WI $59,920 6% below national
273 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $59,850 6% below national
274 Chattanooga, TN-GA $59,830 6% below national
275 Fort Wayne, IN $59,800 7% below national
276 Clarksville, TN-KY $59,760 7% below national
277 Greensboro-High Point, NC $59,730 7% below national
278 Ponce, PR $59,660 7% below national
279 Aguadilla, PR $59,650 7% below national
280 Champaign-Urbana, IL $59,650 7% below national
281 Montgomery, AL $59,610 7% below national
282 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $59,590 7% below national
283 Wausau, WI $59,500 7% below national
284 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $59,480 7% below national
285 Rapid City, SD $59,480 7% below national
286 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $59,360 7% below national
287 Cleveland, TN $59,330 7% below national
288 Baton Rouge, LA $59,310 7% below national
289 Lubbock, TX $59,220 7% below national
290 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $59,180 7% below national
291 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $59,110 8% below national
292 Waco, TX $59,100 8% below national
293 Decatur, IL $59,050 8% below national
294 Topeka, KS $58,950 8% below national
295 Wichita Falls, TX $58,900 8% below national
296 Wheeling, WV-OH $58,830 8% below national
297 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $58,780 8% below national
298 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $58,680 8% below national
299 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $58,640 8% below national
300 Wichita, KS $58,640 8% below national
301 Muncie, IN $58,610 8% below national
302 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $58,580 8% below national
303 Bloomington, IN $58,410 9% below national
304 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $58,300 9% below national
305 Missoula, MT $58,240 9% below national
306 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $58,180 9% below national
307 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $58,130 9% below national
308 Helena, MT $57,980 9% below national
309 Kankakee, IL $57,980 9% below national
310 Gadsden, AL $57,890 10% below national
311 College Station-Bryan, TX $57,870 10% below national
312 Dubuque, IA $57,840 10% below national
313 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $57,770 10% below national
314 Hot Springs, AR $57,730 10% below national
315 Sumter, SC $57,650 10% below national
316 Ocala, FL $57,540 10% below national
317 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $57,450 10% below national
318 Peoria, IL $57,440 10% below national
319 Victoria, TX $57,430 10% below national
320 Terre Haute, IN $57,320 10% below national
321 Charleston, WV $57,020 11% below national
322 Burlington, NC $56,740 11% below national
323 Winston-Salem, NC $56,510 12% below national
324 Gainesville, FL $56,430 12% below national
325 Jonesboro, AR $56,270 12% below national
326 Greenville, NC $55,490 13% below national
327 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $55,140 14% below national
328 Tallahassee, FL $55,020 14% below national
329 Fayetteville, NC $54,350 15% below national
330 Flagstaff, AZ $53,900 16% below national
331 Port St. Lucie, FL $53,610 16% below national
332 Guayama, PR $53,550 16% below national
333 Abilene, TX $53,480 16% below national
334 Fort Smith, AR-OK $52,620 18% below national
335 Grand Junction, CO $52,230 18% below national
336 Mayaguez, PR $52,120 19% below national
337 Beckley, WV $51,910 19% below national
338 San Angelo, TX $51,590 19% below national
339 Lake Charles, LA $51,520 19% below national
340 Jackson, TN $51,470 20% below national
341 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $51,400 20% below national
342 Morgantown, WV $51,380 20% below national
343 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $51,300 20% below national
344 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $50,820 21% below national
345 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $50,540 21% below national
346 Lynchburg, VA $50,470 21% below national
347 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $50,420 21% below national
348 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $50,360 21% below national
349 Lawrence, KS $50,310 21% below national
350 Monroe, LA $50,300 21% below national
351 Texarkana, TX-AR $50,270 21% below national
352 Jackson, MS $50,240 21% below national
353 Asheville, NC $50,080 22% below national
354 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $50,040 22% below national
355 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $49,540 23% below national
356 Manhattan, KS $49,520 23% below national
357 Springfield, MO $49,380 23% below national
358 Goldsboro, NC $49,240 23% below national
359 St. Joseph, MO-KS $49,140 23% below national
360 Evansville, IN $49,120 23% below national
361 Oklahoma City, OK $48,780 24% below national
362 Joplin, MO-KS $48,770 24% below national
363 Rocky Mount, NC $48,670 24% below national
364 Sebring, FL $48,660 24% below national
365 Jacksonville, NC $48,370 24% below national
366 Yuma, AZ $48,360 24% below national
367 Great Falls, MT $48,320 24% below national
368 Wilmington, NC $48,240 25% below national
369 Tulsa, OK $48,220 25% below national
370 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $47,980 25% below national
371 Jefferson City, MO $47,960 25% below national
372 Alexandria, LA $47,950 25% below national
373 Columbia, MO $47,920 25% below national
374 Lafayette, LA $47,770 25% below national
375 Hattiesburg, MS $47,650 26% below national
376 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $47,600 26% below national
377 Hammond, LA $47,470 26% below national
378 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $47,400 26% below national
379 Lawton, OK $47,330 26% below national
380 Tucson, AZ $47,220 26% below national
381 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $47,100 26% below national
382 Enid, OK $46,840 27% below national
383 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $46,460 27% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 25 (Educational Instruction and Library Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 63 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Educational Instruction and Library Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($63,970 here) and reported employment (1,388,390 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education make?
The median annual salary for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education is $63,970 ($N/A/hour). The salary range spans from $47,960 at the 10th percentile to $104,340 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $63,970, Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay is higher than 55% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education at $102,350/year, which is +60% above the national median.
What education do Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education need?
BLS assigns Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in this release. WageDex shows the Educational Instruction and Library Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education a good career?
Employment for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education is projected to decline 2% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 91,000 openings are projected each year.
How does Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay vary by state?
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $102,350/year, while Oklahoma pays the least at $48,200/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA at $104,650/year. BLS reports a median for 383 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $81,450/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $102,350/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.