Elementary school teachers, except special education salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,960 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $63,970 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $72,650 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $104,340 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Elementary school teachers, except special education pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,380 | $47,750 | $73,950 | 22,030 | 1.17 |
| Alaska | $79,260 | $62,140 | $98,610 | 3,500 | 1.2 |
| Arizona | $56,590 | $43,370 | $79,470 | 24,240 | 0.84 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 | $49,380 | $63,120 | 12,590 | 1.08 |
| California | $99,650 | $61,940 | $127,070 | 155,160 | 0.95 |
| Colorado | $63,410 | $48,410 | $98,950 | 24,860 | 0.97 |
| Connecticut | $80,600 | $58,870 | $105,890 | 16,330 | 1.08 |
| Delaware | $75,920 | $50,330 | $94,100 | 2,900 | 0.67 |
| District of Columbia | $96,580 | $63,950 | $128,370 | 3,750 | 0.6 |
| Florida | $58,930 | $48,680 | $75,780 | 79,090 | 0.89 |
| Georgia | $72,290 | $49,260 | $98,030 | 43,820 | 1 |
| Guam | $62,240 | $38,220 | $77,460 | 1,000 | 1.69 |
| Hawaii | $71,410 | $55,210 | $95,120 | 6,040 | 1.08 |
| Idaho | $61,600 | $45,940 | $80,710 | 6,850 | 0.9 |
| Illinois | $75,320 | $47,040 | $105,250 | 61,520 | 1.13 |
| Indiana | $59,700 | $47,330 | $77,730 | 27,720 | 0.97 |
| Iowa | $60,580 | $47,260 | $77,400 | 17,300 | 1.24 |
| Kansas | $56,450 | $47,700 | $71,730 | 14,350 | 1.12 |
| Kentucky | $60,610 | $45,600 | $79,740 | 19,080 | 1.07 |
| Louisiana | $58,770 | $46,680 | $76,380 | 22,060 | 1.28 |
| Maine | $62,390 | $46,570 | $92,100 | 7,490 | 1.31 |
| Maryland | $77,680 | $56,290 | $107,040 | 29,610 | 1.2 |
| Massachusetts | $94,000 | $60,620 | $118,190 | 29,930 | 0.92 |
| Michigan | $65,110 | $47,670 | $94,680 | 40,910 | 1.04 |
| Minnesota | $76,350 | $48,870 | $100,880 | 26,640 | 1.01 |
| Mississippi | $49,790 | $46,020 | $62,990 | 11,060 | 1.07 |
| Missouri | $50,910 | $39,980 | $78,820 | 33,180 | 1.27 |
| Montana | $57,530 | $38,160 | $78,450 | 4,960 | 1.09 |
| Nebraska | $62,380 | $46,700 | $78,130 | 8,710 | 0.95 |
| Nevada | $65,040 | $49,560 | $82,670 | 9,550 | 0.69 |
| New Hampshire | $72,410 | $48,110 | $92,920 | 5,190 | 0.85 |
| New Jersey | $78,200 | $61,840 | $105,480 | 40,300 | 1.05 |
| New Mexico | $74,550 | $58,120 | $86,560 | 6,210 | 0.8 |
| New York | $85,760 | $56,760 | $136,260 | 101,410 | 1.17 |
| North Carolina | $54,930 | $45,570 | $62,590 | 42,410 | 0.96 |
| North Dakota | $60,030 | $46,530 | $75,990 | 4,430 | 1.15 |
| Ohio | $77,370 | $47,680 | $99,210 | 47,870 | 0.97 |
| Oklahoma | $48,200 | $41,400 | $61,930 | 18,500 | 1.21 |
| Oregon | $77,130 | $48,500 | $103,540 | 12,600 | 0.72 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,060 | $51,990 | $99,630 | 48,370 | 0.89 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,540 | $28,600 | $73,930 | 4,370 | 0.52 |
| Rhode Island | $90,930 | $45,070 | $99,610 | 3,830 | 0.86 |
| South Carolina | $60,820 | $48,410 | $77,570 | 25,030 | 1.22 |
| South Dakota | $50,130 | $47,120 | $60,180 | 4,290 | 1.05 |
| Tennessee | $59,980 | $48,100 | $76,840 | 28,240 | 0.96 |
| Texas | $62,760 | $48,500 | $73,570 | 116,260 | 0.93 |
| Utah | $74,810 | $49,610 | $100,340 | 14,820 | 0.96 |
| Vermont | $63,070 | $48,700 | $97,230 | 3,610 | 1.33 |
| Virgin Islands | $60,560 | $49,410 | $76,420 | 630 | 2.18 |
| Virginia | $65,550 | $49,770 | $100,290 | 37,880 | 1.03 |
| Washington | $102,350 | $64,610 | $127,570 | 28,980 | 0.91 |
| West Virginia | $55,630 | $48,080 | $60,790 | 5,420 | 0.87 |
| Wisconsin | $61,210 | $48,610 | $84,470 | 24,920 | 0.95 |
| Wyoming | $61,150 | $51,630 | $76,860 | 2,600 | 1.04 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for elementary school teachers, except special education
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 87,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for elementary school teachers, except special education
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Bilingual and Multilingual Education CIP 13.0201
- Elementary Education and Teaching CIP 13.1202
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels CIP 13.1206
- Montessori Teacher Education CIP 13.1207
- Waldorf/Steiner Teacher Education CIP 13.1208
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching CIP 13.1210
- Online Educator/Online Teaching CIP 13.1211
- International Teaching and Learning CIP 13.1212
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Educational Methods CIP 13.1213
- Environmental Education CIP 13.1338
- Communication Arts and Literature Teacher Education CIP 13.1339
- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor CIP 13.1401
- Teaching French as a Second or Foreign Language CIP 13.1402
- Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language, Other CIP 13.1499
- Social Sciences, Other CIP 45.0199
Licenses and certifications
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
Technology skills
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Blackboard software
- Children's educational software
- ClassDojo
- ClassTag
- Common Curriculum
- EasyCBM
- Edpuzzle
- Email software
- Flipgrid
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.
Common job titles: Art Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Elementary Classroom Teacher, Elementary School Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Math Teacher (Mathematics Teacher), Music Teacher, Primary Teacher, Reading Teacher, Teacher.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do elementary school teachers, except special education make?
The national median annual wage for elementary school teachers, except special education was $63,970 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $47,960 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $104,340. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do elementary school teachers, except special education need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is elementary school teachers, except special education a growing career?
BLS projects employment of elementary school teachers, except special education to change -0.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 87,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay elementary school teachers, except special education the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($102,350), California ($99,650), District of Columbia ($96,580). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.