Key Takeaways
- This is the third largest increase over the thirteen years that NEA has been tracking increases in starting teacher pay.
- High inflation that came with the reopening of the economy following the pandemic resulted in the largest real dollar decrease in starting salary since NEA began collecting teacher salary benchmark data.
Benchmarks
Data collected from 12,000 school districts from across the country show for the 2021-2022 school year an average starting teacher salary of $42,845 and an average top teacher salary of $77,931. District level starting salaries increased by an average of 2.5% over 2020-2021, while top salaries rose by 1.8%.
The 2.5% increase in starting salary was the third largest increase over the thirteen years that NEA has been tracking increases in starting teacher pay. However, the high inflation that came with the reopening of the economy following the pandemic resulted in the largest real dollar decrease in starting salary since NEA began collecting teacher salary benchmark data.
Key Findings
4,780 school districts (40%), employing a half million teachers still offer a starting salary below $40,000.
17.7% of school districts pay beginning teachers a salary of at least $50,000. These districts employ 948,000 teachers.
For 2021-2022, the average increase in starting teacher salaries trailed inflation by 6.6 percentage points.
Real inflation adjusted starting salaries are now $4,552 below 2008-2009 levels.
On average, the top of the teacher pay scale is $77,926; a salary level that typically requires a PhD, or 15 to 30 graduate credit hours beyond a master’s degree, and often requires 25 to 30 years of professional teaching experience.
The starting salary of teachers in states with a bargaining law is $2,107 more than in states without a bargaining law. Top pay is $13,519 higher in states with a bargaining law.
Teacher Salary Benchmark Averages
State | Starting Salary | Top Bachelor's | Starting Master's | Top Master's | Top Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | $41,974 | $55,688 | $48,182 | $63,893 | $73,644 |
Alaska | $50,203 | $86,223 | $56,058 | $89,415 | $90,234 |
Arizona | $41,496 | $52,544 | $44,111 | $61,633 | $68,200 |
Arkansas | $37,168 | $49,613 | $41,388 | NA | $55,409 |
California | $51,600 | NA | NA | NA | $102,928 |
Colorado | $37,124 | $47,516 | $40,796 | $58,936 | $67,101 |
Connecticut | $48,007 | $77,378 | $52,048 | NA | $99,971 |
Delaware | $44,037 | $62,415 | $50,064 | $78,651 | $89,506 |
District of Columbia | $56,313 | $89,294 | $60,067 | $110,179 | $116,408 |
Federal | $54,903 | $106,351 | $62,670 | $114,516 | $131,981 |
Florida | $45,171 | $62,841 | $47,496 | $65,748 | $68,442 |
Georgia | $38,926 | $57,148 | $44,164 | $65,162 | $80,641 |
Hawaii | $50,123 | $71,403 | $54,132 | $77,115 | $91,948 |
Idaho | $40,394 | $53,272 | $42,465 | $58,548 | $60,315 |
Illinois | $42,213 | $62,252 | $46,460 | $77,507 | $85,923 |
Indiana | $40,959 | NA | NA | NA | $73,379 |
Iowa | $39,208 | NA | NA | NA | $72,906 |
Kansas | $40,130 | $45,165 | $43,200 | $55,691 | $62,307 |
Kentucky | $38,010 | $54,162 | $41,842 | $59,180 | $64,055 |
Louisiana | $43,270 | $56,104 | $44,180 | $57,102 | $59,427 |
Maine | $39,101 | $64,262 | $41,824 | $68,202 | $70,534 |
Maryland | $49,451 | $66,654 | $52,155 | $88,711 | $96,138 |
Massachusetts | $49,503 | $78,336 | $53,353 | $86,735 | $96,714 |
Michigan | $38,963 | NA | NA | $72,593 | NA |
Minnesota | $42,293 | $57,274 | $47,721 | $70,076 | $75,644 |
Mississippi | $37,729 | $56,279 | $40,080 | $64,128 | $71,064 |
Missouri | $34,052 | $43,368 | $36,952 | $53,324 | $57,891 |
Montana | $33,568 | $46,002 | $37,673 | $62,675 | $67,239 |
Nebraska | $37,186 | $45,729 | $44,040 | $62,938 | $70,897 |
Nevada | $42,552 | $55,928 | $49,058 | $72,798 | $81,697 |
New Hampshire | $40,272 | $60,548 | $43,960 | $67,956 | $71,674 |
New Jersey | $55,143 | $86,524 | $59,043 | $91,247 | $95,207 |
New Mexico | $42,981 | $57,957 | $43,105 | $67,367 | $70,726 |
New York | $47,981 | $78,713 | $52,678 | $90,232 | $96,322 |
North Carolina | $37,676 | $55,973 | $41,448 | $61,572 | $64,260 |
North Dakota | $41,587 | $62,166 | $45,291 | NA | $66,353 |
Ohio | $39,094 | $68,098 | $43,317 | $79,502 | $84,434 |
Oklahoma | $38,154 | $52,997 | $39,592 | $55,072 | $57,435 |
Oregon | $40,374 | $57,106 | $44,933 | $70,699 | $76,624 |
Pennsylvania | $47,827 | $74,435 | $51,789 | $81,675 | $87,224 |
Rhode Island | $45,337 | $85,560 | $49,822 | $88,772 | $91,173 |
South Carolina | $38,929 | $57,268 | $44,223 | $64,677 | $68,511 |
South Dakota | $41,170 | $54,421 | $45,221 | $56,386 | NA |
Tennessee | $40,280 | $53,700 | $43,857 | $58,727 | $66,808 |
Texas | $45,493 | $63,528 | $48,443 | $65,777 | $64,739 |
Utah | $46,880 | $68,960 | $50,890 | $80,062 | $84,511 |
Vermont | $41,587 | $59,019 | $46,522 | $71,867 | $78,247 |
Virginia | $43,845 | $68,883 | $46,666 | $72,885 | $75,027 |
Washington | $52,142 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
West Virginia | $38,052 | $59,156 | $40,880 | $62,022 | $65,868 |
Wisconsin | $39,955 | NA | NA | NA | $74,509 |
Wyoming | $47,321 | $56,547 | $51,890 | $68,105 | $75,348 |
United States | $42,845 | $62,116 | $46,117 | $71,095 | $77,931 |
Starting Teacher Pay Data
State | Starting Salary | Rank | $40K Districts | District Percent* | $40K Teachers | Teacher Percent* | Starting Salary 2020-2021 | Salary Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | $41,974 | 24 | 138 | 100% | 42,247 | 100% | $41,128 | 2.10% |
Alaska | $50,203 | 5 | 45 | 100% | 7,387 | 100% | $50,082 | 0.20% |
Arizona | $41,496 | 27 | 92 | 64% | 41,529 | 87% | $40,757 | 1.80% |
Arkansas | $37,168 | 48 | 36 | 16% | 15,848 | 43% | $35,804 | 3.80% |
California | $51,600 | 4 | 798 | 97% | 232,389 | 99% | $49,933 | 3.30% |
Colorado | $37,124 | 49 | 44 | 25% | 39,634 | 75% | $35,670 | 4.10% |
Connecticut | $48,007 | 9 | 167 | 100% | 38,506 | 100% | $47,477 | 1.10% |
Delaware | $44,037 | 17 | 18 | 100% | 8,607 | 100% | $43,531 | 1.20% |
District of Columbia | $56,313 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 4,335 | 100% | $56,313 | 0.00% |
Federal | $54,903 | 16 | 100% | $54,311 | 1.10% | |||
Florida | $45,171 | 16 | 63 | 97% | 158,444 | 100% | $44,040 | 2.60% |
Georgia | $38,926 | 41 | 51 | 26% | 87,770 | 76% | $38,692 | 0.60% |
Hawaii | $50,123 | 6 | 1 | 100% | 12,145 | 100% | $50,123 | 0.00% |
Idaho | $40,394 | 30 | 113 | 100% | 16,252 | 100% | $39,600 | 2.00% |
Illinois | $42,213 | 23 | 497 | 59% | 106,960 | 83% | $41,228 | 2.40% |
Indiana | $40,959 | 29 | 236 | 77% | 55,261 | 88% | $38,116 | 7.50% |
Iowa | $39,208 | 36 | 127 | 39% | 14,917 | 42% | $38,515 | 1.80% |
Kansas | $40,130 | 34 | 163 | 59% | 31,551 | 84% | $39,100 | 2.60% |
Kentucky | $38,010 | 44 | 32 | 19% | 18,428 | 44% | $37,373 | 1.70% |
Louisiana | $43,270 | 19 | 46 | 81% | 30,673 | 95% | $42,185 | 2.60% |
Maine | $39,101 | 37 | 58 | 34% | 6,369 | 46% | $37,548 | 4.10% |
Maryland | $49,451 | 8 | 24 | 100% | 62,236 | 100% | $48,510 | 1.90% |
Massachusetts | $49,503 | 7 | 263 | 99% | 62,258 | 100% | $48,426 | 2.20% |
Michigan | $38,963 | 39 | 195 | 38% | 40,161 | 56% | $37,931 | 2.70% |
Minnesota | $42,293 | 22 | 248 | 88% | 43,984 | 95% | $41,255 | 2.50% |
Mississippi | $37,729 | 45 | 13 | 9% | 6,801 | 22% | $36,659 | 2.90% |
Missouri | $34,052 | 50 | 43 | 8% | 24,111 | 37% | $33,234 | 2.50% |
Montana | $33,568 | 51 | 15 | 7% | 2,502 | 28% | $32,521 | 3.20% |
Nebraska | $37,186 | 47 | 14 | 6% | 8,538 | 36% | $36,543 | 1.80% |
Nevada | $42,552 | 21 | 12 | 71% | 17,159 | 80% | $41,591 | 2.30% |
New Hampshire | $40,272 | 33 | 77 | 48% | 7,685 | 55% | $39,737 | 1.30% |
New Jersey | $55,143 | 2 | 584 | 100% | 113,325 | 100% | $54,057 | 2.00% |
New Mexico | $42,981 | 20 | 45 | 100% | 18,834 | 100% | $41,828 | 2.80% |
New York | $47,981 | 10 | 455 | 88% | 153,500 | 93% | $47,412 | 1.20% |
North Carolina | $37,676 | 46 | 9 | 8% | 32,338 | 35% | $37,127 | 1.50% |
North Dakota | $41,587 | 26 | 115 | 67% | 7,231 | 77% | $40,908 | 1.70% |
Ohio | $39,094 | 38 | 241 | 39% | 56,864 | 63% | $38,225 | 2.30% |
Oklahoma | $38,154 | 42 | 59 | 12% | 21,849 | 54% | $38,074 | 0.20% |
Oregon | $40,374 | 31 | 87 | 52% | 24,723 | 82% | $39,338 | 2.60% |
Pennsylvania | $47,827 | 11 | 501 | 92% | 108,497 | 96% | $46,822 | 2.10% |
Rhode Island | $45,337 | 15 | 30 | 100% | 8,779 | 100% | $44,529 | 1.80% |
South Carolina | $38,929 | 40 | 26 | 34% | 28,445 | 56% | $37,780 | 3.00% |
South Dakota | $41,170 | 28 | 94 | 73% | 8,420 | 91% | $40,128 | 2.60% |
Tennessee | $40,280 | 32 | 73 | 51% | 48,166 | 75% | $39,030 | 3.20% |
Texas | $45,493 | 14 | 491 | 75% | 320,885 | 96% | $44,549 | 2.10% |
Utah | $46,880 | 13 | 41 | 100% | 26,158 | 100% | $44,349 | 5.70% |
Vermont | $41,587 | 25 | 94 | 84% | 5,827 | 88% | $40,832 | 1.80% |
Virginia | $43,845 | 18 | 114 | 87% | 83,018 | 96% | $42,270 | 3.70% |
Washington | $52,142 | 3 | 237 | 100% | 60,730 | 100% | $50,897 | 2.40% |
West Virginia | $38,052 | 43 | 5 | 9% | 2,493 | 13% | $37,987 | 0.20% |
Wisconsin | $39,955 | 35 | 254 | 61% | 34,062 | 57% | $38,961 | 2.60% |
Wyoming | $47,321 | 12 | 47 | 98% | 7,348 | 99% | $46,826 | 1.10% |
United States | $42,845 | 7248 | 60% | 2,416,177 | 82% | $41,814 | 2.50% |
Learn More
Starting Teacher Pay 2023
NEA's Teacher Salary Benchmark Report provides information from 12,000 local school districts on starting teacher salaries and salaries at other points of the teaching career continuum.
Download the Report (pdf)