How much money can you make as a teacher? It’s important to know what to expect throughout your career as a teacher. As your own education and years of teaching experience increases, so can your salary potential. Here's a look at how much teachers in the United States earn.

(If you're interested in sub teacher pay in particular, check out our guide to how much substitute teachers make specifically!)

How Much Can You Get Paid as a Teacher?

The U.S. Department of Education provides information about the teaching profession – but it does not mandate a minimum salary for teachers in any part of the United States. 

Educators can use other resources to gather this data. A good starting point is knowing that teacher pay can vary widely depending on location. According to the National Education Association (NEA), the average starting teacher salary in California is $55,283, but the average pay for a starting teacher in Tennessee is $42,164. Educators can check how high or low their state ranks with NEA’s educator pay data. The most recent data shows that on average, the states on the lower end of the pay scale include West Virginia, Florida, South Dakota, Mississippi, and Missouri.

What about the entire country? According to the NEA, as of 2024, the national average salary for a starting teacher was $44,530. The national average teacher salary as of 2024 in general was $69,597.

What is a Teacher Salary Schedule?

Without a national standard for teacher pay, public schools rely on a local school board, or board of education, to create a salary schedule for teachers. But these salaries can vary widely even within the same state. For example, in Ohio, first-year teachers in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland all might enter the teaching profession with no experience and the same credentials, but their pay might all be different. This is due to different school boards creating their pay scales.

Public schools make their salary schedules available to anyone. Because this information is easily accessible, it eliminates the question of discrimination or unfair practices, leaving no room for bias. 

The schedule consists of “steps,” like a ladder. A teacher’s step is based on education and years of teaching experience. For example, those with a bachelor’s degree and zero years of teaching experience will enter the profession at the lowest pay step. Having a bachelor’s degree and one year of teaching experience is a slightly higher step. Holding a master’s degree and ten years of experience equals many, many steps higher. The higher steps on the schedule, the higher the salary. 

Teaching in a Public Vs. Private School Teachers Salaries

Many opportunities are available for teaching in private schools. However, salary opportunities may require further research. This depends on how and where the position is posted, and if a salary was posted with it.

The pay for private schools can vary. Private schools will probably not have a salary schedule published, and the pay for private schools can be harder to estimate. There are Montessori schools, Waldorf schools, Catholic schools, Christian schools, and many more. For example, the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) advertises teaching jobs for Catholic schools. Within these postings, salary ranges may be posted. Salary for private school jobs is sometimes dictated by a need for part-time, not full-time, staff.

Can Teachers in the US Get Benefits?

Most full-time public school teachers receive standard medical, dental, and vision benefits. Another perk of the teaching profession - which is nearly obsolete in all other American professions - is a pension plan. Teachers also receive the special work-life balance perk of summers off. Some teachers like to use this time for career-enhancing projects like earning a master’s degree or attending professional workshops. Teachers can also use their skills in a different setting by coaching after school sports or supervising after school activities and clubs. 

Conclusion

Teacher pay is determined by a variety of factors. The education level of the teacher, years of experience, location, and type of school are all factors. Knowing how to read a salary schedule and carefully choosing your location are strategies for maximizing your chances of finding the most compelling offer.