Ranking Average Teacher Salaries by State

© 2013 by Aurelio Locsin.

All teachers from kindergarten to high school are charged with preparing their students to eventually take their places in society by either continuing to additional training or joining the workforce. These educational professionals impart lessons on academic subjects and life. Their average highest salaries vary by grade level and state.

As of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 8,409, 060 individuals worked in education, training and library occupations. Although most of the workers were kindergarten through high school teachers, this labor category also included college instructors, preschool teachers, librarians and curators, but did not include educational administrators.

• About 5,568,640 worked in elementary and secondary schools, 1,143,270 were in colleges, universities and professional schools, and 462,990 were in junior colleges.
• Mean annual wages for the category were $50,850, with a low under $20,780 per year, and a high above $85,510 annually.
• The highest paying states for the category and their average wages were the District of Columbia, which the BLS classified with states, at $63,920, Rhode Island at $61,650, New York at $61,040, Alaska at $59,960 and Massachusetts at $59,410.

Kindergarten teachers instruct students who are around five or six years old.

• The nation’s 146,910 kindergarten teachers earned a mean $52,350 per year, with a low under $32,100 yearly and an annual high above $76,900.
• The states with the highest average annual salaries for the profession were Rhode Island at $71,820, New York at $70,930, Alaska at $68,290, Connecticut at $63,830 and California at $61,150.

In elementary schools, teachers manage students aged from about six or seven years old in first grade up to ten or 11 years old in fifth grade.

• Average salaries for the 1,415,590 teachers at this level were a mean $55,270 per year, with lows under $34,910 yearly, and highs above $81,230 annually.
• The highest average yearly wages were in Alaska at $72,090, Rhode Island at $71,840, New York at $69,380, Connecticut at $66,920 and California at $65,660.

Students aged 11 or 12 years in sixth grade up to 13 or 14 years old in eight grade go to middle schools, where 642,820 received a mean $55,780, with lows below $35,760, and highs beyond $81,620. Their best mean annual wages were in New York at $73,920, Alaska at $69,680, Connecticut at $68,740, Rhode Island at $67,590 and Maryland at $67,380.

High school teachers instruct students starting in ninth grade at ages 14 or 15 up to 12^th grade at ages 17 and 18. At these grade levels, teens may have their last opportunity for learning, although many continue on to college or vocational training.

• Mean wages for the 1,004,850 professionals at this level were $56,760 yearly, with lows under $35,940 and highs above $84,000.
• The best paying states and their mean salaries were New York at $71,820, Rhode Island at $70,430, Alaska at $69,730, New Jersey at $68,650 and Connecticut at $66,870.