Choosing a state to teach in can significantly impact your financial well-being. Based on the Educator Pay Data 2024 published by the National Education Association (NEA), we have compiled a list of 15 states where teachers earn the highest salaries. This list considers not only the average wages but also the cost of living and other financial factors.

Here are the states that offer the best compensation for educators, making them attractive destinations for teaching professionals.

Minnesota

The average teacher wage in Minnesota is $70,005, slightly higher than the national average of $69,544.

Not to mention, the teachers earn at least $7,000 more than the minimum living wage in this state.

Hawaii

The average wage for a teacher in Hawaii is $70,947. Although it is higher than the national average, the minimum living wage in Hawaii is over $100,000. Teachers here earn around $30,000 less, which makes this a huge disadvantage. It is the state with the highest cost of living, which makes it the least lucrative place to stay and teach.

Oregon

Teachers in Oregon make an average of $72,476, which is on the higher end of the earning spectrum. However, the minimum living wage in Oregon, at $73,393, is higher than the average teacher pay. This might seem like a caveat, even though it is above other states.

Illinois

The average teacher wage in Illinois is $73,916. This is nearly $4400 more than the national teacher pay of $69,544.

Moreover, to be considered ‘middle class’ in Illinois, you need to earn at least $68,452 in a four-person household. This pay is well above average.

Pennsylvania

The average wage of a teacher in Pennsylvania is $74,945. Teachers earn about $13,560 more than the average wage in Pennsylvania.

Alaska

You have multiple reasons to teach in Alaska. The average teacher wage in this state is well above average, and you can even bargain your pay in the school union.

The average salary for each teacher is $76,371. The cost of living in Alaska is relatively less than in states like New York, which makes it a lucrative place to live and teach.

Rhode Island

The average teacher wage in Rhode Island is $79,289. This might seem lower than several other places. However, getting a lower cost of living coupled with a pay higher than the average teacher wage is not a bad deal.

Maryland

Maryland is one of the best finance-friendly places to teach. It might be in 8th place on our list, but look at the other advantages.

.The average annual income for a teacher is $79,420, which is far better than most of the country. Maryland’s cost of living is one of the lowest, which makes it a great place to teach.

New Jersey

New Jersey offers an above-average teacher wage of around $81,102. Remember that the cost of living in New Jersey is on the lower end of the list.

The spending per student in this state is one of the highest, and it may work as a trump card for a teacher.

Connecticut

There are several factors at play here for a teacher. Connecticut offers $83,400, one of the highest salaries for a teacher in the US.

It also has one of the highest job concentrations in the field of education. If you move there, you will likely be employed as a teacher. Even though it is high on our list, the salary is less than the minimum living wage of $84,392.

Washington, D.C

Teachers in Washington D.C. earn $84,882 annually. The US capital secures the 5th spot in the list of the highest-paid teachers report. However, at $93,731, the cost of living in this state is extremely high. This might dissuade people from taking on jobs as educators here.

Washington

Washington offers high pay to teachers. The average teacher wage in this state is $86,804. This is around $15,000 more than Washington’s average worker’s salary.

The average cost of living here is the lowest among the top four states, so you can save more than in the other states.

Massachusetts

Like the neighboring state of Connecticut, Massachusetts’s kindergarten school teachers earn more than its high school teachers. The average teacher wage in this state is $92,307.

This wage is significantly higher than the average worker in the state. This puts Massachusetts at a whopping third position on our list.

New York

The average salary of a teacher in New York is a handsome $92,696, the second highest among all US states. At 69,433, the minimum living wage is far below the average teacher’s salary. Even though the cost of living is significantly high in this state, the pay makes survival easier.

California

The Golden State offers the highest pay to teachers. The average wage of a teacher here is $95,160 which is nearly $20,000 more than the average of Californian workers.

However, do remember the caveat. California is a heavily taxed state. Every dollar counts, considering its high cost of living.