10 Best States To Be a Teacher (With Salaries and Benefits)

Updated August 3, 2023

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There is a woman writing on a whiteboard there is also a list with the title "10 best states to be a teacher" and these states are listed:

1. New York
2. California
3. Massachusetts
4. District of Columbia
5. Connecticut
6. New Jersey
7. Alaska
8. Oregon
9. Washington
10. Virginia

If you're starting a career in education, researching compensation, benefits and job outlook in various areas of the country could help you find the right role for you. Many states offer incentives and competitive salaries for teachers, especially in periods of high demand. By looking at which states offer the best opportunities, you can decide which areas to target during your teacher job search.

In this article, we review the top 10 best states for teachers to work in, discuss the job outlook for teachers and explain why it's important to choose the right state in which to teach.

10 best states to be a teacher

Below are the 10 best states to work as a teacher according to data from Indeed salaries. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, visit indeed.com/salaries:

1. District of Columbia

The average salary for a teacher in the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) is $65,428 per year. Washington D.C. provides several incentives and benefits for its teachers, such as:

IMPACTplus, a bonus program based on performance and merit
Loan cancelation and deferment options
Employer assistance for first-time home buyers
Professional development programs

The average salary per specialty is:

Preschool teachers: $56,084 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $56,729 per year
Elementary school teachers: $59,736 per year
High school teachers: $63,381 per year

2. Alaska

The average salary for a teacher in Alaska is $64,175 per year. With 54 school districts, there's a high demand for teachers to help target a low student-to-teacher ratio. This demand could contribute to higher salaries. Public school teachers in Alaska are also members of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), the state's retirement benefits program.

Here's the average salary per specialty in Alaska:

Preschool teachers: $47,685 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $50,783 per year
Elementary school teachers: $64,814 per year
High school teachers: $45,030 per year

3. Rhode Island

The average salary for a teacher in Rhode Island is $58,696 per year. Rhode Island also offers signing bonuses to eligible new teachers seeking public school jobs. There are 66 public school districts in Rhode Island.

Here's the average salary per specialty for teachers in Rhode Island:

Preschool teachers: $49,295 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $43,573 per year
Elementary school teachers: $56,538 per year
High school teachers: $59,337 per year

4. Maryland

The average salary for a teacher in Maryland is $58,340 per year. There are 1,427 public schools in Maryland, and benefits for teachers in Maryland include:

National Board Certified Teacher Incentive Program, which boosts salaries by between $10,000 and $17,000 per year
Teachers' pension program
Potential tax credits

Here are the national average salaries by specialty:

Preschool teachers: $49,458 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $39,477 per year
Elementary school teachers: $44,401 per year
High school teachers: $51,413 per year

5. New York

The average salary for a teacher in New York is $58,166 per year. With 731 school districts, the state of New York has a wide variety of educational institutions where teachers can find work. There are also opportunities for competitive salaries and professional development initiatives that allow teachers to expand their knowledge in a specialty area.

Here's the average salary per specialty for New York-based teachers:

Preschool teachers: $51,906 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $45,501 per year
Elementary school teachers: $57,764 per year
High school teachers: $63,074 per year

6. New Mexico

The average salary for a teacher in New Mexico is $54,582 per year. Benefits of teaching in New Mexico include:

Progressive salary structure depending on experience level
Financial aid for teacher training
Loan repayment and forgiveness options
Scholarship opportunities for National Board Certification

Here's the average teacher salary by specialty in New Mexico:

Preschool teachers: $44,659 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $56,262 per year
Elementary school teachers: $58,344 per year
High school teachers: $60,735 per year

7. Virginia

The average salary for a teacher in Virginia is $54,538 per year. Virginia's Department of Education provides a variety of incentives to educators, including:

Loan forgiveness opportunities after five years of teaching
Opportunities to participate in instruction committees to guide the direction of coursework and learning objectives
Tuition assistance and financial aid opportunities

Here's the average salary per specialty for Virginia teachers:

Preschool teachers: $44,903 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $30,619 per year
Elementary school teachers: $49,948 per year
High school teachers: $53,189 per year

8. Texas

The average salary for a teacher in Texas is $54,375 per year. Texas also offers the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), a compensation program that rewards eligible educators in areas with great needs, like rural areas.

Salary averages for Texas teachers per specialty are:

Preschool teachers: $40,868 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $35,827 per year
Elementary school teachers: $53,164 per year
High school teachers: $55,415 per year

9. Colorado

The average salary for a teacher in Colorado is $52,235 per year. The benefits of working as a teacher in Colorado include:

Tuition reimbursement opportunities
Paid professional development options
Paid fellowships for teachers in rural areas
Housing assistance for Colorado home-buyers
Loan forgiveness opportunities

Below are the salary averages for Colorado teachers according to specialty:

Preschool teachers: $53,437 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $47,984 per year
Elementary school teachers: $50,138 per year
High school teachers: $52,621 per year

10. Nevada

The average salary for a teacher in Nevada is $51,847 per year. Nevada offers teachers incentives such as loan forgiveness opportunities and education grants for teachers serving students in high-need fields in low-income areas.

Here are the salary averages for Nevada teachers:

Preschool teachers: $41,953 per year
Kindergarten teachers: $57,801 per year
Elementary school teachers: $58,522 per year
High school teachers: $55,634 per year

Job outlook for teachers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in education, training and library sciences may grow by 7% by 2031. Here's a breakdown of BLS predictions for various teaching paths:

Preschool teachers: 15% increase by 2031
Kindergarten and elementary teachers: 4% increase by 2031
High school teachers: 5% increase by 2031
Middle school teachers: 4% increase by 2031
Special education teachers: 5% increase by 2031

States with the highest employment for preschool teachers

According to the BLS, the states with the highest employment levels for preschool teachers are:

California
Texas
Florida
Illinois
New York

States with the highest employment for kindergarten teachers

The states with the highest employment levels for kindergarten teachers are:

Texas
California
Florida
New York
New Jersey

States with the highest employment for middle school teachers

The states with the highest employment levels for middle school teachers are:

Texas
California
New York
Florida
Pennsylvania

States with the highest employment for high school teachers

The states with the highest employment levels for high school teachers are:

Texas
California
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania

States with the highest employment for special education teachers

The states with the highest employment levels for special education teachers are:

California
Florida
Texas
Illinois
Virginia

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Why is it important to research the best states to be a teacher?

Here are some benefits of doing your research while searching for teaching jobs:

Helps you maximize your earnings: Through research, you can compare salary ranges and determine which state provides you with the highest pay relative to the cost of living.
Allows you to narrow your job search: If you're open to moving, looking at which states offer the most opportunities can help you decide where to apply for work.
Gives you insights into which states offer the most specialty jobs: Doing research can help you determine the best states to pursue a teaching specialty, like special education or early childhood.
Helps you plan your education: Many states offer incentives like certification bonuses, loan forgiveness or tuition reimbursement, so learning about these benefits before earning your degree may help you plan your educational path.