The average salary for a high school teacher in the United States is around $46,824 per year.
Avg Salary
High school teachers earn an average yearly salary of $46,824.
Wages typically start from $34,490 and go up to $63,569.
27% below national average Updated in 2023
High school teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$30.56 per hour
$63,569 per year
Senior-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$26.44 per hour
$54,998 per year
Mid-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$22.51 per hour
$46,824 per year
Junior-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$19.17 per hour
$39,864 per year
Starting level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$16.58 per hour
$34,490 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
High school teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $97,340 |
| California | $96,390 |
| Washington | $80,740 |
| Massachusetts | $79,120 |
| Connecticut | $78,100 |
| New Jersey | $78,070 |
| District of Columbia | $77,570 |
| Alaska | $77,540 |
| Maryland | $77,360 |
| Rhode Island | $76,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,290 |
| Oregon | $76,090 |
| Ohio | $75,330 |
| Virginia | $73,110 |
| Delaware | $72,600 |
| Nevada | $63,730 |
| Hawaii | $62,060 |
| New Hampshire | $61,820 |
| Illinois | $61,680 |
| Georgia | $61,640 |
| Minnesota | $61,220 |
| Vermont | $61,130 |
| Texas | $61,060 |
| Michigan | $60,980 |
| Florida | $60,940 |
| Nebraska | $60,900 |
| Wisconsin | $60,900 |
| Wyoming | $60,900 |
| Utah | $60,810 |
| Colorado | $60,670 |
| New Mexico | $60,150 |
| Kentucky | $60,040 |
| Maine | $59,970 |
| Iowa | $59,820 |
| South Carolina | $58,510 |
| Alabama | $58,310 |
| Kansas | $50,150 |
| Tennessee | $50,130 |
| West Virginia | $49,850 |
| North Dakota | $49,730 |
| Oklahoma | $49,730 |
| Louisiana | $49,710 |
| Idaho | $49,550 |
| Arizona | $49,280 |
| Indiana | $48,940 |
| North Carolina | $48,670 |
| Arkansas | $48,650 |
| Montana | $48,650 |
| Guam | $48,490 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $48,490 |
| South Dakota | $48,100 |
| Mississippi | $47,350 |
| Missouri | $47,310 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,740 |
How do high school teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
High school teachers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than educational administrators but more than teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Educational administrator salary | $65K |
| Professor salary | $52K |
| Special education teacher salary | $54K |
| Librarian salary | $55K |
| Career counselor salary | $48K |
| High school teacher salary | $47K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $40K |
| Art teacher salary | $45K |
| School counselor salary | $38K |
| Teacher salary | $38K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)