Starting Salary For An Elementary School Teacher

Elementary school teachers earn an average annual salary of $54,890. The highest-paid elementary school teachers make $93,610 or more each year. Elementary schools generally grade kindergarten through sixth or eighth grade students. Not only do these teachers teach reading, writing and math to their students, but they also plan lessons, monitor student progress and manage classrooms.

An elementary school teacher usually earns an average starting salary of around $35,000 per year. However, salary can vary greatly depending on location and experience level. In the metropolitan areas or states with higher costs of living, a beginning teacher may need to make as much as $50,000 annually just to cover basic expenses. On the other hand, a new teacher in rural areas or certain states may only earn around $26,000 per year.

A teaching degree can put you on the path to a rewarding career. Teaching is one of the most sought after careers by students these days because it offers flexible schedules and great pay. And, teaching can be an excellent choice for people looking for a fulfilling career that helps make a difference in the lives of others.

Starting Salary For An Elementary School Teacher Overview

Being an elementary school teacher is a rewarding and fulfilling job, but it also comes with its share of challenges. Elementary school teachers are responsible for instructing children in reading, writing, math and other subjects. They must work with a wide range of students with varying levels of academic achievement, as well as different learning styles and personalities. In addition to teaching skills like reading and math, elementary school teachers also play an important role in developing social skills in their students.

Elementary school teachers are responsible for helping children develop the skills they need to succeed in life. These professionals spend much of their time interacting directly with students, which means that they must be able to communicate effectively with them at all ages and stages of development. In addition to teaching skills like reading and math, elementary school teachers also play an important role in developing social skills in their students.

Elementary School Teacher Salary by State

One of the largest factors affecting your earning potential as an elementary school teacher is demographics. Your salary can vary widely depending on the state, city, or school district in which you teach.

Where do elementary teachers make the most money? According to the BLS, elementary school teachers earned the highest salary in California, as of May 2020, with an average salary of $85,110.

In most cases, you’ll find the average elementary school teacher salary is commensurate with a state or city’s cost of living. For example, elementary teachers earned an average salary of just $49,620 in Louisiana – about $30,000 less than their counterparts in California. However, given the lower cost of living in Louisiana, these salaries may not be as far apart as you’d think.

Other states where the average elementary school teacher salary landed far above the national average included:

  • Massachusetts: $84,810
  • New York: $84,380
  • Connecticut: $79,610
  • Washington D.C.: $78,840

Elementary School Teacher Salary by City/Region/Metro Area

BLS stats reveal that elementary school teachers earned the highest salaries on the West Coast/Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, California) and in the Northeast (New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, D.C., Pennsylvania).

The top-paying metro areas in the nation for elementary school teachers, according to average salaries, were therefore largely in line with the highest-paying regions:

  • Merced, CA: $99,360
  • Kingston, NY: $93,780
  • Riverside (also includes San Bernardino and Ontario), CA: $92,910
  • Los Angeles (also includes Long Beach and Anaheim), CA: $90,600
  • San Jose (also includes Sunnyvale-Santa Clara), CA: $90,480
  • Hanford (also includes Corcoran), CA: $89,450
  • El Centro, CA: $88,040
  • Modesto, CA: $87,210
  • Bakersfield, CA: $86,580
  • Bend (includes Redmond), OR: $86,270

The non-metro regions of the nation with the highest average salary for elementary school teachers as of May 2020 included:

  • Massachusetts: $82,340
  • North Coast Region of CA: $77,540
  • Connecticut: $74,500
  • Alaska: $70,580
  • Western Washington: $70,470

Public vs. Private Elementary School Teacher Salary

Male teacher helping young boy with school work

The salaries for teachers working in public school nearly always outpace those in private schools, largely due to federal and state funding. Because private schools are largely funded through tuition and private donations alone, they cannot usually offer salaries that compete with public school teacher salaries.

According to the BLS, elementary school teachers in public schools earned an average salary of $65,470 as of May 2020, while those teaching in faith-based private schools earned an average salary of $51,270.

Elementary school teachers also often work outside of the traditional school environment. As of May 2020, elementary school teachers in child day care services earned an average salary of $36,830, and those working in educational support services earned an average salary of $56,650.

How Education and Experience Affect the Elementary School Teacher Salary

As an elementary school teacher, you’ll earn a salary that’s based on the salary schedule devised by your local school district. Because of this, salaries are generally not negotiable and are based solely on factors that usually include education level and experience. As you gain more teaching experience, your salary will increase according to the steps within your school district’s salary schedule.

Most district salary schedules also account for education level. And, in many cases, a master’s or doctoral degree in education can provide you with a significant salary increase. Earn a Master’s in Elementary Education and, chances are, you’ll enjoy more professional opportunities and a higher salary.

Many colleges and universities offer master’s degrees in elementary education through either hybrid or fully online models as to provide busy, working teachers with a convenient and flexible route to earning their graduate degree. An online teaching degree allows you to complete most or all of the components of your degree through distance-based study, most of which can be completed around the demands of your busy schedule.

National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is another avenue for earning a bump in your salary as an elementary school teacher. You may earn certification in early childhood (3-8) or middle childhood (7-12) in a number of subjects, including:

  • Art
  • English as a New Language
  • Exceptional Needs Specialist
  • Generalist
  • Library Media
  • Literacy: Reading/Language Arts
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • School Counseling

You’ll be eligible to earn National Board Certification by taking an assessment and completing a portfolio once you have at least three years of teaching experience and you hold a valid state license.

According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, more than half of all states offer conditional loans and/or salary incentives to encourage teachers to earn National Board Certification.

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