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How Much Does a Middle School Teacher Make?

A middle school teacher in the US earns a median salary of $64,370 a year (BLS, May 2025). The average is $72,030, and the middle half earn between $58,530 and $80,490.

Median a year $64,370
Median a week $1,238
Median a month $5,364
Average a year $72,030

Middle school teacher pay range

What middle school teachers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $48,080 –
25th $58,530 –
Median (50th) $64,370 –
75th $80,490 –
90th (top 10%) $102,540 –

The median is 26% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 620,090 people work as middle school teachers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,238
Every two weeks
$2,476
Twice a month
$2,682
A month
$5,364

At the median salary, before tax.

Middle school teacher salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays middle school teachers the most, at $99,330 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $99,330 $102,140 10,510 After tax
New York $95,960 $94,840 38,670 After tax
California $94,680 $98,950 37,300 After tax
Massachusetts $87,300 $89,450 16,570 After tax
Connecticut $86,920 $93,610 7,920 After tax
District of Columbia $84,060 $79,900 1,540 After tax
Maryland $83,070 $78,510 14,530 After tax
New Jersey $81,690 $78,770 23,650 After tax
Alaska $81,140 $78,940 1,150 After tax
Rhode Island $80,970 $92,760 2,370 After tax
Utah $80,660 $79,180 5,960 After tax
Oregon $77,690 $78,350 6,940 After tax
Pennsylvania $77,630 $77,930 22,720 After tax
Illinois $75,870 $76,110 24,770 After tax
Ohio $73,280 $77,090 30,450 After tax
New Mexico $73,110 $75,240 4,260 After tax
Vermont $72,710 $73,940 1,620 After tax
Hawaii $71,870 $69,230 2,480 After tax
Delaware $71,270 $67,780 2,350 After tax
Colorado $70,440 $63,760 13,280 After tax
Minnesota $70,420 $62,640 8,890 After tax
Virginia $69,870 $63,520 18,290 After tax
Georgia $69,780 $64,780 23,610 After tax
New Hampshire $69,030 $71,140 3,120 After tax
Nevada $68,810 $66,300 3,910 After tax
Michigan $68,160 $63,790 15,420 After tax
Maine $66,830 $63,590 2,780 After tax
Wyoming $65,560 $62,480 1,290 After tax
Wisconsin $65,220 $61,960 14,460 After tax
Texas $64,480 $63,390 80,160 After tax
Nebraska $63,630 $62,510 4,150 After tax
Indiana $63,170 $60,700 11,700 After tax
Idaho $62,940 $60,930 2,360 After tax
South Carolina $62,580 $60,810 9,750 After tax
Arizona $62,000 $59,710 9,020 After tax
Guam $61,990 $62,020 510
Missouri $61,510 $59,310 11,330 After tax
Montana $61,240 $61,550 1,980 After tax
Tennessee $61,030 $60,690 13,060 After tax
North Dakota $60,780 $60,100 1,400 After tax
Alabama $60,320 $61,770 10,000 After tax
Kentucky $60,150 $61,120 8,040 After tax
Iowa $60,080 $60,450 6,270 After tax
Florida $60,040 $58,940 31,370 After tax
Kansas $59,840 $60,580 6,230 After tax
Louisiana $59,040 $58,760 5,560 After tax
Arkansas $58,830 $59,570 6,140 After tax
West Virginia $56,210 $57,210 4,090 After tax
Puerto Rico $55,460 $52,530 3,490
Oklahoma $53,920 $48,440 7,620 After tax
North Carolina $53,350 $52,010 20,650 After tax
South Dakota $53,290 $50,980 2,130 After tax
Mississippi $52,930 $50,790 6,260 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other education and library jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education” (SOC 25-2022). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a middle school teacher make a month?

At the median salary of $64,370, a middle school teacher earns about $5,364 a month before tax, or $2,476 every two weeks.

Which state pays middle school teachers the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a middle school teacher, at $99,330 a year. Next are New York and California. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a middle school teacher?

The lowest-paid 10% of middle school teachers earn less than $48,080 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $58,530. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid middle school teachers make?

The top 10% earn more than $102,540 a year, and the top 25% more than $80,490.