The average salary for a high school teacher in the United States is around $72,040 per year.
Avg Salary
High school teachers earn an average yearly salary of $72,040.
Wages typically start from $48,780 and go up to $107,600.
9% above national average Updated in 2025
High school teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$51.73 per hour
$107,600 per year
Senior-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$44.50 per hour
$92,570 per year
Mid-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$34.63 per hour
$72,040 per year
Junior-level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$28.84 per hour
$59,980 per year
Starting level high school teacher earnings begin at:
$23.45 per hour
$48,780 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
High school teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $97,070 |
| Massachusetts | $95,260 |
| Rhode Island | $92,610 |
| District of Columbia | $82,750 |
| New Jersey | $82,200 |
| Connecticut | $80,970 |
| Illinois | $79,990 |
| Alaska | $79,650 |
| Oregon | $79,570 |
| Ohio | $78,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,800 |
| Maryland | $78,670 |
| Delaware | $77,960 |
| New Hampshire | $77,060 |
| Minnesota | $76,460 |
| Utah | $76,330 |
| Vermont | $76,220 |
| New Mexico | $75,900 |
| Georgia | $75,480 |
| Hawaii | $74,310 |
| Colorado | $72,900 |
| Virginia | $72,170 |
| Michigan | $66,030 |
| Nevada | $65,520 |
| Maine | $64,880 |
| Texas | $63,590 |
| Nebraska | $63,450 |
| Wisconsin | $62,870 |
| Wyoming | $62,690 |
| South Carolina | $62,580 |
| Alabama | $61,990 |
| Indiana | $61,880 |
| Tennessee | $61,860 |
| Idaho | $61,690 |
| Kentucky | $61,560 |
| North Dakota | $61,210 |
| Iowa | $61,200 |
| Montana | $60,990 |
| Florida | $60,410 |
| Kansas | $59,920 |
| Louisiana | $59,850 |
| Arkansas | $59,660 |
| Missouri | $59,240 |
| Arizona | $58,360 |
| North Carolina | $57,650 |
| West Virginia | $56,610 |
| South Dakota | $51,050 |
| Mississippi | $50,980 |
| Guam | $49,350 |
| Oklahoma | $48,710 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $43,630 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,870 |
| Washington | $102,670 |
| California | $101,370 |
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 music teachers but more than kindergarten teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music teacher salary | $79K |
| Physical education teacher salary | $77K |
| Nurse educator salary | $80K |
| Professor salary | $75K |
| High school teacher salary | $72K |
| Health educator salary | $64K |
| Librarian salary | $68K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $64K |
| School counselor salary | $64K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $63K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)