Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$48,080
- 25th Percentile — Junior$58,530
- 50th Percentile — Median$64,370
- 75th Percentile — Senior$80,490
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$102,540
The top 10% of Middle School Teachers earn $102,540 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $48,080, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $99,330 | +37.9% |
| New York | $95,960 | +33.2% |
| California | $94,680 | +31.4% |
| Massachusetts | $87,300 | +21.2% |
| Connecticut | $86,920 | +20.7% |
| District of Columbia | $84,060 | +16.7% |
| Maryland | $83,070 | +15.3% |
| New Jersey | $81,690 | +13.4% |
| Alaska | $81,140 | +12.6% |
| Rhode Island | $80,970 | +12.4% |
| Utah | $80,660 | +12.0% |
| Oregon | $77,690 | +7.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $77,630 | +7.8% |
| Illinois | $75,870 | +5.3% |
| Ohio | $73,280 | +1.7% |
| New Mexico | $73,110 | +1.5% |
| Vermont | $72,710 | +0.9% |
| Hawaii | $71,870 | -0.2% |
| Delaware | $71,270 | -1.1% |
| Colorado | $70,440 | -2.2% |
| Minnesota | $70,420 | -2.2% |
| Virginia | $69,870 | -3.0% |
| Georgia | $69,780 | -3.1% |
| New Hampshire | $69,030 | -4.2% |
| Nevada | $68,810 | -4.5% |
| Michigan | $68,160 | -5.4% |
| Maine | $66,830 | -7.2% |
| Wyoming | $65,560 | -9.0% |
| Wisconsin | $65,220 | -9.5% |
| Texas | $64,480 | -10.5% |
| Nebraska | $63,630 | -11.7% |
| Indiana | $63,170 | -12.3% |
| Idaho | $62,940 | -12.6% |
| South Carolina | $62,580 | -13.1% |
| Arizona | $62,000 | -13.9% |
| Missouri | $61,510 | -14.6% |
| Montana | $61,240 | -15.0% |
| Tennessee | $61,030 | -15.3% |
| North Dakota | $60,780 | -15.6% |
| Alabama | $60,320 | -16.3% |
| Kentucky | $60,150 | -16.5% |
| Iowa | $60,080 | -16.6% |
| Florida | $60,040 | -16.6% |
| Kansas | $59,840 | -16.9% |
| Louisiana | $59,040 | -18.0% |
| Arkansas | $58,830 | -18.3% |
| West Virginia | $56,210 | -22.0% |
| Oklahoma | $53,920 | -25.1% |
| North Carolina | $53,350 | -25.9% |
| South Dakota | $53,290 | -26.0% |
| Mississippi | $52,930 | -26.5% |
What Factors Affect Middle School Teachers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Middle School Teachers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $99,330, while Mississippi pays $52,930 — a gap of $46,400 per year.
The middle half of Middle School Teachers earn between $58,530 and $80,490 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,080, while the top 10% earn more than $102,540.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Elementary School Teachers $72,650/yr United States +0.9% vs this role
- Secondary School Teachers $76,320/yr United States +6.0% vs this role
- Kindergarten Teachers $69,370/yr United States 3.7% vs this role
- Preschool Teachers $43,030/yr United States 40.3% vs this role
- Special Education Teachers $79,750/yr United States +10.7% vs this role
- Business Professors $114,720/yr United States +59.3% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +40.8% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +90.6% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Middle School Teachers?
The average salary for Middle School Teachers in the United States is $72,030 per year, with a median of $64,370.
What is the starting salary for Middle School Teachers?
Entry-level Middle School Teachers typically earn between $48,080 and $58,530 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Middle School Teachers the most?
Washington pays Middle School Teachers the most at $99,330 per year on average, followed by New York ($95,960) and California ($94,680).
How much do Middle School Teachers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $72,030, Middle School Teachers earn approximately $34.63 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Middle School Teachers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 620,090 Middle School Teachers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $72,030 and a median of $64,370 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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