During the academic year of 2021-22, public school teachers in the United States made an average of 66,397 U.S. dollars per year. This is a significant increase from the 1979-80 school year, when the average annual wage for public school teachers was 15,970 U.S. dollars.
Stagnating wages
While the American economy is doing well, wages have been stagnating in recent years. The federal minimum wage, which currently stands at 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour, has not been raised since July 2009, meaning that minimum wage has not increased with inflation. Although minimum wage varies by state, the federal minimum wage prevails in many states. Additionally, median hourly earnings for workers, while increasing steadily, have not seen any significant jumps in recent years.
Average salary of classroom teachers in public schools in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022
(in U.S. dollars)
Characteristic
Salary in U.S. dollars
2021-22
66,397
2020-21
65,293
2019-20
64,172
2018-19
62,355
2017-18
60,785
2016-17
59,772
2015-16
58,506
2014-15
57,759
2013-14
57,077
2012-13
56,377
2011-12
56,062
2010-11
55,759
2009-10
55,370
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Salary in U.S. dollars15,97015,97017,64417,64419,27419,27420,69520,69521,93521,93523,60023,60025,19925,19926,56926,56928,03428,03429,56429,56431,36731,36733,08433,08434,06334,06335,02935,02935,73735,73736,67536,67537,64237,64238,44338,44339,35039,35040,54440,54441,80741,80743,37843,37844,65544,65545,68645,68646,54246,54247,51647,51649,08649,08651,05251,05252,80052,80054,36854,36855,37055,37055,75955,75956,06256,06256,37756,37757,07757,07757,75957,75958,50658,50659,77259,77260,78560,78562,35562,35564,17264,17265,29365,29366,39766,3971979-801980-811981-821982-831983-841984-851985-861986-871987-881988-891989-901990-911991-921992-931993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-002000-012001-022002-032003-042004-052005-062006-072007-082008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-22
10,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,000
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NCES. (August 31, 2022). Average salary of classroom teachers in public schools in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/185025/average-salary-of-teachers-in-public-schools-since-1980/
NCES. "Average salary of classroom teachers in public schools in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)." Chart. August 31, 2022. Statista. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/185025/average-salary-of-teachers-in-public-schools-since-1980/
NCES. (2022). Average salary of classroom teachers in public schools in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/185025/average-salary-of-teachers-in-public-schools-since-1980/
NCES. "Average Salary of Classroom Teachers in Public Schools in The U.S. from 1980 to 2022 (in U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Aug 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/185025/average-salary-of-teachers-in-public-schools-since-1980/
NCES, Average salary of classroom teachers in public schools in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/185025/average-salary-of-teachers-in-public-schools-since-1980/ (last visited January 21, 2025)
Average salary of classroom teachers in public schools in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars) [Graph], NCES, August 31, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/185025/average-salary-of-teachers-in-public-schools-since-1980/
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