Elementary school teacher pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical elementary school teacher pay ranges from $48,780 in Oklahoma City, OK to $103,390 in Sacramento, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in Seattle, WA, Sacramento, CA, Riverside, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, SOC 25-2021).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $102,920 | $73,100 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $103,390 | $71,400 |
| 3 | Riverside, CA | $98,520 | $68,800 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $102,860 | $68,700 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $98,060 | $67,500 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,860 | $66,200 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $86,720 | $66,000 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $101,860 | $65,100 |
| 9 | San Diego, CA | $97,000 | $64,600 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $78,150 | $63,300 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $76,470 | $63,300 |
| 12 | Buffalo, NY | $76,490 | $61,700 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $96,900 | $61,300 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $76,550 | $61,200 |
| 15 | Hartford, CT | $79,800 | $60,500 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $77,920 | $59,600 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $76,570 | $59,300 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $79,730 | $58,200 |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $78,390 | $58,100 |
| 20 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,570 | $57,300 |
| 21 | Portland, OR | $82,330 | $57,200 |
| 22 | Denver, CO | $76,910 | $56,900 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | $79,470 | $56,000 |
| 24 | Memphis, TN | $61,510 | $56,000 |
| 25 | Houston, TX | $64,500 | $54,800 |
| 26 | San Antonio, TX | $61,720 | $54,700 |
| 27 | Cincinnati, OH | $64,740 | $54,500 |
| 28 | Baltimore, MD | $76,400 | $54,400 |
| 29 | Las Vegas, NV | $65,040 | $54,300 |
| 30 | Nashville, TN | $61,460 | $53,500 |
| 31 | Birmingham, AL | $62,630 | $53,500 |
| 32 | Dallas, TX | $65,070 | $52,800 |
| 33 | Kansas City, MO | $61,060 | $52,600 |
| 34 | Austin, TX | $61,270 | $52,400 |
| 35 | Louisville, KY | $61,610 | $51,900 |
| 36 | Jacksonville, FL | $61,080 | $51,500 |
| 37 | Virginia Beach, VA | $63,380 | $51,400 |
| 38 | Milwaukee, WI | $61,480 | $51,200 |
| 39 | St. Louis, MO | $60,650 | $50,900 |
| 40 | Grand Rapids, MI | $61,900 | $50,900 |
| 41 | Detroit, MI | $65,210 | $50,300 |
| 42 | Tampa, FL | $60,120 | $50,000 |
| 43 | Indianapolis, IN | $60,510 | $50,000 |
| 44 | Orlando, FL | $60,190 | $49,800 |
| 45 | Richmond, VA | $61,290 | $49,800 |
| 46 | Raleigh, NC | $60,170 | $49,500 |
| 47 | Charlotte, NC | $58,680 | $48,800 |
| 48 | Phoenix, AZ | $59,180 | $46,900 |
| 49 | Oklahoma City, OK | $48,780 | $43,900 |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $58,300 | $42,900 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays elementary school teachers the most?
Before taxes, Sacramento, CA has the highest typical elementary school teacher pay among the 50 largest US metros: $103,390 a year. The lowest is Oklahoma City, OK at $48,780. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does elementary school teacher pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical elementary school teacher pay goes furthest in Seattle, WA, Sacramento, CA, Riverside, CA. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $42,900 in typical-US-city dollars.