The average salary for a U.S. public school teacher rose to $74,495 in the last school year, up 3.5% from the year before. But after adjusting for inflation, teachers are estimated to be earning nearly 5% less than in 2017, according to a new review of school data from the National Education Association (NEA). The annual release compiles state education department figures on teacher and support-staff pay, enrollment, and school revenues.
Key findings:
– $74,495 — National average public school teacher salary. NEA estimates about 3.2 million public school teachers worked last school year, with this average salary figure (benefits excluded). State leaders for 2024–25 were California ($103,552), New York ($98,655) and Washington ($96,589); the lowest were Mississippi ($54,975), Florida ($56,663) and Louisiana ($56,785). These figures are not adjusted for local cost-of-living differences.
– Inflation’s effect. NEA projected 2026 salary averages (using state projections or NEA estimates) and compared them to 2017. In nominal dollars pay has risen, but inflation-adjusted pay has declined nearly 5%. NEA President Becky Pringle said educators deserve pay that reflects their expertise and supports retention.
– Washington’s standout gain. Of 11 states with inflation-adjusted pay increases since 2017, Washington’s increase was about 36%, driven in part by a state supreme court order and enforcement actions that forced larger school funding commitments.
– $48,112 — Average salary for new teachers. National starting pay rose 3.4% in 2024–25, but real growth was under 1% after inflation. Highest starting salaries: District of Columbia ($64,640), Washington ($60,658), California ($59,424), New Jersey ($58,727) and Utah ($57,849). Lowest: Montana ($36,682), Nebraska ($39,561), Missouri ($40,682), Oklahoma ($41,294) and Kentucky ($41,901). These are not adjusted for regional cost differences.
– $36,360 — Average salary for K–12 support staff. This includes custodians, cafeteria workers, paraeducators, bus drivers and security staff. That figure is $1,400 higher than the prior year, but compared with 2016 salaries researchers estimate a $2,344 decline in real pay for support staff.
– Collective bargaining correlation. States with collective bargaining laws have higher average starting and top salaries: starting salaries are about $366 higher and top salaries about $15,105 higher. Support staff earn about 13% more in states that allow collective bargaining. Most districts (over 80%) are in states with some bargaining law; seven states expressly prohibit bargaining for teachers. The report notes correlation but says the data don’t establish direct causation. South Carolina is noted as an exception—without a bargaining law, lawmakers approved an 11% raise for starting teachers.
– Enrollment trends. Public school enrollment at the start of 2024–25 was nearly 49 million students, a 0.3% drop from the previous fall and roughly a 3.6% decline since 2016. NEA researchers estimate enrollment dipped another 1% between last year and the current school year.
– Student-teacher ratio. Schools enrolled an average of 15.1 students per teacher in 2024–25, unchanged from 2023–24. State variation is wide: Arizona, Nevada and Utah averaged about 22 students per teacher; Vermont, New York and D.C. averaged roughly 10–11.
– School funding sources. The federal government plays a small role in K–12 funding: federal dollars — largely for student-poverty mitigation and special education — accounted for about 7.8% of school revenue in the last school year and are estimated at 7.3% for 2025. States provided an estimated 47% of school funding in 2025 and local governments (including property taxes) about 45%. The federal share has fallen partly as COVID-19 relief funds wound down; some states spent those dollars faster than others.
States where federal support still makes up 10% or more of school funding include: Kentucky (17.5%), Alaska (16.5%), New Mexico (14.1%), Louisiana (14.1%), Arkansas (13%), South Dakota (12.4%), West Virginia (11.9%), Mississippi (11.8%), Montana (11.4%), South Carolina (10.8%), Tennessee (10.6%), Alabama (10.3%), Arizona (10.3%) and Florida (10.2%).