I grew up hearing the saying that a teacher’s reward is in Heaven because of the enormous effort put into ensuring that each child gets access to the best education.
I guess teachers in the USA would have none of those sayings, hence, the protests every time about low pay, which makes me wonder, do teachers earn good money in the USA?.
Compared to other professions, teachers in the USA earn peanuts and are not among the highest-paid professions.
Therefore, this article will examine the states that have the highest-paid teachers in USA.
Table of contents
- Do teachers earn good money in the USA?
- Why are teachers paid so little in America?
- What is the Average Salary of Teachers in the USA?
- How much do teachers earn in the different states of America? (State-to-state comparison).
- Teaching the Highest Paid States in USA
- Six commonly asked questions by soon-to-be teachers.
- How many teachers are in the US?
- 8 Websites to Start Online Tutoring From.
- Requirements for being an online tutor.
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendation
Do teachers earn good money in the USA?
Good money is relative, depending on how you do the maths. An average teacher gets up to $15 per hour, which is not such good pay especially since the cost of living in these high-paying states is so high.
Because of this and many more, more teachers continue to look for part-time jobs to sustain themselves.
Which state has the highest-paid teachers? We will discuss that below.
Why are teachers paid so little in America?
As far back as 60 years ago, women dominated the education space to support the family. Some taught while waiting to marry. Therefore, most people think that teaching is a job that anybody can do, not necessarily ideal.
Also, there is a belief sponsored by the media about an anti-educational bent in the US. This make-believe indicates that the educational system is failing, which is unlikely true.
If teachers are paid so little, how much do they earn?
What is the Average Salary of Teachers in the USA?
Research by Business Insider has shown that a teacher makes an average of $45,000-$55,000 annually.
Sounds big, however, we should put into consideration bills, taxes, etc, not forgetting that a teacher has a family to fend for.
Also read: 10 Highest-Paid TEFL Jobs in 2023
How much do teachers earn in the different states of America? (State-to-state comparison).
If you’re looking forward to starting a career in teaching, this slide helps you with the income of teachers in different states in the US to enable you to pick the best option.
Which states have the highest-paid teachers in USA? Patiently read below
We’ll be looking at the states in USA from the highest paid state down to the lowest paid state.
| State | Salary (Annual) |
| New York City | $87,543 |
| California | $84,659 |
| Massachusetts | $83,622 |
| Washington DC | $79,350 |
| Connecticut | $78,247 |
| New Jersey | $76,376 |
| Maryland | $73,444 |
| Washington | $72,965 |
| Alaska | $70,877 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,258 |
| Illinois | $68,305 |
| Oregon | $67,685 |
| Rhode Island | $67,323 |
| Hawaii | $65,409 |
| Delaware | $64,853 |
| Michigan | $62,185 |
| Vermont | $61,108 |
| Georgia | $60,578 |
| New Hampshire | $60,003 |
| Ohio | $59,793 |
| Wisconsin | $59,176 |
| Wyoming | $59,014 |
| Lowa | $58,917 |
| Minnesota | $58,663 |
| Colorado | $57,269 |
| Texas | $57,091 |
| Nevada | $56,672 |
| Nebraska | $55,267 |
| Maine | $54,967 |
| North Carolina | $54,682 |
| New Mexico | $54,256 |
| Alabama | $54,095 |
| Oklahoma | $54,038 |
| Virginia | $53,933 |
| Kentucky | $53,907 |
| Idaho | $52,875 |
| Utah | $52,819 |
| Kansas | $52,554 |
| North Dakota | $52,328 |
| Montana | $52,135 |
| Tennessee | $51,862 |
| Indiana | $51,508 |
| South Carolina | $51,485 |
| Missouri | $50,817 |
| Arizona | $50,381 |
| West Virginia | $50,238 |
| Louisiana | $50,217 |
| Arkansas | $49,822 |
| South Dakota | $49,220 |
| Florida | $48,800 |
| Mississippi | $45,192 |
From the above, it is clear that the state with the highest paid teachers in the USA is New York City, California, and Massachusetts, with New York at the top.
Let’s take a moment to look at the teaching profession in each of these three states below.
Teaching the Highest Paid States in USA
1. New York City
New York is considered the least expensive place to live in America. To live comfortably in the US, a person must make up to $40,000 per year after paying taxes and other bills.
Since a teacher makes less, is NYC good enough for a teacher? The truth remains that there are various teaching opportunities in NYC, mainly if you teach a high-demand subject.
NYC has a high demand for teachers, with a starting salary of $57,000 for entry-level teachers and about $85,000-$87,000 for experienced teachers.
If you’re teaching in New York and thinking long-term, you’ll eventually need to obtain a master’s degree(if you do not already have one) within 5 years of your teaching career.
NYC is the best state with highest paid teachers.
2. California
Since 2015, the shortage of teachers has continued to grow massively and due to the Covid19 pandemic, there is an increasing shortage with many unprepared teachers, making it hard for campuses to reopen fully.
California pays up to $84,000 per year.
This is the second state with the highest paid teachers.
Also read: 10 Highest Paid College Professors in the U.S in 2023
3. Massachusetts
Getting a teaching job in Massachusetts can be cumbersome as the demand for professional teachers is high. If you eventually become a licensed teacher, there is an opportunity for you to grow as professional development opportunities are provided constantly.
With a salary of $83,622 per year, Massachusetts is an excellent place to embark on your teaching career.
This is the third state with the highest-paid teachers.
Several questions are common among people looking forward to starting a career in education, and we’ll look at five of them below.
Six commonly asked questions by soon-to-be teachers.
What state pays teachers the most?
New York City appears to be the top-paying state on the internet.
What is the highest-paying subject to teach?
Science, English as a second subject.
Who is the wealthiest teacher in America?
By marriage to one of the world’s wealthiest women, Mackenzie Scott, Dan Jewett (a computer science teacher) has been reported as the world’s richest teacher.
How to land a teaching job in the US.
- Obtain a relevant bachelor’s degree.
- Create your résumé and cover letter.
- Organize your portfolio.
- Garner experiences by volunteering.
What are the requirements of being a teacher in the US?
- Have a relevant bachelor’s degree.
- Complete a district or state-approved teachers’ preparation program.
- Submit a state teaching license application.
How many teachers are in the US?
According to statistics, teachers occupy about 2% of the US population, meaning there are about 6 million teachers, comprising elementary school teachers, high school teachers, professors, private school teachers, etc.
Let’s look at two more headlines before we bring this post to a conclusion, shall we?
8 Websites to Start Online Tutoring From.
If you think the process of securing a physical teaching job is rigorous, then consider below some websites where you can start building your teaching career.
Top 8 websites to start online private tutoring from.
- Tutor.com
- TutorMe
- eTutorworld.com
- BrainFuse
- ClubZ Skool
- Chegg Tutors
- VipKid
1. Tutor.com:
Doctors, professors, and tutors with bachelor’s degrees are on tutor.com.
Tutor has over 21 years of experience, and because of this, they’ll want to continually maintain their integrity which means rigorous screening exercises such as exams, mock tutoring, mentor review and third party background check.
So, if you’re daring enough, you should try tutor.com.
2. TutorMe:
At TutorMe, you can earn up to $16 per hour with enough room for flexibility.
TutorMe allows for high school subjects and other high-demand skills such as programming.
3. eTutorworld.com:
eTutorworld is for 12th-grade students with Math, Science, and English subjects as the list of subjects to teach.
Therefore, if you love teaching kids who are about to enter college, then you should give this a try.
This is another highest-paid website for teachers, irrespective of state.
4. BrainFuse:
Although for students of all ages, brainfuse also specializes in 12th-grade students, preparing them ahead of college.
5. ClubZ:
This is for Kindergartens, College students, elementary students, and all types of students in school.
If you also teach special kids with disabilities, then go on to apply, as ClubZ also offers this service.
This is another highest-paid website for teachers, irrespective of state.
6. Skool:
In Skool, you can only teach high-level income skills. Currently, Skool is hiring software engineers. To apply, click on jobs.lever.co/skool to apply.
7. Chegg Tutors:
Chegg Tutors have a niche around helping students with their homework questions.
So if you think this is something you can do, you should consider checking their website.
This is another highest-paid website for teachers, irrespective of state.
8. VipKid:
This is one of the largest global teaching communities that majors in teaching kids worldwide the English language.
VipKid is currently hiring teachers who are fluent and proficient in the English language to teach these kids.
Are you considering becoming an online tutor? Then check the requirements below to be sure you’re a good fit.
Requirements for being an online tutor.
The requirements of being an online tutor depend on the platform, the subject by demand, region, etc. However, they usually take the form below.
1. Understand the business of education.
To understand the business of education, a person needs to ask him or herself each of the following questions.
- Who are my ideal students?
Are they students with special needs? What are their needs? Where do they live? Where can I find them?
- What gives me an edge over my competitors?
Since you’re not the only tutor who will be competing for students, it is essential that you map out a plan that will make you stand out from your co tutors. That will be your unique selling point.
- What subject will I specialize in?
If you’ve succeeded in defining who your ideal students are and their needs, then it will not be too difficult for you to know which subject to major in.
- What are the skills required?
If you have chosen kindergartens as your target audience, for example, it is important to have the skills necessary for teaching little children.
- Do your ideal students have an adequate system requirement?
Do they have everything it takes to ensure a smooth tutorial?
2. Choose the platform that best suits what you want to achieve.
Having sorted the first stage of the process. And if you can’t find a suitable platform, you should think of creating one.
Read: Top 10 Highest Paid Teachers Jobs in 2023
3. Take advantage of mentoring sessions from other tutors.
There’s a quote that says, “for you to get to where you want to be, then you have to find someone who has gotten there and ask the person to lead you”.
Mentoring saves you from lots of hassles and there’s no better person to help you than someone who has had years of experience as an online tutor.
4. Create a solid profile.
The first step to creating a unique selling point is to have your complete profile on your desired platform. It shows some level of professionalism which attracts more students to you.
5. Customize your courses to suit your students’ learning experiences.
Having defined your ideal students, then it is essential that you tailor your courses or module to fit their needs to help you bring the best out of your students.
6. A degree in a relevant field.
Like I earlier mentioned, some requirements differ from the others, however, in most cases, a degree in relevance is necessary for you to become an online tutor.
Above all, choose what works for you.
Conclusion
There is a saying that people can become who they want to be if they can put their minds to it. So also, you can be successful at teaching if you put your mind to it.
Meeting kids with many potentials and who challenge you to be more contributes to one thing that makes teaching super exciting.
In the end, every step of the journey is going to be worth it.
We hope you learned about the state with the highest-paid teachers.
References
Recommendation
