This article provides state education rankings for public teacher salaries as adjusted for cost of living: it includes the average public teacher salary, cost of living index value, and adjusted average public teacher salary for each state.
Among the fifty states, adjusted average public teacher salaries are highest in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Adjusted average public teacher salaries are lowest in Hawaii, Maine, Vermont, South Dakota, and New Hampshire. The average public teacher salary in Illinois is the highest in the nation. The average public teacher salary in Hawaii is the lowest.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the average salary for a public teacher in Illinois is $58,246, but when adjusted for cost of living, that average rises to $59,739. The adjusted average public teacher salary in Illinois is 87.6% higher than in Hawaii. The average salary for a public teacher in Hawaii is $51,922, but after adjusting for cost of living, that average plummets to just $31,854.
Cost of living is measured by the ACCRA Cost of Living Index which accounts for housing, utilities, transportation, groceries, health care, and miscellaneous consumer products. An ACCRA value above 100 represents a cost of living higher than the national average while a value below 100 indicates a cost of living lower than the national average. The highest ACCRA values are Hawaii (163), Alaska (133.93), California (131.46), Connecticut (128.8) and New York (128.02). The lowest ACCRA values are Tennessee (89.05), Kentucky (89.18), Oklahoma (89.48), Arkansas (90.18) and Texas (91.26).
1. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Illinois
Average Salary: $58,246
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 97.5
Adjusted Average Salary: $59,739
2. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Michigan
Average Salary: $55,526
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 97.6
Adjusted Average Salary: $56,891
3. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Ohio
Average Salary: $51,937
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 93.64
Adjusted Average Salary: $55,465
4. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Pennsylvania
Average Salary: $54,970
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 100.87
Adjusted Average Salary: $54,496
5. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Delaware
Average Salary: $54,680
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 100.45
Adjusted Average Salary: $54,435
6. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Georgia
Average Salary: $49,905
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 92.41
Adjusted Average Salary: $54,004
7. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Wyoming
Average Salary: $50,692
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 98.3
Adjusted Average Salary: $51,569
8. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Wisconsin
Average Salary: $47,901
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 94.68
Adjusted Average Salary: $50,593
9. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Indiana
Average Salary: $47,831
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 95.02
Adjusted Average Salary: $50,338
10. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Massachusetts
Average Salary: $58,257
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 117.1
Adjusted Average Salary: $49,750
11. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Tennessee
Average Salary: $43,816
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 89.05
Adjusted Average Salary: $49,204
12. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Texas
Average Salary: $44,897
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 91.26
Adjusted Average Salary: $49,197
13. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Arkansas
Average Salary: $44,245
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 90.18
Adjusted Average Salary: $49,063
14. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Minnesota
Average Salary: $49,718
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 101.58
Adjusted Average Salary: $48,945
15. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Kentucky
Average Salary: $43,646
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 89.18
Adjusted Average Salary: $48,941
16. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Oregon
Average Salary: $50,911
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 105.03
Adjusted Average Salary: $48,473
17. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – California
Average Salary: $63,640
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 131.46
Adjusted Average Salary: $48,410
18. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – North Carolina
Average Salary: $46,137
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 96.43
Adjusted Average Salary: $47,845
19. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Kansas
Average Salary: $43,358
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 91.48
Adjusted Average Salary: $47,396
20. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Oklahoma
Average Salary: $42,379
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 89.48
Adjusted Average Salary: $47,361
21. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Alabama
Average Salary: $43,389
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 91.86
Adjusted Average Salary: $47,234
22. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Connecticut
Average Salary: $60,822
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 128.8
Adjusted Average Salary: $47,222
23. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – New Jersey
Average Salary: $59,584
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 127.23
Adjusted Average Salary: $46,832
24. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – New York
Average Salary: $59,559
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 128.02
Adjusted Average Salary: $46,523
25. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Idaho
Average Salary: $42,798
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 92.07
Adjusted Average Salary: $46,484
26. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Virginia
Average Salary: $45,539
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 98
Adjusted Average Salary: $46,468
27. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Florida
Average Salary: $45,308
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 97.99
Adjusted Average Salary: $46,237
28. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Washington
Average Salary: $47,882
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 103.59
Adjusted Average Salary: $46,223
29. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Rhode Island
Average Salary: $55,956
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 121.7
Adjusted Average Salary: $45,979
30. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Nebraska
Average Salary: $42,004
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 91.67
Adjusted Average Salary: $45,865
31. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Iowa
Average Salary: $43,130
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 94.77
Adjusted Average Salary: $45,510
32. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Colorado
Average Salary: $45,883
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 100.83
Adjusted Average Salary: $45,456
33. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Maryland
Average Salary: $56,927
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 125.4
Adjusted Average Salary: $45,396
34. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Missouri
Average Salary: $41,751
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 92.7
Adjusted Average Salary: $45,039
35. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – South Carolina
Average Salary: $43,891
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 98.62
Adjusted Average Salary: $44,505
36. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Louisiana
Average Salary: $42,816
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 96.91
Adjusted Average Salary: $44,181
37. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Nevada
Average Salary: $45,158
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 102.5
Adjusted Average Salary: $44,057
38. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Mississippi
Average Salary: $40,182
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 91.43
Adjusted Average Salary: $43,948
39. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Utah
Average Salary: $41,156
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 95.25
Adjusted Average Salary: $43,208
40. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Arizona
Average Salary: $44,700
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 104.27
Adjusted Average Salary: $42,869
41. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – New Mexico
Average Salary: $42,780
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 99.9
Adjusted Average Salary: $42,823
42. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – West Virginia
Average Salary: $40,531
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 96.81
Adjusted Average Salary: $41,867
43. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – North Dakota
Average Salary: $38,822
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 94.7
Adjusted Average Salary: $40,995
44. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Alaska
Average Salary: $54,679
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 133.93
Adjusted Average Salary: $40,827
45. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Montana
Average Salary: $41,225
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 101.3
Adjusted Average Salary: $40,696
46. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – New Hampshire
Average Salary: $46,527
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 117.1
Adjusted Average Salary: $39,733
47. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – South Dakota
Average Salary: $35,378
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 92.8
Adjusted Average Salary: $38,123
48. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Vermont
Average Salary: $45,337
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 119.9
Adjusted Average Salary: $37,812
49. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Maine
Average Salary: $42,103
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 119.2
Adjusted Average Salary: $35,321
50. State Education Rankings: Public Teacher Salaires – Hawaii
Average Salary: $51,922
ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 163
Adjusted Average Salary: $31,854
Sources(s):
“ACCRA Cost of Living Index,” MERIC
“PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ AVERAGE SALARIES, 2007,” U.S. Census Bureau
