Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there has been a shortage of teachers across the country. The stress of teaching remotely — along with being underpaid — are two of the main factors to blame for this historic lack of educators. How much new teachers can expect to make varies slightly by state, with the national average being $41,843 per year. This figure is below the average salary of all workers in the United States, which comes in at $53,490.

                By                    Sam DiSalvo

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Some good news is that once you work as a teacher for a few years, you can expect to earn well above the national average, with most seasoned teachers earning around $62,707. Until then, here’s what new teachers can expect to earn in each state.

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Alabama

  • Starting Salary: $41,163

Alaska

  • Starting Salary: $49,907

Arizona

  • Starting Salary: $40,554

Arkansas

  • Starting Salary: $35,803

California

  • Starting Salary: $49,933

Colorado

  • Starting Salary: $35,724

Connecticut

  • Starting Salary: $47,477

Delaware

  • Starting Salary: $43,348

District of Columbia

  • Starting Salary: $56,313 (highest in the country)

Florida

  • Starting Salary: $44,040

Georgia

  • Starting Salary: $38,692

Hawaii

  • Starting Salary: $50,123

Idaho

  • Starting Salary: $39,842

Illinois

  • Starting Salary: $41,228

Indiana

  • Starting Salary: $38,158

Iowa

  • Starting Salary: $38,515

Kansas

  • Starting Salary: $39,100

Kentucky

  • Starting Salary: $37,373

Louisiana

  • Starting Salary: $42,185

Maine

  • Starting Salary: $37,580

Maryland

  • Starting Salary: $48,510

Massachusetts

  • Starting Salary: $48,372

Michigan

  • Starting Salary: $37,820

Minnesota

  • Starting Salary: $41,234

Mississippi

  • Starting Salary: $36,653

Missouri

  • Starting Salary: $33,234

Montana

  • Starting Salary: $32,495 (lowest in the country)

Nebraska

  • Starting Salary: $36,491

Nevada

  • Starting Salary: $41,277

New Hampshire

  • Starting Salary: $39,737

New Jersey

  • Starting Salary: $54,053

New Mexico

  • Starting Salary: $41,737

New York

  • Starting Salary: $47,618

North Carolina

  • Starting Salary: $37,127

North Dakota

  • Starting Salary: $40,907

Ohio

  • Starting Salary: $38,231

Oklahoma

  • Starting Salary: $38,074

Oregon

  • Starting Salary: $39,338

Pennsylvania

  • Starting Salary: $46,991

Rhode Island

  • Starting Salary: $44,592

South Carolina

  • Starting Salary: $37,704

South Dakota

  • Starting Salary: $40,128

Tennessee

  • Starting Salary: $39,024

Texas

  • Starting Salary: $44,527

Utah

  • Starting Salary: $44,349

Vermont

  • Starting Salary: $40,810

Virginia

  • Starting Salary: $42,251

Washington

  • Starting Salary: $51,040

West Virginia

  • Starting Salary: $37,987

Wisconsin

  • Starting Salary: $38,961

Wyoming

  • Starting Salary: $46,826

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All starting salaries are sourced from the National Education Association for the 2020-2021 school year. Data sourced: Oct. 3, 2022.