Elementary School Teacher Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

The median elementary school teacher salary in the United States is $63,970 per year. Salaries range from $47,960 at the entry level to $104,340+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 1,388,390 elementary school teacher jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to decline 2% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asElementary TeacherGrade School TeacherPrimary School Teacher
Median Salary
$63,970
per year
Employment
1,388,390
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$47,960
25th percentile
$57,710
Median
$63,970
75th percentile
$81,450
90th percentile
$104,340

Job Growth (2024-2034)

-2%
Decline

Annual Openings

91,000
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Bachelor's degree

Elementary School Teacher Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for elementary school teachers.

Elementary teachers (K-5, sometimes K-6) build the foundational reading, writing, and math skills that determine most students' long-term academic trajectory. Compensation is set by district salary schedules β€” years of service Γ— education level β€” with almost zero individual negotiation on base. Real income levers are: which district you teach in (top-of-state urban districts vs. rural), extra certifications (bilingual, special ed, TESOL), stipends (coaching, department head, mentoring), and summer income. Hiring principals screen hard for classroom-management poise, differentiation practice, and cultural fit with the school's community.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Classroom management
The single most-screened skill. Ability to set expectations, redirect off-task behavior, and maintain flow. Principals watch this in your demo lesson more than content.
Differentiation
Teaching to the wide spread of readiness in one classroom (a 3rd-grade class typically has readers from 1st to 5th grade level). Tiered assignments, small-group instruction, station rotations.
Literacy instruction (Science of Reading)
Structured literacy, phonemic awareness, decoding, and the shift away from balanced literacy that many states have codified in the last 3 years.
Data-driven instruction
Using running records, DIBELS, iReady, or state assessment data to group students and target reteaching. Grade-level teams meet weekly to review.
Parent communication
Regular positive touchpoints (not just when there's a problem), Class Dojo / Seesaw / weekly newsletter fluency, and difficult conversations about behavior or academics.
SEL (social-emotional learning)
Curricula like Second Step. Regulating own emotions and coaching students through theirs. Increasingly weighted post-pandemic.
Curriculum planning
Backward design from state standards, weekly plans, unit plans, aligned to the district's adopted materials.

How to Become a Elementary School Teacher

  1. 1
    Bachelor's degree in elementary education (or subject + post-bacc credential)
    Traditional path: 4-year Ed degree with student teaching. Alternative path: subject-area bachelor's + 1-2 year credential program (Cal State, TFA, etc.).
  2. 2
    Pass state licensing exams
    Praxis Elementary Content Knowledge in most states, or state-specific equivalents (CalTPA, TExES, edTPA). Foundations of Reading required in ~20 states now.
  3. 3
    Complete student teaching
    12-16 weeks unpaid with a mentor teacher. Get 2-3 strong letters of recommendation from cooperating teacher and university supervisor.
  4. 4
    Apply to districts before spring
    Job fairs happen Feb-April. Districts with the best pay (typically suburban high-income) hire earliest. Fall postings are usually late resignations or high-need schools.
  5. 5
    Get a mentor teacher in your first year
    Formal mentor from the district if available, but also find an informal grade-level buddy. First year is the highest attrition β€” plan for support.
  6. 6
    Earn a master's within 5-7 years
    Most district salary schedules jump 8-15% at MA+30 or MA+45. Combined with step increases, it's the biggest reliable raise in the profession.

Career Progression

First-Year Teacher (Provisional / Probationary)
0-1 yrs$44k-$60k (huge state/district spread)
  • β€’Full-day classroom of 20-28 students
  • β€’Formal mentor pairing (in most states)
  • β€’Weekly grade-level team meetings
  • β€’Formal evaluations from principal 3-6x/year
Next: Second-year teacher after passing evaluation cycles.
Classroom Teacher (Continuing Contract)
2-8 yrs$50k-$78k
  • β€’Master a grade level (or take a new grade every few years)
  • β€’Mentor student teachers
  • β€’Serve on school-level committees (curriculum, PBIS, SEL)
Next: Tenure at 3-5 years (varies by state). Grade-level lead role.
Grade-Level Chair / Instructional Lead
5-12 yrs$62k-$90k + $2-5k stipend
  • β€’Lead grade-level PLC (Professional Learning Community)
  • β€’Model lessons and coach struggling colleagues
  • β€’Represent grade at school leadership team
Next: Instructional coach, curriculum specialist, or admin credential.
Instructional Coach / District Curriculum Specialist
8+ yrs$75k-$110k
  • β€’Coach 6-15 teachers across grade levels
  • β€’Facilitate district-wide PD
  • β€’Own a subject area (usually literacy or math) for the school or district
Next: Assistant principal or district-level administration.
Assistant Principal / Principal
10+ (with admin credential + MA) yrs$95k-$150k+
  • β€’Instructional leadership + operations
  • β€’Teacher evaluation and hiring
  • β€’Parent and community engagement

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 15 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk us through a lesson you're proud of.technical
Pick a lesson where students learned something visibly. Structure: standard, objective, hook, model, guided practice, independent practice, formative check, reteach plan. Emphasize how you knew students learned (specific formative data). Bring student work samples if possible. Principals screen for: instructional planning skill, evidence of student learning, and reflection.
Q2. Describe your classroom management approach.behavioral
Have a system. Best answers include: (1) explicitly taught procedures the first 3 weeks (how to enter, transition, get materials, use the bathroom); (2) positive reinforcement system (class Dojo, marble jar, individual acknowledgement); (3) tiered response for off-task behavior (proximity β†’ private conversation β†’ refocus form β†’ parent contact β†’ admin referral, in that order); (4) relationship as foundation ('kids won't work for adults they don't trust'). Avoid: 'I don't have management problems,' 'I just make it fun,' 'I send disruptive students to the office.'
Q3. How would you differentiate a math lesson on multiplication facts?technical
Start with pre-assessment data. Tier 1 (still fluent with addition, working on skip-counting): concrete manipulatives + repeated addition connection. Tier 2 (understanding of grouping, working on fact fluency): timed practice with strategy cards, math games. Tier 3 (fluent with facts, extending): applying to word problems, multi-digit, or algebra prep. All groups working on same standard, different entry points. Regroup after 15 minutes based on performance.
Q4. A parent emails you angry about their child's grade. Walk me through your response.situational
Acknowledge within 24 hours, but don't discuss the specific grade in email β€” email is not the medium for hard conversations. Offer a call or meeting. In the call: listen first, don't defend. Bring the specific work samples and rubric. Explain the grade calmly. If the grade was wrong, own it and fix it. If it was right, explain the criteria and offer a path forward for the student. Loop in admin BEFORE the meeting so you're not blindsided. Document everything.
Q5. Why do you want to teach at our school specifically?behavioral
Research required. Look at: the school's demographics, most recent principal message, any recent state assessment data, whether they have a Title I or dual-language or Montessori program. Specific answers: 'You've built a strong dual-language program and I'm bilingual-endorsed and want to teach in that model,' or 'I read your school improvement plan and the focus on structured literacy matches what I've been trained in.' Not: 'I love kids and your school seems nice.'

Resume Template β€” First-Year Teacher (0-1 yr)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

First-Year Teacher (0-1 yr)
  • β–ΈManaged daily instruction for 26 students in 3rd-grade general education classroom aligned to Common Core standards.
  • β–ΈLed students to 82% proficiency on end-of-year state reading assessment, up from 51% at fall benchmark.
  • β–ΈImplemented tiered small-group literacy rotations 4 days/week; moved 6 students out of Tier 2 intervention within 90 days.
  • β–ΈWrote weekly parent newsletter with student learning highlights; achieved 94% parent-teacher conference attendance in fall cycle.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Talking about students disparagingly ('these kids can't...', 'their families don't care'). Immediate DQ.
  • βœ—Vague answers on management or differentiation β€” signals no actual system.
  • βœ—Not asking about mentoring, curriculum, or class size β€” signals disengagement.
  • βœ—'I'm passionate about kids' without concrete evidence of that passion in your actions.
  • βœ—Not knowing the school's demographics or recent report card before the interview.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Extra endorsements (bilingual, TESOL, reading specialist) β€” most districts pay a stipend.
  • βœ“Master's + 30/45/60 semester units β€” biggest raise on the salary schedule.
  • βœ“Coaching or advising a club β€” $2-8k stipends common.
  • βœ“Summer school, tutoring, or curriculum-writing work.
  • βœ“Signing bonus in high-need districts β€” $2-10k common now for STEM, bilingual, or special ed.
  • βœ“Retirement/pension β€” CA, NY, IL etc. have substantial pensions; count as compensation.
  • βœ“Move to a higher-paying district after tenure β€” 15-40% jumps possible.

Elementary School Teacher Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired elementary school teachers. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Elementary School Teacher Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 15 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 5 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
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Elementary School Teacher Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$48K
$102Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Washington
$102K
+60%
California
$100K
+56%
District of Columbia
$97K
+51%
Massachusetts
$94K
+47%
Rhode Island
$91K
+42%
New York
$86K
+34%
Connecticut
$81K
+26%
Alaska
$79K
+24%
New Jersey
$78K
+22%
Maryland
$78K
+21%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Washington$102,350+60.0%
California$99,650+55.8%
District of Columbia$96,580+51.0%
Massachusetts$94,000+46.9%
Rhode Island$90,930+42.1%
New York$85,760+34.1%
Connecticut$80,600+26.0%
Alaska$79,260+23.9%
New Jersey$78,200+22.2%
Maryland$77,680+21.4%
1–10 of 51

Elementary School Teacher Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$104,650+63.6%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$103,390+61.6%
Walla Walla, WA$102,980+61.0%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$102,920+60.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$102,860+60.8%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$102,650+60.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$101,860+59.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$101,860+59.2%
Modesto, CA$101,640+58.9%
Bellingham, WA$101,230+58.2%
1–10 of 386
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A elementary school teacher earning $63,970/year would need 932 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1000 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how elementary school teacher salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Elementary School Teacher salary trend (2011–2024) β†’