Guide
First-Year Teacher Salary: What New Teachers Earn
Published
The average first year teacher salary is $48,112 nationally. The median first-step bachelor's salary across 435 large districts is $52,800. Corona-Norco Unified in California starts at $79,380.
A first-year teacher is usually placed on step 1 of the bachelor's salary lane. A master's degree or credited experience can qualify you for a higher step or lane; Tacoma Public Schools, for example, starts teachers at $72,212 on the bachelor's lane and $86,435 on the master's lane.
For a state-level view, see the teacher starting salary by state guide.
Key Takeaways
- Your starting salary depends on your district's pay schedule and placement.
- A master's degree or credited experience can change your starting point.
- State averages and district starting salaries show different parts of the pay picture.
Highest district bachelor’s starting salaries
National Starting-Pay Benchmarks
For 2024-25, the national average starting teacher salary was $48,112, while the average teacher salary was $74,495.
The average and median figures describe different measures. The national averages cover starting and overall teacher pay, while the $52,800 median reflects the first bachelor's step across 435 large districts.
Use the national starting average as a broad benchmark when you compare an offer. Your district's salary schedule gives you the more direct figure for your own starting placement.
Where New Teachers Start: Step 1 of the Schedule
Your starting point is usually step 1 of the bachelor's lane, with a higher placement possible for a master's degree or credited experience.
A salary schedule combines education lanes with experience steps. The bachelor's lane is the entry point for many new teachers, while a graduate degree can place you in a different lane; credited work experience can affect your step.
District schedules show how much the lane can change an offer. Chicago Public Schools lists a bachelor's start of $74,611.84 and a master's start of $79,779.64; Tacoma Public Schools lists $72,212 and $86,435, respectively.
Check the schedule's rules for which degrees and past experience count. When you compare offers, match the same degree lane and step so you are comparing equivalent starting placements.
Which Districts Offer the Highest Starting Salaries?
Corona-Norco Unified has the highest bachelor's first-step salary in the district schedules shown, at $79,380.
The table shows the highest district bachelor's starts and the school year tied to each salary schedule. Master's-lane figures appear where they are provided.
| State | District | School year | Bachelor's start | Master's start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Corona-Norco Unified | 2026-27 | $79,380 | $79,383 |
| California | San Francisco Unified | 2026-27 | $77,499 | Not available |
| California | Los Angeles Unified | 2026-27 | $75,311 | Not available |
| Illinois | Chicago Public Schools | 2026-27 | $74,611.84 | $79,779.64 |
| California | Long Beach Unified | 2026-27 | $74,069 | $74,073 |
| Washington | Tacoma Public Schools | 2026-27 | $72,212 | $86,435 |
| Massachusetts | Boston Public Schools | 2026-27 | $71,501 | $76,230 |
| New York | New York City Public Schools | 2026-27 | $71,314 | $80,166 |
| Washington | Kent School District | 2026-27 | $70,541 | $83,995 |
| New Jersey | Newark Public School District | 2026-27 | $70,000 | $72,250 |
A high starting salary reflects the district's schedule and the education lane. Compare benefits and placement rules alongside the starting figure when you assess an offer.
Which Districts Offer the Lowest Starting Salaries?
Corvallis School District #1 in Montana has the lowest bachelor's first-step salary in the district schedules shown, at $39,939.
These schedules show the lowest starts among the large districts on the site. The school year is included because schedules can change from one year to the next.
| State | District | School year | Bachelor's start | Master's start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | Dover School District | 2025-26 | $43,729 | $46,912 |
| Oklahoma | Tulsa Public Schools | 2025-26 | $43,500 | $44,775 |
| Oklahoma | Union Public Schools | 2025-26 | $43,220 | $45,220 |
| North Dakota | West Fargo Public Schools | 2026-27 | $43,050 | $47,870 |
| Nebraska | Grand Island Public Schools | 2025-26 | $42,532.88 | $54,801.98 |
| Montana | Great Falls Public Schools | 2026-27 | $42,044 | $46,122 |
| New Hampshire | Rochester School District | 2025-26 | $41,397 | $45,086 |
| Nebraska | Papillion La Vista Community Schools | 2026-27 | $41,325 | $48,764 |
| Nebraska | Bellevue Public Schools | 2026-27 | $40,534 | $45,398 |
| Montana | Corvallis School District #1 | 2026-27 | $39,939 | $46,187 |
A lower scheduled start does not tell you your final placement. Check the district's schedule for the lane and step that match your credentials and credited experience.
What Are the State Minimum Salaries for New Teachers?
State minimum salaries range from published dollar amounts to states where pay is set locally and no statewide minimum schedule is provided.
The table gives each state's minimum salary entry. Where no statewide minimum is set, or one could not be confirmed, the table says so.
| State | State minimum salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,552 |
| Alaska | No statewide minimum teacher salary schedule |
| Arizona | No state minimum teacher salary schedule; each district sets its own scale |
| Arkansas | $50,000 |
| California | No state minimum teacher salary schedule; district collective bargaining agreements set salaries |
| Colorado | No statewide minimum teacher salary; each district sets its own schedule |
| Connecticut | No statewide minimum schedule; pay is set district by district through collective bargaining |
| Delaware | $39,370 |
| Florida | No state minimum teacher salary schedule |
| Georgia | $43,592 |
| Hawaii | $55,259 |
| Idaho | $50,252 |
| Illinois | $43,543 |
| Indiana | No state minimum salary schedule; districts set pay through local collective bargaining |
| Iowa | $50,000 |
| Kansas | No state minimum teacher salary schedule |
| Kentucky | $29,804 |
| Louisiana | No statewide minimum teacher salary schedule |
| Maine | $40,000 |
| Maryland | $60,000 |
| Massachusetts | No statewide teacher salary schedule |
| Michigan | No state minimum schedule; district collective bargaining agreements set salaries |
| Minnesota | No statewide minimum schedule; districts bargain pay with teachers' unions |
| Mississippi | $43,500 |
| Missouri | $40,000 |
| Montana | No statewide minimum schedule; districts bargain pay locally |
| Nebraska | No statewide minimum schedule; pay is negotiated locally under the Industrial Relations Act |
| Nevada | No statewide minimum teacher salary schedule |
| New Hampshire | No statewide minimum salary or teacher salary schedule; districts set pay through collective bargaining |
| New Jersey | Unconfirmed; check the state page |
| New Mexico | $55,000 |
| New York | No state minimum salary schedule; pay is negotiated locally under the Taylor Law |
| North Carolina | $48,000 |
| North Dakota | $27,500 |
| Ohio | $35,000 |
| Oklahoma | $41,601 |
| Oregon | No statewide minimum salary or state schedule; districts bargain schedules locally |
| Pennsylvania | $18,500 |
| Rhode Island | No statewide minimum teacher salary |
| South Carolina | $50,500 |
| South Dakota | $46,201 |
| Tennessee | $50,000 |
| Texas | $33,960 |
| Utah | No statewide minimum schedule; each district negotiates its own |
| Vermont | No statewide minimum salary; districts or supervisory unions negotiate schedules |
| Virginia | No state minimum salary schedule; each school division sets its scale |
| Washington | No single printed statewide minimum salary schedule |
| West Virginia | $43,015 |
| Wisconsin | Unconfirmed; districts set pay locally |
| Wyoming | No statewide minimum schedule; school district boards set pay |
How Do Starting Salaries Compare by State?
State average starting pay and the median district bachelor's start differ across the country.
The state average is a statewide starting-pay figure; the district median reflects bachelor's first-step salaries in the district schedules. Compare the two columns to see how a statewide average relates to local starting offers.
| State | Average starting salary, 2024-25 | Median district bachelor's start |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,955 | $48,552 |
| Alaska | $53,650 | $59,707 |
| Arizona | $44,869 | $51,700 |
| Arkansas | $50,076 | $50,100 |
| California | $59,424 | $69,251 |
| Colorado | $45,489 | $59,833.50 |
| Connecticut | $51,053 | $55,643 |
| Delaware | $49,344 | $55,410 |
| Florida | $49,435 | $50,575 |
| Georgia | $48,722 | $60,000 |
| Hawaii | $51,835 | $55,259 |
| Idaho | $46,253 | $50,252 |
| Illinois | $46,655 | $57,529.50 |
| Indiana | $45,958 | $52,500 |
| Iowa | $48,139 | $50,569 |
| Kansas | $44,163 | $50,757 |
| Kentucky | $41,901 | $48,709.78 |
| Louisiana | $46,850 | $51,533 |
| Maine | $44,152 | $48,875.50 |
| Maryland | $57,293 | $62,624 |
| Massachusetts | $54,216 | $58,310 |
| Michigan | $43,093 | $47,854 |
| Minnesota | $46,477 | $53,826 |
| Mississippi | $43,814 | $48,457.50 |
| Missouri | $40,682 | $48,194 |
| Montana | $36,682 | $47,855.50 |
| Nebraska | $39,561 | $45,507.50 |
| Nevada | $49,731 | $51,042 |
| New Hampshire | $44,010 | $46,535 |
| New Jersey | $58,727 | $64,235 |
| New Mexico | $54,372 | $60,524 |
| New York | $51,612 | $59,499 |
| North Carolina | $44,952 | $54,700 |
| North Dakota | $45,252 | $48,922 |
| Ohio | $42,222 | $51,911.50 |
| Oklahoma | $41,294 | $46,050 |
| Oregon | $46,854 | $53,820.50 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,198 | $57,545 |
| Rhode Island | $48,242 | $50,047.37 |
| South Carolina | $48,426 | $54,104.50 |
| South Dakota | $47,196 | $52,017.50 |
| Tennessee | $47,230 | $50,750 |
| Texas | $49,465 | $63,750 |
| Utah | $57,849 | $63,660 |
| Vermont | $46,963 | $54,340.50 |
| Virginia | $50,448 | $60,242 |
| Washington | $60,658 | $65,455.50 |
| West Virginia | $45,294 | $48,529.50 |
| Wisconsin | $43,288 | $51,831 |
| Wyoming | $51,776 | $61,800 |
When you compare a job offer, use the district schedule's bachelor's or master's lane and the step you qualify for. Check the state page for rules that apply to your location.
Figures come from the official salary schedules linked on our state and district pages. Districts revise schedules, so confirm the school year and placement rules with the official source before you rely on a number.