High School Teacher Salaries: What Secondary Educators Earn

High school teachers earn slightly more than elementary teachers in most states, reflecting the subject matter specialization required and in some districts, additional responsibility. BLS OEWS data provides the clearest available comparison of teacher wages across states.

Subject Area Premiums

Most district salary schedules pay all teachers at the same rate for equivalent experience and education level — but shortage areas like special education, math, and science sometimes carry stipends or hiring bonuses that create de facto subject-area premiums. BLS data captures base wage structures and may not fully reflect these supplements.

Highest-Paying States

California, New York, and Massachusetts consistently rank highest for high school teacher wages. Connecticut and New Jersey also rank near the top. Teachers' union strength and overall state wealth drive the premium in these states.

Pension and Benefits Context

As with elementary teachers, high school teacher total compensation includes defined-benefit pension contributions that can represent 15–25% of total compensation. States with strong teacher pension systems — even those with lower base wages — may offer better total compensation than the BLS figure suggests.

Browse Education Wages

See all wages for educators in the Educational Instruction and Library Occupations group.