Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in the U.S.
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the U.S. earn a median of $64,370 a year, based on BLS data for 620,090 workers.
Pay ranges from $48,080 for the lowest-paid 10% to $102,540 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $72,030, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,080 |
| 25th percentile | $58,530 |
| Median | $64,370 |
| 75th percentile | $80,490 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,540 |
| Average (mean) | $72,030 |
Half of middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,364.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,682.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,475.77 |
| Weekly | $1,237.88 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
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Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102,140 | 10,510 |
| California | $98,950 | 37,300 |
| New York | $94,840 | 38,670 |
| Connecticut | $93,610 | 7,920 |
| Rhode Island | $92,760 | 2,370 |
| Massachusetts | $89,450 | 16,570 |
| District of Columbia | $79,900 | 1,540 |
| Utah | $79,180 | 5,960 |
| Alaska | $78,940 | 1,150 |
| New Jersey | $78,770 | 23,650 |
| Maryland | $78,510 | 14,530 |
| Oregon | $78,350 | 6,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,930 | 22,720 |
| Ohio | $77,090 | 30,450 |
| Illinois | $76,110 | 24,770 |
| New Mexico | $75,240 | 4,260 |
| Vermont | $73,940 | 1,620 |
| New Hampshire | $71,140 | 3,120 |
| Hawaii | $69,230 | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $67,780 | 2,350 |
| Nevada | $66,300 | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $64,780 | 23,610 |
| Michigan | $63,790 | 15,420 |
| Colorado | $63,760 | 13,280 |
| Maine | $63,590 | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $63,520 | 18,290 |
| Texas | $63,390 | 80,160 |
| Minnesota | $62,640 | 8,890 |
| Nebraska | $62,510 | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $62,480 | 1,290 |
| Guam | $62,020 | 510 |
| Wisconsin | $61,960 | 14,460 |
| Alabama | $61,770 | 10,000 |
| Montana | $61,550 | 1,980 |
| Kentucky | $61,120 | 8,040 |
| Idaho | $60,930 | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $60,810 | 9,750 |
| Indiana | $60,700 | 11,700 |
| Tennessee | $60,690 | 13,060 |
| Kansas | $60,580 | 6,230 |
| Iowa | $60,450 | 6,270 |
| North Dakota | $60,100 | 1,400 |
| Arizona | $59,710 | 9,020 |
| Arkansas | $59,570 | 6,140 |
| Missouri | $59,310 | 11,330 |
| Florida | $58,940 | 31,370 |
| Louisiana | $58,760 | 5,560 |
| West Virginia | $57,210 | 4,090 |
| Puerto Rico | $52,530 | 3,490 |
| North Carolina | $52,010 | 20,650 |
| South Dakota | $50,980 | 2,130 |
| Mississippi | $50,790 | 6,260 |
| Oklahoma | $48,440 | 7,620 |
Best-paying metro areas for middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $106,920 | 160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $105,030 | 3,330 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $104,410 | 420 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $104,320 | 300 |
| Fresno, CA | $104,250 | 850 |
| El Centro, CA | $104,140 | 250 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $103,880 | 530 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,560 | 5,230 |
| Merced, CA | $101,770 | 180 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $101,540 | 80 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $101,390 | 600 |
| Modesto, CA | $101,250 | 740 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $100,900 | 180 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $100,810 | 4,860 |
| Bellingham, WA | $100,430 | 330 |
Metro areas with the most middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 39,310 | $96,500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 21,590 | $65,660 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 19,340 | $65,830 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 17,300 | $78,000 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 14,890 | $77,350 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 13,650 | $75,490 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 13,090 | $78,130 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 12,780 | $98,370 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 11,530 | $94,170 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 9,060 | $58,070 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 6,900 | $65,140 |
| Cleveland, OH | 6,750 | $80,580 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 6,700 | $62,050 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 6,660 | $62,800 |
| Columbus, OH | 6,640 | $64,410 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-2022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education make in the U.S.?
The median salary for middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S. is $64,370 a year. Pay ranges from $48,080 for the lowest-paid 10% to $102,540 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S. earn at least $102,540 a year. The top 25% earn $80,490 or more.
What is the starting pay for middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $48,080 a year, and a quarter of middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education earn $58,530 or less.
How many middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education work in the U.S.?
About 620,090 middle school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.