So you are thinking about making a change? The first thing most of us teachers do is think about changing states… then of course, if your state offers the increase, we entertain getting our Master’s or National Board Certification. Because you gotta go into debt to make more money, right? Wrong, very wrong. But, let me help you with the first query. But remember that “average” does not account for the outliers of 20-plus-year vets making 62 to your measly 40.
| State | Urban Average Teacher Salary | Rural Average Teacher Salary | Average Teacher Salary | Living Wage |
| Alabama | $56,776 | $54,373 | $55,437 | $45,824 |
| Alaska | $74,192 | $78,104 | $75,320 | $54,400 |
| Arizona | $48,618 | $46,126 | $47,218 | $51,341 |
| Arkansas | $51,502 | $49,183 | $50,171 | $44,571 |
| California | $82,093 | $77,950 | $80,680 | $57,315 |
| Colorado | $55,395 | $53,015 | $54,482 | $53,792 |
| Connecticut | $76,568 | $71,361 | $75,383 | $59,502 |
| Delaware | $63,439 | $62,610 | $63,328 | $53,112 |
| District of Columbia | $77,402 | N/A | $77,402 | $67,867 |
| Florida | $50,981 | $47,937 | $49,009 | $52,206 |
| Georgia | $58,963 | $56,185 | $58,114 | $47,946 |
| Hawaii | $64,720 | $57,556 | $63,372 | $60,700 |
| Idaho | $50,126 | $48,205 | $49,194 | $45,801 |
| Illinois | $69,097 | $63,172 | $68,479 | $52,304 |
| Indiana | $52,988 | $51,067 | $52,147 | $46,838 |
| Iowa | $59,500 | $53,855 | $58,161 | $48,882 |
| Kansas | $51,965 | $50,533 | $51,670 | $48,054 |
| Kentucky | $54,477 | $51,830 | $53,215 | $43,308 |
| Louisiana | $51,423 | $49,034 | $50,091 | $47,975 |
| Maine | $57,326 | $54,177 | $56,413 | $51,305 |
| Maryland | $71,295 | $66,760 | $70,010 | $58,178 |
| Massachusetts | $83,233 | $75,723 | $82,218 | $59,560 |
| Michigan | $64,418 | $60,257 | $63,508 | $48,837 |
| Minnesota | $63,640 | $59,501 | $62,167 | $52,115 |
| Mississippi | $45,543 | $43,445 | $44,472 | $46,084 |
| Missouri | $53,616 | $50,322 | $52,446 | $46,159 |
| Montana | $54,187 | $49,937 | $53,030 | $47,083 |
| Nebraska | $56,068 | $52,693 | $55,315 | $48,076 |
| Nevada | $57,824 | $53,618 | $56,968 | $52,698 |
| New Hampshire | $62,236 | $59,054 | $61,361 | $55,103 |
| New Jersey | $75,123 | $68,341 | $74,885 | $56,109 |
| New Mexico | $49,863 | $47,035 | $49,004 | $48,050 |
| New York | $84,902 | $76,277 | $82,704 | $59,128 |
| North Carolina | $54,598 | $52,064 | $54,191 | $49,575 |
| North Dakota | $54,660 | $49,838 | $53,222 | $46,814 |
| Ohio | $62,639 | $59,720 | $62,014 | $45,853 |
| Oklahoma | $47,825 | $45,235 | $47,080 | $46,613 |
| Oregon | $64,615 | $59,646 | $63,390 | $51,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,079 | $61,516 | $67,954 | $49,914 |
| Rhode Island | $74,788 | $69,698 | $73,463 | $53,240 |
| South Carolina | $53,142 | $50,412 | $52,931 | $46,568 |
| South Dakota | $47,872 | $44,728 | $47,207 | $45,801 |
| Tennessee | $53,886 | $51,348 | $53,079 | $46,814 |
| Texas | $56,850 | $51,964 | $56,543 | $48,160 |
| Utah | $52,966 | $51,220 | $52,377 | $47,922 |
| Vermont | $60,601 | $57,069 | $59,763 | $51,977 |
| Virginia | $60,974 | $56,240 | $60,123 | $54,264 |
| Washington | $70,356 | $65,402 | $68,622 | $51,271 |
| West Virginia | $48,916 | $46,278 | $48,187 | $44,823 |
| Wisconsin | $61,273 | $57,190 | $60,024 | $51,120 |
| Wyoming | $60,456 | $59,136 | $60,373 | $47,951 |
Classroom to Corporate 