The average US public school teacher earned $74,495 in the 2024-25 school year, a 3.5 percent nominal raise that inflation has entirely consumed. Adjusted for rising prices, teachers earn nearly 5 percent less than they did in 2017, according to data released by the National Education Association on Sunday.

Why it matters: The United States faces a persistent teacher shortage that districts have tried to address with pay raises. The NEA data shows those raises are not keeping pace with inflation, which means the real value of teaching as a career continues to erode even as states spend more.

The numbers

The NEA report tracked salary data across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. At the top end, California teachers averaged $103,552, followed by New York at $98,655 and Washington at $96,589. At the bottom, Mississippi paid an average of $54,975, followed by Florida at $56,663 and Louisiana at $56,785.

For new teachers, the picture is worse. Their 3.4 percent nominal raise translated to less than 1 percent growth after inflation, according to the NEA’s calculations.

Enrolment decline

The same period saw public school enrolment fall to just under 49 million students, down 0.3 percent from the previous year. Over a longer horizon, enrolment has dropped 3.6 percent since 2016.

Researchers estimate enrolment fell another 1 percent between this school year and last, driven by declining birth rates dating to the Great Recession and growing competition from private and charter school alternatives.

State disparities

The gap between the highest- and lowest-paying states exceeds $48,000. Even within high-paying states, cost of living often erases the advantage. A California teacher earning $103,552 faces housing and living costs that can exceed those of a Mississippi teacher earning half as much.

Several states, including Florida and Texas, have passed legislation aimed at raising teacher pay floors. The NEA data suggests those efforts have not yet closed the gap in real terms.

What the data does not capture

The NEA figures track base salary only. They do not include benefits, supplemental pay for coaching or tutoring, or income from second jobs, which the Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates roughly one in six teachers hold.