Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
SOC 25-2021 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education is $63,680, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $70,740, and an estimated 1,410,070 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +4.5% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -11.2% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 2% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $63,680 | $63,680 | 1,410,070 |
| 2022 | $61,690 | $64,229 | 1,394,200 |
| 2021 | $61,400 | $69,043 | 1,329,280 |
| 2020 | $60,940 | $71,746 | 1,364,870 |
Nominal change
+4.5%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-11.2%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
-2%
Declining
Employment 2024
1,422,700
Projected 2034
1,394,800
Annual Openings
91,000
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $63,680. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $96,700 | +51.9% | 151,820 |
| Rhode Island | $89,050 | +39.8% | 3,910 |
| Washington | $87,960 | +38.1% | 31,800 |
| New York | $85,700 | +34.6% | 105,770 |
| District of Columbia | $85,610 | +34.4% | 3,360 |
| Connecticut | $84,420 | +32.6% | 16,950 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $83,830 | +31.6% | 800 |
| Massachusetts | $83,350 | +30.9% | 33,780 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $83,210 | +30.7% | 1,560 |
| Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $82,910 | +30.2% | 350 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$46,960
25th Pct
$51,260
Median
$63,680
75th Pct
$81,480
90th Pct
$104,440
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Educational Instruction & Library
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.