Elementary School Teachers earn an average annual salary of $95,682, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Educational Services and Elementary and Secondary Schools.

Key Statistics

141,650
2023 Workforce
40.0
Average Age
$95,682
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Elementary School Teachers workforce.

Employment Over Time

141,650 Workforce in 2023

The Elementary School Teachers workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Elementary School Teachers.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$95,682 Average Wage

In 2023, Elementary School Teachers earned an average of $95,682.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Elementary School Teachers.

Salary distribution for Elementary School Teachers.

Employment Growth Projections

2.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

640,905 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 13.2%

725,672 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 28.2%

This occupation is projected to grow at 2.5% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Elementary School Teachers.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Elementary School Teachers and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Elementary School Teachers employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Elementary School Teachers.

Wage Trends by Industry

-2.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Elementary School Teachers.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Elementary School Teachers.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 130,770 employees, $96,158 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Elementary School Teachers.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 33,020 employees, $100,597 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 18,270 employees, $96,164 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 11,720 employees, $89,323 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 9,860 employees, $98,462 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 9,160 employees, $90,227 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 8,870 employees, $100,881 avg wage
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 6,610 employees, $100,684 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 4,800 employees, $95,841 avg wage
  • Fresno MSA: 4,570 employees, $89,467 avg wage
  • Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 4,300 employees, $80,972 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Elementary School Teachers.

Diversity

Demographic information on Elementary School Teachers in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Elementary School Teachers in 2023 was 141,650 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Elementary School Teachers.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Elementary School Teachers.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Elementary School Teachers.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Elementary School Teachers in 2023 were Elementary Education, Education, Psychology.

Common majors for Elementary School Teachers.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Elementary School Teachers workers.

Education level distribution for Elementary School Teachers.

Skills

Elementary School Teachers need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Instructing, Learning Strategies, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension.

Required skills for Elementary School Teachers.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Elementary School Teachers.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Elementary School Teachers include Education and Training, English Language, Mathematics, Psychology, Computers and Electronics.

Knowledge areas required for Elementary School Teachers.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Elementary School Teachers include Oral Expression, Speech Recognition, Problem Sensitivity, Oral Comprehension, Written Expression.

Required abilities for Elementary School Teachers.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Elementary School Teachers.

Daily Activities

Elementary School Teachers spend their time on activities such as Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, Getting Information, Training and Teaching Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.

Most important work activities for Elementary School Teachers.

About

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

The average yearly wage for Elementary School Teachers was $95,682 in 2023.

SOC Code

25-2021 - Elementary School Teachers

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Elementary School Teachers reports an average salary of $95,682.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 141,650 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.