Best & Worst States for Teachers (2026)

Teaching can be a profoundly rewarding career, considering the critical role educators play in shaping young minds. Unfortunately, many teachers find themselves overworked and underpaid. Education jobs are among the lowest-paying occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree, and teacher salaries consistently fail to keep up with inflation. In fact, teachers earn an average of $3,728 less per year than they did 16 years ago, when you adjust for inflation.

Teachers are more fairly compensated and better protected in some states than in others, though. The best states are less likely to face a revolving door of teacher turnover. To help America’s educators find the best opportunities and teaching environments, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 24 key indicators of teacher-friendliness. Our data set ranges from teachers’ income growth potential to the pupil-teacher ratio to public-school spending per student.

Key Facts

1. The best states for teachers in 2025 are Virginia, Utah, Washington, New York and Illinois.
2. The worst states for teachers in 2025 are South Dakota, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana and Hawaii.
3. Important factors determining the best states for teachers include compensation, tenure protections, state spending per student, school-system quality and turnover rates.

“Despite having one of the most crucial jobs in America – educating the next generation – teachers are often underpaid and underappreciated. The states that make a teaching career the most rewarding are those that compensate educators well, invest heavily in educational resources, pass laws that improve school-system quality, and provide supportive conditions that lead to low turnover.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Main Findings

Best States for Teachers

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that state, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Annual Salaries (Adjusted for Cost of Living)

Highest

• 1. New York
• 2. Washington
• 3. Illinois
• 4. Michigan
• 5. Pennsylvania

Lowest

• 47. District of Columbia
• 48. North Dakota
• 49. Florida
• 50. Maine
• 51. Hawaii

Best State vs. Worst State: 2x Difference

New York vs. Hawaii

Projected Teachers Turnover

Lowest

• 1. New York
• 2. New Hampshire
• 3. Ohio
• 4. Kansas
• 5. Kentucky

Highest

• T-47. Colorado
• T-47. Maryland
• 49. Florida
• T-50. Arizona
• T-50. District of Columbia

Best State vs. Worst State: 5x Difference

New York vs. District of Columbia

Teachers per Student in Year 2032

Fewest

• 1. Massachusetts
• 2. Alaska
• 3. Nevada
• 4. Arizona
• 5. Oregon

Most

• 47. New York
• 48. Wyoming
• T-49. Iowa
• T-49. North Dakota
• T-49. District of Columbia

Best State vs. Worst State: 5x Difference

Massachusetts vs. District of Columbia

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Lowest

• 1. Vermont
• 2. District of Columbia
• 3. Maine
• 4. New Hampshire
• 5. New York

Highest

• 47. Florida
• 48. Utah
• 49. Nevada
• 50. California
• 51. Arizona

Best State vs. Worst State: 2x Difference

Vermont vs. Arizona

Public-School Spending per Student

Highest

• 1. New York
• 2. Vermont
• 3. District of Columbia
• 4. Massachusetts
• 5. New Jersey

Lowest

• 47. Arizona
• 48. Texas
• 49. Utah
• 50. Oklahoma
• 51. Idaho

Best State vs. Worst State: 3x Difference

New York vs. Idaho

School Systems

Best

• 1. Massachusetts
• 2. Connecticut
• 3. New Jersey
• 4. Virginia
• 5. New Hampshire

Worst

• 47. Oregon
• 48. Arizona
• 49. Alaska
• 50. Oklahoma
• 51. New Mexico

Show More

In-Depth Look at the Best States for Teachers

Virginia

Virginia is the best state for teachers, boasting the highest income growth potential in the country. While Virginia ranks 14th in the nation for the average starting salary for teachers ($47,466) and 21st for the average teacher salary in general ($64,691), educators can end up seeing big gains throughout the course of their careers.

Demand for teachers is also growing relatively quickly in Virginia. By 2032, the state is projected to have the 12th-lowest number of teachers per 1,000 students.

Finally, Virginia offers tenure to teachers after just 3 years and has the fourth-best school systems in the country.

Utah

Utah is the second-best state for teachers, boasting the second-highest average annual starting salary after adjusting for the cost of living, at $53,748. Teachers in Utah also enjoy the second-best 10-year change in teacher salaries, with incomes increasing by an impressive 50% over the past decade.

In addition, Utah offers tenure to teachers after only 3 years, and the projected number of teachers per 1,000 students by 2032 is the 13th-lowest in the country, which leaves room for plenty of opportunities for new teachers. The Beehive State also offers moderate tenure protection, and over 63% of teachers strongly agree that they benefit from the administration’s support and encouragement, the highest percentage in the country.

Due to all of these reasons, it’s no wonder that Utah has one of the best school systems in the country.

Washington

Washington is the third-best state for teachers, in part because the pay situation is rapidly improving. Washington has experienced the best change in teacher salaries over the past 10 years, with an increase of over 75%. The state now has the second-highest average annual salary, after adjusting for the cost of living, at $79,774, and the fourth-highest average starting salary, at $50,369.

Washington teachers also have the fourth-lowest period of time before tenure kicks in, with teachers only needing to work three years. In addition, the state has passed various policies to make things in the classroom easier for teachers. For example, it’s one of only 27 states that require annual teacher evaluations, and it has a digital learning plan in place in case schools need to be closed.

To top things off, for teachers who are women and have children themselves, Washington ranks as the 16th-best state for working moms.

Ask the Experts

Teachers must be able to make a reasonable living in order to meet the challenges of their profession. For more insight into the issues plaguing teachers and possible solutions for overcoming them, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in on with their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are the biggest issues teachers face today?
2. How can local officials attract and retain the best teachers?
3. What tips can you offer young teachers looking for a place to settle down?
4. Do you think performance- based compensation - e.g., providing teachers with a bonus when their students meet or exceed expectations - is a promising strategy for improving student outcomes?
5. What are the major factors that contribute to the shortage of teachers in the U.S.? What will teacher shortages look like in 2025 and beyond?

Ask the Experts

Katie N. Smith
Ph.D., Associate Professor & Program Coordinator, Higher Education, Department of Policy, Organizational & Leadership Studies - Temple University, College of Education & Human Development
Read More

Carolyn Parker
Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research, Programs, and Partnerships, Director of Graduate Teacher Education and Academic Programs, School of Education - American University
Read More

Monica Galloway Burke
Ph.D., Professor | Department of Counseling & Student Affairs, Clinical Coordinator | Student Affairs in Higher Education program - Western Kentucky University
Read More

Terrell L. Strayhorn
Ph.D. – Associate Provost, Faculty Development; Professor, Education and Psychology; Director of Research, Center for the Study of HBCUs; Principal Investigator, The Belonging Lab – Virginia Union University
Read More

Marybeth Gasman
Ph.D. – Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education, University Distinguished Professor – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Graduate School of Education
Read More

Henry Tran
MPA, SHRM-CP, PHR, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Education, University of South Carolina
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the teacher-friendliest states in the U.S., WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions, “Opportunity & Competition” and “Academic & Work Environment.” Because competitive salaries and job security are integral to a well-balanced personal and professional life, we assigned a heavier weight to the first category.

We evaluated the two dimensions using 24 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for living and working as a teacher.

Finally, we determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order the states.

Opportunity & Competition - Total Points: 70

• Average Starting Salary for Teachers: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living. State Cost of Living Index was estimated by averaging the indices of participating cities and metropolitan areas in that state.
• Average Salary for Teachers: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living. State Cost of Living Index was estimated by averaging the indices of participating cities and metropolitan areas in that state.
• Teachers’ Income Growth Potential: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• 10-Year Change in Teacher Salaries: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the change in current dollars for teacher salaries between the 2015–2016 and the 2024–2025 academic years.
• Average Teacher Pension: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living. State Cost of Living Index was estimated by averaging the indices of participating cities and metropolitan areas in that state.
• Share of New Teachers with Inadequate Pensions: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the share of new teachers who will not break even on their pensions. In other words, the amount of their future pension benefits will be less than the contributions they made to the state pension plan during their career.
• Projected Teacher Competition in Year 2032: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the projected number of teachers per 1,000 students by year 2032.
• Public-School Enrollment Growth: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: “Growth” was measured by comparing public-school enrollment in fall 2023 versus fall 2024.
• Length of Time Before Tenure Kicks in: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Teacher Tenure Protections: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the strength of the state law, if any, protecting teachers’ tenure.
• Teacher Preparation Program Completion: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  A teacher preparation program is designed to prepare both undergraduate and graduate students to become licensed teachers. Programs can offer students specialized coursework in the grade level and subjects they are interested in teaching. The teacher preparation program also includes a hands-on student teaching experience, which is required in most states for licensing. Typical coursework covers:
  • Issues in education
  • Child or adolescent development
  • Student assessment
  • Early childhood methods
  • Language and literacy
  • Educational psychology

Academic & Work Environment - Total Points: 30

• Existence of Digital Learning Plan: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of state comprehensive digital learning strategies for schools deploying technology, a series of trainings for teachers, and instructional resources for building remote lesson plans.
• State Statute on Out-of-School Access to Instructional Materials: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This binary metric considers state statute on accessibility of digital content and instructional materials outside of the classroom.
• State Guidance on Accessible Technologies: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of state accessibility assurance to acceptable technologies for providing instructional content.
• Quality of School System: Triple Weight (~6.67 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Best & Worst School Systems” ranking.
• Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Public-School Spending per Student: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the annual state and local expenditures for K–12 public schools per capita.
• Presence of Annual Teacher-Evaluation Requirement: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of an annual evaluation requirement policy for all teachers in the state.
• Presence of Teacher-Effectiveness Requirement: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of state implemented policies for “objective student growth as part of teacher evaluation system,” as described by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
• Projected Share of Teacher Turnover: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the share of teachers “planning to leave the teaching profession as soon as possible or as soon as a more desirable job opportunity arises,” according to the Learning Policy Institute.
• Share of Teachers Who Feel Supported by Their Administrator: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the share of teachers who strongly agree that their school administration’s behavior toward the staff is supportive and encouraging. LPI analysis of Public School Teacher File, 2020-2021, from the Schools and Staffing Survey, National Center for Education Statistics.
• Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~1.11 Points)
• Prevalence of Childhood Disadvantage: Half Weight (~1.11 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Most Underprivileged Children” ranking.
• Working Mom-Friendliness: Half Weight (~1.11 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States for Working Moms” ranking.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of August 18, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, National Education Association, National Center for Education Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, TeacherPensions.org, ProCon.org, National Council on Teacher Quality, Projections Central - State Occupational Projections, Learning Policy Institute, Education Commission of the States, State Educational Technology Directors Association and WalletHub research.

Supporting Video Files:

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• YouTube - Virginia (for web embedding)
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