[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-586313-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-586313-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","2024-2025-teacher-salary-benchmark-report-april-2026","2024-2025 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report - April 2026","","2024-2025 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report analyzes U.S. teacher pay benchmarks, focusing on starting and top salaries and how collective bargaining shapes outcomes. It shows the average starting salary rising 3.4% to $48,112, while real growth remains under 1% after inflation, affecting affordability and retention concerns. The report compares state rankings, regional differences, and NCES locale patterns, and highlights inflation and reporting coverage via technical notes and school-district tracking.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/2024-2025-teacher-salary-benchmark-report-april-2026/586313/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/2024-2025-teacher-salary-benchmark-report-april-2026/586313.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Taylor Morgan","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-12","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",10,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What happened to the average starting teacher salary in 2024-2025?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The average starting teacher salary increased by 3.4% to $48,112. After accounting for inflation, real salary growth was below 1%.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How does collective bargaining affect starting and top teacher salaries?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Districts in states with collective bargaining laws show higher average starting and top salaries than non-collective bargaining states. The advantage is most pronounced for top teacher salaries across the career span.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Why is inflation discussed as part of the salary benchmark results?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Rising costs limit real wage growth even when nominal starting salaries rise. 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\nApril 2026  \nContents  \nIntroduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1  \nAverage Starting Salary ............................................................................................................................... 1  \nState Rankings ......................................................................................................................................... 1  \nStarting Salary Benchmarks.....................................................................................................................2  \nNotable Salary Increases ..........................................................................................................................2  \nAverage Top Salary .....................................................................................................................................3  \nState Rankings .........................................................................................................................................3  \nTop Salary Benchmarks ...........................................................................................................................4  \nCollective Bargaining Advantage ................................................................................................................4  \nSalary Comparison by Region .....................................................................................................................5  \nSalary Comparison by NCES Locale...........................................................................................................7  \nImpact of Inflation .......................................................................................................................................7  \nTechnical Notes ...........................................................................................................................................8  \nSchool Districts Tracked..........................................................................................................................8  \nReporting Percentage ...............................................................................................................................9  \nSalary Tables (ST) .......................................................................................................................................9  \nST-1 – All Average Teacher Salary Benchmarks..................................................................................10  \nST-2 – Average Starting Teacher Salary Rankings and Changes .........................................................11  \nST-3 – Average Top Teacher Salary Rankings and Changes................................................................12  \nST-4 – Teacher Salary Benchmark Reporting School Districts ............................................................13  \nPrimary Data Sources ................................................................................................................................ 14  \nIntroduction  \nIn 2024-2025, the average starting salary for teachers in the U.S. increased by 3.4% to $48,112, a rate higher than inflation; however, after accounting for inflation, real salary growth was below 1% . This low real salary growth, driven by rising costs, contributes to the widely reported affordability issues teachers face.  \nAccording to a report by the Economic Policy Institute, public school teachers' earnings have fallen further behind those of similarly educated college graduates in other professions, widening the teacher pay gap. On average, teachers earned 73.1 cents per dollar compared to other professionals in similar fields in 2024, representing a teacher pay gap of 26.9% .  \nSome states have attempted to address low starting teacher","cbCailc3ElZq1uNl","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailc3ElZq1uNl","pdf",417206,16,"English","# Introduction\n# Average Starting Salary\n# State Rankings\n# Starting Salary Benchmarks\n# Notable Salary Increases\n# Average Top Salary\n# Top Salary Benchmarks\n# Collective Bargaining Advantage\n# Salary Comparison by Region\n# Salary Comparison by NCES Locale\n# Impact of Inflation\n# Technical Notes\n## School Districts Tracked\n## Reporting Percentage\n## Salary Tables (ST)\n## Primary Data Sources","[{\"question\":\"What happened to the average starting teacher salary in 2024-2025?\",\"answer\":\"The average starting teacher salary increased by 3.4% to $48,112. After accounting for inflation, real salary growth was below 1%.\"},{\"question\":\"How does collective bargaining affect starting and top teacher salaries?\",\"answer\":\"Districts in states with collective bargaining laws show higher average starting and top salaries than non-collective bargaining states. The advantage is most pronounced for top teacher salaries across the career span.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is inflation discussed as part of the salary benchmark results?\",\"answer\":\"Rising costs limit real wage growth even when nominal starting salaries rise. The report frames affordability challenges in teachers’ day-to-day purchasing power.\"}]","2024-2025 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report - April 2026 | PDF",1792057564]