NEA 2023-2024 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report - Collective Bargaining and Member Advocacy Department (April 2025)

Oct 15, 2026

NEA 2023-2024 teacher salary benchmarks compile data from over 12,000 districts and show that the 2023-2024 average starting salary is $46,526 and the top teacher salary is $84,272. Starting salaries rose 4.4% over 2022-2023, but real growth is limited to 1.5% due to inflation. The report highlights widening teacher pay gaps versus comparable professionals, outlines progress tied to advocacy and collective bargaining, and contrasts states that use short-term “band-aid” approaches with those investing long-term. It also documents district-level distribution and state rankings, including emerging impacts of proposed bargaining restrictions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Key Salary Trends (2023-2024)

Starting Salary and Top Salary Changes

Real Wage Growth and Inflation Context

Pay Gap vs. Other Professionals

Economic Policy Institute Findings

Advocacy and Policy Approaches

States Improving Pay Through Investment

“Band-aid” Increases and Long-Term Limitations

Collective Bargaining Effects

Top States’ Coverage by Bargaining Statutes

Restrictions and Their Potential Impacts

Additional Findings

Distribution Below $40,000 and Growth to $50,000+$

State-Level Average Starting Salaries

NEA 2023-2024 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report Collective Bargaining and Member Advocacy Department (April 2025) Data collected from over 12,000 school districts from across the country show that for the 2023-2024 school year, the average starting teacher salary was $46,526 and the average top teacher salary was $84,272 . District level starting salaries increased by an average of 4.4% over 2022-2023, while the maximum salary grew by 4.0% . The 4.4% increase in starting salary represents the most significant increase over the 15 years NEA has been tracking increases in starting teacher pay. However, due to a 3% inflation rate, this year’s real salary growth was only 1.5% . Despite the recent positive trend, teacher salaries continue to lag behind the pay of other collegeeducated professionals. The Economic Policy Institute’s research shows that the pay gap between teachers and comparable professionals continues to grow, reaching 26.6% in 2023. The Economic Policy Institute’s most recent report on teacher pay notes that “closing the growing pay gap between teachers and other college graduate professionals is critical to public education.” NEA affiliates’ and educators’ ongoing advocacy to increase pay has resulted in steady progress nationwide. Notably, in 2023-2024: • The increase in the average starting teacher salary was higher than it was in 2022-2023 in 27 states in all regions of the country. • The average starting salary exceeds $50,000 in thirteen states. • Over 3,600 (or 30%) school districts have a starting salary of at least $50,000 . In previous years’ reports, NEA has highlighted states that have invested in public education and pay teachers across their careers. We have also identified states that have increased salaries the “wrong way” -rather than trying to implement a long-term solution, these states often implement a “band-aid”hoping to make the news, such as increasing teachers’ starting salary and having them languish for years without receiving a salary increase. The evidence from these two approaches is clear. On the positive side, CA, MD, and WA rank in the top ten for both starting and average salaries, showing that teachers are moving across the salary schedule and staying in the classroom. New Mexico’s 2022 historic investment in schools and teachers has resulted in meaningful improvements. For 2023-24, New Mexico ranked 7th in starting and 21st in average salaries, whereas five years ago, New Mexico’s ranks were 39th and 49th, respectively. New Mexico continues its commitment to recruiting and retaining teachers. On March 21, 2025, New Mexico’s state legislature passed legislation to increase teacher salaries by $5,000 at all levels of experience. On April 10, 2025, New Mexico’s governor signed the bill into law. Conversely, because of the LEARNS Act, Arkansas is not only not hurting its teachers but is also forcing school districts to deal with unnecessary administrative uncertainty. Florida, which enacted a minimum starting salary in 2020, ranks 50th in average salary in this year’s Rankings and Estimates report. The state’s ranking has dropped since forcing this policy on school districts. In 2020, the state ranked 49th. It is also worth noting the benefits of collective bargaining, where local unions can negotiate pay for all teachers. Both the average starting and highest salaries in states with collective bargaining statutes exceed those in states without a bargaining law. The difference is significant at the top of the salary scale. Teachers in nine out of the top ten states with the highest average starting salaries were all covered by comprehensive collective bargaining statutes. The one exception was Utah, which ranked 5th in average starting salary. Utah had permissive bargaining, where, despite no law, school districts and local unions negotiated significant pay increases. However, recently the state legislature passed a bill that will ban collective bargaining for a

FAQs

What were the average starting and top teacher salary figures for 2023-2024?

The report states the average starting teacher salary for 2023-2024 was $46,526, and the average top teacher salary was $84,272.

How much did starting teacher salaries increase from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024, and what does inflation do to real growth?

District level starting salaries increased by an average of 4.4%. Because inflation is estimated at 3%, real salary growth this year was 1.5%.

How does collective bargaining relate to teacher pay levels in the top-ranked states?

States with comprehensive collective bargaining statutes generally show higher average starting and highest salaries. The report notes that teachers in nine of the top ten states for average starting salaries were covered by comprehensive collective bargaining statutes.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan