Best states for teachers: Why these are the top 3

New York is at the top of the list of best states for teachers. Why? There are several reasons, according to the latest rankings from WalletHub.

New York pays teachers the most—an average $82,571 annually—adjusted for the cost of living. New York also pays districts the highest per-pupil funding in the US, at $31,839. That’s $4,000 per student higher than No. 2 Vermont.

“While increased spending doesn’t always lead to better results, the fact that New York has the eighth-best school systems in the country shows that it does matter,” WalletHub contends.

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New York’s teachers are also in the top 10 for pensions and income growth potential and enjoy the strongest tenure protections in the country.

Washington state comes at No. 2, due to a rapidly improving pay situation for teachers. Salaries in the state have seen the biggest increase—around 68%—over the last decade, making average teacher pay ($75,573) the second highest in the nation. The average pay for starting teachers, $48,433 per year, is the third highest.

Other reasons it’s good to be a teacher in Washington: It only takes three years to achieve tenure, it’s one of only 22 states that require annual evaluations, and it has developed a digital learning plan in case schools are closed, Wallethub asserts.

Heading back to the East Coast, Virginia comes in third. While teachers there only have the 21st highest average salary, the state offers the highest income growth potential, meaning “educators can end up seeing big gains throughout their careers,” WalletHub notes. The K12 workforce is also expanding there, with Virginia forecast to have the 12th-highest number of teachers per 1,000 students by 2030.

Best states for teachers ranked

1. New York
2. Washington
3. Virginia
4. Utah
5. Maryland
6. Illinois
7. Georgia
8. Florida
9. California
10. Indiana
11. Connecticut
12. New Jersey
13. Mississippi
14. Massachusetts
15. Arizona
16. Minnesota
17. Pennsylvania
18. North Dakota
19. Oregon
20. Delaware
21. Kentucky
22. Idaho
23. Wisconsin
24. Texas
25. New Mexico
26. Alabama
27. North Carolina
28. Michigan
29. South Carolina
30. Nebraska
31. Vermont
32. Ohio
33. Iowa
34. Missouri
35. Montana
36. West Virginia
37. Colorado
38. Kansas
39. Arkansas
40. Wyoming
41. Rhode Island
42. Louisiana
43. Oklahoma
44. Alaska
45. South Dakota
46. District of Columbia
47. Tennessee
48. Nevada
49. New Hampshire
50. Hawaii
51. Maine