“Leaders in the community and schools must work to create an environment of respect for teachers and support for their work,” Rene S. Parmar, dean of the School of Education at Lehman College, part of the City University of New York. “Salary is important as well, but we see teachers leaving high-paying districts when the working conditions are not supportive or safe.”

“If local officials disrespect them, parents and Boards challenge their professionalism, the environment around schools is unsafe and poorly maintained, and the local media promotes negativity, teachers will leave,” Parmar said.

Best and worst states for teachers

Here’s where your state ranks, from best to worst:

New York
Utah
Virginia
Florida
Washington
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Massachusetts
Maryland
Connecticut
North Dakota
Delaware
Minnesota
Georgia
California
Illinois
Indiana
Alabama
Mississippi
Idaho
Kentucky
Wyoming
Texas
Iowa
Kansas
Ohio
Vermont
North Carolina
West Virginia
Oregon
Rhode Island
Nebraska
Wisconsin
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Colorado
Alaska
South Carolina
South Dakota
Michigan
Tennessee
Nevada
Montana
Maine
Louisiana
Missouri
New Mexico
Arizona
District of Columbia
New Hampshire
Hawaii

It’s not all about salaries

Where states placed in the rankings was not solely determined by teacher pay. For instance, Florida landed No. 4 overall, with high rankings for job opportunities and work environment, but fell among the bottom five states for teacher pay, along with Washington, D.C., South Dakota, Maine and Hawaii. The top five states for teacher pay are New York, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington.

FETC 2023

The Future of Education Technology ® Conference takes place live and in-person Jan. 23-26, 2023, in New Orleans. Register now!

Instant Insights /

Ranking the best and worst states for teachers: Is it all about pay?

Related Stories

Recommended For You