Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Senior Elementary School Teacher Salary (2026)
Senior elementary school teachers earn approximately $90,528 per year as of 2026, based on the 75th percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage data — the standard proxy for experienced specialists, technical leads, and managers with 10+ years in the field. Across U.S. metros, senior pay ranges from $54,450 (lowest-paying) to $117,455 (highest-paying).
This page answers a common U.S. wage question: Senior Elementary School Teacher Salary (2026). The answer draws on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — the federal survey that captures wages for over 800 occupations across every U.S. metropolitan area. Why BLS OEWS data is the right anchor: alternative wage sources (Glassdoor, levels.fyi, Payscale) are self-reported and skew toward specific roles, industries, or geographies. BLS OEWS is employer-reported, mandatory for businesses above the survey threshold, and uniformly applied across occupations and metros.
The detailed answer below uses the BLS numbers, explains how to read them, and translates the statistical detail into the worker-relevant interpretation of the question.
75th percentile across U.S. metros, employment-weighted
What This Pay Level Means
The 75th percentile is the BLS-published wage below which 75% of workers in this occupation earn — i.e., the wage at which only the top quarter earn more. It is the standard anchor for "senior" pay: experienced specialists, technical leads, and managers. If you have 10+ years and your current pay is below this, the BLS data is a strong negotiation lever.
For mid-career workers (5–10 years), the median (50th percentile) is the right benchmark. For top earners and principal-level specialists, the 90th percentile applies. See "How much do elementary school teachers make?" and "Top 10% elementary school teacher salary" for those bands.
Top-Paying Metros at This Level
| Metro | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $117,455 |
| New York, NY | $116,615 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $115,495 |
| San Jose, CA | $114,920 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $114,685 |
What the Numbers Tell You
Geographic pay spread for Elementary School Teachers is unusually wide — top metros pay roughly 2.2× what the lowest-paying metros pay, a $56,170 gap. Most of that variation tracks cost of living, regional industry concentration, and the depth of senior workers in each market.
Roughly 807,710 Elementary School Teachers are employed across the metros tracked here — a sizable mid-tier occupation with reliable percentile data.
More Elementary School Teacher Salary Answers
Each page answers a distinct pay question for this role — by experience band, hourly rate, and how the salary stacks up:
- Entry-level elementary school teacher salary →
- Junior elementary school teacher salary →
- How much do elementary school teachers make →
- Top 10% elementary school teacher salary →
- How much do elementary school teachers make an hour →
- Is elementary school teacher a good salary →
How This Salary Is Calculated
Wages come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program — an annual survey of about 1.2 million U.S. establishments published by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and Metropolitan Statistical Area. The figure on this page is employment-weighted across 70 BLS-tracked metros for SOC code 25-2021. The mapping from BLS percentiles to experience bands (entry / junior / mid / senior / top 10%) follows the convention used by the U.S. Department of Labor's prevailing wage system. See full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Senior Elementary School Teacher Salary (2026)?
Senior elementary school teachers earn approximately $90,528 per year as of 2026, based on the 75th percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage data — the standard proxy for experienced specialists, technical leads, and managers with 10+ years in the field. Across U.S. metros, senior pay ranges from $54,450 (lowest-paying) to $117,455 (highest-paying).
How does this percentile compare to the median?
Elementary School Teachers have a national median (50th percentile) of $71,661. The 75th percentile shown on this page ($90,528) is 26% above the median — typical for this experience band.
Where do elementary school teachers at this level earn the most?
Seattle, WA pays the highest at this percentile band — $117,455. Lowest-paying tracked metro: Tulsa, OK at $54,450.
What years of experience does this percentile represent?
The 75th percentile is the BLS-published wage below which 75% of workers in this occupation earn — i.e., the wage at which only the top quarter earn more. It is the standard anchor for "senior" pay: experienced specialists, technical leads, and managers. If you have 10+ years and your current pay is below this, the BLS data is a strong negotiation lever.
Where does this elementary school teacher salary data come from?
Every wage figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — an annual federal survey of more than 1 million U.S. employers. The percentile figure on this page is employment-weighted across BLS-tracked metros.
Senior elementary school teachers earn approximately $90,528 per year as of 2026, based on the 75th percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage data — the standard proxy for experienced specialists, technical leads, and managers with 10+ years in the field. Across U.S. metros, senior pay ranges from $54,450 (lowest-paying) to $117,455 (highest-paying).