Secondary School Teachers Salary 2025: $74,502 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$74,502 per year is the national median annual wage for secondary school teachers (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $36/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $70,820 to $151,810. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 25-2031.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $74,502
- Median hourly wage
- $36/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $82,066
- Total US employment
- 619,840
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($108,230)
- BLS SOC code
- 25-2031
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for secondary school teachers (BLS SOC 25-2031) is $74,502 per year — about $36/hour — across 619,840 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $82,066 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $56,689 while the 90th earns $108,123 — a 1.9× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most secondary school teachers land in the $66,235–$94,339 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $108,230, versus $48,410 in Tulsa, OK, OK — a 124% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Spokane, WA delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($102,064 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
BLS OEWS reports base wage for this Education role; bonuses, commissions, and equity are excluded, so total compensation for many secondary school teachers runs meaningfully above the figures shown — particularly at the senior end of the distribution.
Secondary School Teachers Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what secondary school teachers earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $56,689 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $66,235 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $80,555 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $94,339 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $108,123 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Secondary School Teachers salaries range from $48,410 to $108,230 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Secondary School Teachers Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $70,820 | $85,784 | $108,230 | $130,020 | $151,810 | $55,276 | 4,130 |
| Sacramento, CA | $66,570 | $81,966 | $105,060 | $115,490 | $125,920 | $84,250 | 6,040 |
| San Francisco, CA | $72,820 | $84,844 | $102,880 | $124,710 | $146,540 | $57,283 | 11,520 |
| San Diego, CA | $66,660 | $81,120 | $102,810 | $162,340 | $221,870 | $64,176 | 6,690 |
| Seattle, WA | $61,140 | $77,752 | $102,670 | $117,485 | $132,300 | $68,722 | 7,720 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $67,190 | $80,698 | $100,960 | $117,405 | $133,850 | $60,819 | 32,250 |
| New York, NY | $63,480 | $78,408 | $100,800 | $118,570 | $136,340 | $53,846 | 75,780 |
| Fresno, CA | $63,240 | $78,244 | $100,750 | $117,870 | $134,990 | $95,498 | 3,210 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $62,980 | $77,840 | $100,130 | $117,060 | $133,990 | $81,806 | 12,450 |
| Spokane, WA | $61,030 | $76,382 | $99,410 | $104,070 | $108,730 | $102,064 | 1,180 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $63,350 | $77,670 | $99,150 | $112,160 | $125,170 | $98,559 | 3,300 |
| Chicago, IL | $60,380 | $75,816 | $98,970 | $119,785 | $140,600 | $92,237 | 32,790 |
| Boston, MA | $62,080 | $76,788 | $98,850 | $111,735 | $124,620 | $64,990 | 20,600 |
| Providence, RI | $52,510 | $68,350 | $92,110 | $96,240 | $100,370 | $77,144 | 6,770 |
| Portland, OR | $58,640 | $68,832 | $84,120 | $96,105 | $108,090 | $64,658 | 6,790 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $59,770 | $69,046 | $82,960 | $104,490 | $126,020 | $60,335 | 4,220 |
| Columbus, OH | $51,340 | $63,364 | $81,400 | $100,025 | $118,650 | $87,433 | 9,210 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $51,470 | $63,422 | $81,350 | $93,305 | $105,260 | $88,137 | 9,600 |
| Hartford, CT | $50,600 | $62,644 | $80,710 | $94,040 | $107,370 | $71,679 | 4,430 |
| Albany, NY | $57,560 | $66,784 | $80,620 | $92,370 | $104,120 | $80,060 | 3,500 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $58,870 | $67,546 | $80,560 | $92,020 | $103,480 | $68,041 | 25,460 |
| Washington, DC | $57,290 | $66,494 | $80,300 | $98,730 | $117,160 | $52,552 | 20,400 |
| Anchorage, AK | $64,570 | $70,602 | $79,650 | $88,895 | $98,140 | $62,717 | 1,130 |
| Buffalo, NY | $48,550 | $60,842 | $79,280 | $94,280 | $109,280 | $85,708 | 3,160 |
| Denver, CO | $51,860 | $62,808 | $79,230 | $90,650 | $102,070 | $70,239 | 9,070 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $49,940 | $61,568 | $79,010 | $102,485 | $125,960 | $74,397 | 9,840 |
| Baltimore, MD | $61,660 | $68,336 | $78,350 | $89,095 | $99,840 | $68,608 | 9,300 |
| Detroit, MI | $48,920 | $60,360 | $77,520 | $89,415 | $101,310 | $81,514 | 9,080 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $61,460 | $67,872 | $77,490 | $88,275 | $99,060 | $76,420 | 4,430 |
| Atlanta, GA | $49,450 | $60,554 | $77,210 | $87,035 | $96,860 | $77,833 | 14,830 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $59,840 | $66,688 | $76,960 | $79,110 | $81,260 | $81,872 | 3,360 |
| Rochester, NY | $50,590 | $60,830 | $76,190 | $85,435 | $94,680 | $82,013 | 4,430 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $47,250 | $58,498 | $75,370 | $86,100 | $96,830 | $77,382 | 4,120 |
| Louisville, KY | $49,180 | $59,124 | $74,040 | $84,015 | $93,990 | $82,084 | 3,960 |
| Reno, NV | $50,170 | $59,286 | $72,960 | $83,665 | $94,370 | $68,507 | 1,390 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $48,660 | $55,672 | $66,190 | $83,670 | $101,150 | $72,577 | 8,450 |
| Dallas, TX | $61,470 | $63,238 | $65,890 | $71,825 | $77,760 | $63,295 | 28,000 |
| Houston, TX | $56,760 | $60,272 | $65,540 | $73,005 | $80,470 | $67,917 | 26,260 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $54,850 | $59,118 | $65,520 | $74,355 | $83,190 | $60,110 | 6,760 |
| Lexington, KY | $48,560 | $55,076 | $64,850 | $74,080 | $83,310 | $71,030 | 1,540 |
| Nashville, TN | $50,410 | $56,130 | $64,710 | $72,710 | $80,710 | $64,516 | 6,080 |
| Madison, WI | $49,890 | $55,566 | $64,080 | $72,135 | $80,190 | $61,734 | 1,940 |
| Greenville, SC | $49,390 | $55,258 | $64,060 | $72,980 | $81,900 | $71,099 | 2,700 |
| Omaha, NE | $47,610 | $54,126 | $63,900 | $71,330 | $78,760 | $69,608 | 3,540 |
| Knoxville, TN | $50,380 | $55,480 | $63,130 | $70,100 | $77,070 | $69,911 | 2,820 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $48,150 | $53,950 | $62,650 | $70,485 | $78,320 | $65,878 | 3,720 |
| Birmingham, AL | $48,860 | $54,376 | $62,650 | $69,320 | $75,990 | $69,303 | 2,850 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $49,680 | $54,836 | $62,570 | $80,340 | $98,110 | $69,445 | 6,160 |
| Des Moines, IA | $47,870 | $53,714 | $62,480 | $72,290 | $82,100 | $66,967 | 2,660 |
| Austin, TX | $52,970 | $56,710 | $62,320 | $69,520 | $76,720 | $60,505 | 8,160 |
| Memphis, TN | $48,170 | $53,794 | $62,230 | $70,705 | $79,180 | $74,083 | 4,860 |
| St. Louis, MO | $47,630 | $53,430 | $62,130 | $80,335 | $98,540 | $69,033 | 9,870 |
| Richmond, VA | $50,490 | $55,094 | $62,000 | $71,375 | $80,750 | $60,725 | 4,420 |
| San Antonio, TX | $49,660 | $54,532 | $61,840 | $70,575 | $79,310 | $67,585 | 10,130 |
| Wichita, KS | $49,700 | $54,556 | $61,840 | $69,035 | $76,230 | $73,619 | 2,320 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $47,740 | $53,328 | $61,710 | $70,525 | $79,340 | $59,053 | 2,760 |
| Kansas City, MO | $48,820 | $53,772 | $61,200 | $70,070 | $78,940 | $64,151 | 7,750 |
| Boise, ID | $48,740 | $53,700 | $61,140 | $71,285 | $81,430 | $59,882 | 2,920 |
| Tampa, FL | $50,840 | $54,916 | $61,030 | $67,880 | $74,730 | $61,275 | 8,180 |
| New Orleans, LA | $48,810 | $53,586 | $60,750 | $68,920 | $77,090 | $63,347 | 2,860 |
| Orlando, FL | $48,670 | $53,418 | $60,540 | $67,290 | $74,040 | $58,720 | 8,650 |
| Little Rock, AR | $49,100 | $53,652 | $60,480 | $68,610 | $76,740 | $68,571 | 2,920 |
| Miami, FL | $50,250 | $54,314 | $60,410 | $68,975 | $77,540 | $49,074 | 12,010 |
| Raleigh, NC | $47,330 | $52,550 | $60,380 | $67,785 | $75,190 | $60,501 | 4,210 |
| Charlotte, NC | $47,270 | $52,482 | $60,300 | $67,910 | $75,520 | $62,358 | 8,500 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $49,020 | $53,240 | $59,570 | $81,920 | $104,270 | $59,156 | 14,730 |
| Greensboro, NC | $44,760 | $50,452 | $58,990 | $61,165 | $63,340 | $64,611 | 2,300 |
| Tucson, AZ | $40,180 | $44,484 | $50,940 | $60,880 | $70,820 | $53,396 | 3,320 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $47,610 | $48,826 | $50,650 | $66,795 | $82,940 | $58,555 | 5,530 |
| Tulsa, OK | $46,200 | $47,084 | $48,410 | $55,015 | $61,620 | $55,772 | 3,820 |
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Secondary School Teacher & H-1B Prevailing Wage
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Secondary School Teacher is $74,502 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $82,066. Salaries range from $48,410 to $108,230 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level secondary school teachers (10th percentile) earn about $56,689 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $74,502, $94,339 at the 75th percentile, and $108,123 for the top 10% of earners.
The median secondary school teacher earns about $36/hour, based on the $74,502 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Secondary School Teacher at $108,230, well above the national median of $74,502. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 619,840 Secondary School Teacher positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile secondary school teacher earns $108,123 — about 1.9× the $56,689 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.