Arizona Progress Meters Education Teacher Pay

Teacher Pay

Arizona’s median elementary school teacher salary remains significantly lower than the national median. With many district superintendents reporting low and/or frozen salaries as a top reason for teachers leaving the profession, lack of mentoring programs and professional development opportunities, lack of respect for the profession, and other factors are also cited.

Arizona students would benefit from policies and funding that enable schools to attract, support, and retain great teachers and principals. In addition, competitive pay and incentives to work in more challenging or remote location might stem teacher turnover.

Teacher Pay is defined as the rank of Arizona’s school teachers as compared to the other US states. Importantly, these data measure the salaries of all teachers, including those at charter schools and account for primary and secondary school teachers separately.

View Teacher Pay Rank Data

2021 Teacher Pay

Teacher Pay and Comparable Professions Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

State	Elementary School Teacher		Secondary School Teacher		Accountant and Auditor		Civil Engineer		Occupational Therapist		Physician Assistant
	Salary	Rank	Salary	Rank	Salary	Rank	Salary	Rank	Salary	Rank	Salary	Rank
United States	$61,400		$61,820		$77,250		$88,050		$85,570		$121,530
Alabama	56,327	35.0	65,297	22.0	69,653	29.0	94,446	10.0	93,360	13.0	107,480	43.0
Alaska	74,874	4.0	75,136	8.0	75,048	19.0	96,202	8.0	96,260	7.0	124,990	19.0
Arizona	$48,396	50.0	$49,728	50.0	$76,751	12.0	$79,405	43.0	$81,423	43.0	$126,004	16.0
Arkansas	53,913	40.0	54,540	37.0	69,249	32.0	86,951	25.0	87,029	26.0	53,879	50.0
California	72,482	8.0	87,310	2.0	72,953	25.0	91,694	13.0	91,042	17.0	118,288	29.0
Colorado	58,348	33.0	58,960	34.0	76,259	14.0	92,614	12.0	92,925	14.0	118,299	28.0
Connecticut	76,518	1.0	75,532	5.0	76,190	15.0	76,954	48.0	92,795	15.0	126,315	15.0
Delaware	64,893	20.0	74,157	10.0	80,449	4.0	101,767	1.0	91,767	16.0	123,330	22.0
Florida	60,248	31.0	60,516	32.0	63,198	49.0	78,659	44.0	81,212	44.0	100,973	46.0
Georgia	64,582	21.0	65,228	23.0	79,048	6.0	77,249	46.0	83,852	38.0	106,921	44.0
Hawaii	56,348	34.0	55,411	36.0	56,268	50.0	70,696	50.0	83,911	36.0	78,464	48.0
Idaho	53,717	42.0	54,331	40.0	68,805	34.0	87,040	24.0	85,724	29.0	138,103	4.0
Illinois	61,373	29.0	61,373	30.0	75,025	20.0	95,105	9.0	80,378	45.0	120,498	26.0
Indiana	52,292	48.0	52,908	46.0	69,492	31.0	84,584	35.0	85,049	32.0	129,503	12.0
Iowa	65,308	18.0	65,736	17.0	68,956	33.0	88,319	22.0	85,769	28.0	134,758	7.0
Kansas	54,253	38.0	54,275	41.0	68,160	39.0	85,411	31.0	90,649	18.0	109,903	38.0
Kentucky	65,991	13.0	66,860	15.0	69,566	30.0	88,731	20.0	87,428	24.0	110,813	37.0
Louisiana	52,481	45.0	53,625	44.0	67,692	42.0	97,541	2.0	103,118	2.0	109,213	40.0
Maine	62,118	27.0	61,953	28.0	65,888	47.0	96,570	6.0	79,267	46.0	125,486	17.0
Maryland	71,634	9.0	72,639	12.0	73,286	24.0	77,136	47.0	75,869	50.0	93,784	47.0
Massachusetts	73,669	6.0	73,669	11.0	75,335	17.0	90,698	15.0	89,264	22.0	121,006	25.0
Michigan	65,575	16.0	64,872	24.0	76,702	13.0	82,394	41.0	82,713	40.0	111,500	36.0
Minnesota	63,022	25.0	62,089	27.0	77,536	11.0	97,485	4.0	79,016	47.0	129,686	11.0
Mississippi	53,850	41.0	53,929	43.0	68,702	35.0	90,524	16.0	93,622	12.0	73,212	49.0
Missouri	51,838	49.0	51,146	49.0	67,373	45.0	84,519	36.0	84,800	33.0	107,578	42.0
Montana	53,550	43.0	52,652	47.0	70,887	27.0	82,955	40.0	85,422	31.0	138,734	3.0
Nebraska	65,339	17.0	65,554	20.0	67,546	44.0	85,522	29.0	84,413	34.0	111,765	35.0
Nevada	62,410	26.0	65,633	19.0	63,769	48.0	92,750	11.0	102,513	3.0	133,955	8.0
New Hampshire	59,036	32.0	59,614	33.0	73,549	23.0	76,606	49.0	76,278	49.0	123,616	21.0
New Jersey	66,466	12.0	70,207	14.0	86,007	2.0	89,281	17.0	89,335	21.0	116,124	33.0
New Mexico	65,699	15.0	65,666	18.0	68,210	38.0	96,463	7.0	97,282	6.0	139,913	1.0
New York	71,615	10.0	88,330	1.0	88,603	1.0	88,956	19.0	83,866	37.0	117,005	31.0
North Carolina	52,429	46.0	53,017	45.0	83,911	3.0	86,013	27.0	85,915	27.0	116,917	32.0
North Dakota	54,087	39.0	54,054	42.0	67,739	41.0	85,044	32.0	82,359	42.0	136,120	6.0
Ohio	70,240	11.0	82,148	3.0	75,900	16.0	86,260	26.0	87,252	25.0	111,788	34.0
Oklahoma	52,738	44.0	54,469	38.0	78,116	8.0	90,800	14.0	98,938	5.0	139,365	2.0
Oregon	74,493	5.0	74,162	9.0	73,957	22.0	88,655	21.0	93,694	11.0	124,454	20.0
Pennsylvania	76,393	2.0	78,166	4.0	75,297	18.0	85,441	30.0	88,033	23.0	106,045	45.0
Rhode Island	75,521	3.0	75,521	6.0	78,477	7.0	97,525	3.0	94,175	10.0	125,432	18.0
South Carolina	63,275	22.0	63,876	25.0	67,576	43.0	84,935	34.0	103,690	1.0	108,646	41.0
South Dakota	52,415	47.0	52,568	48.0	68,579	36.0	85,027	33.0	82,590	41.0	132,251	9.0
Tennessee	54,371	37.0	54,371	39.0	67,983	40.0	88,308	23.0	100,130	4.0	109,620	39.0
Texas	61,206	30.0	61,367	31.0	78,030	9.0	79,538	42.0	96,070	8.0	121,347	24.0
Utah	63,211	23.0	63,809	26.0	66,674	46.0	83,043	39.0	85,656	30.0	126,978	14.0
Vermont	61,652	28.0	61,561	29.0	70,020	28.0	78,107	45.0	78,298	48.0	128,137	13.0
Virginia	63,040	24.0	72,386	13.0	78,000	10.0	83,960	37.0	95,525	9.0	119,792	27.0
Washington	73,352	7.0	75,177	7.0	74,190	21.0	88,994	18.0	90,428	19.0	121,397	23.0
West Virginia	54,875	36.0	56,648	35.0	71,568	26.0	97,000	5.0	89,966	20.0	117,693	30.0
Wisconsin	65,129	19.0	65,343	21.0	80,225	5.0	83,831	38.0	83,230	39.0	130,333	10.0
Wyoming	65,710	14.0	65,981	16.0	68,234	37.0	86,002	28.0	84,106	35.0	136,631	5.0

Progress Meters:

Quality Early Learning

Third Grade Reading

Eighth Grade Math

High School Graduation Rate

Opportunity Youth

Post-High School Enrollment

Post-Secondary Attainment

Teacher Pay

Methodology

Education Data Profile

Download these consolidated reports to get a “snapshot in time” of the data we’ve collected on our shared priorities. These reports cover all 15 of Arizona’s counties as well as urban areas and demographic subgroups. Each profile features information and data visualizations that Arizonans can use to better understand and impact their communities.