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Elementary School Teacher

$63,970
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Teach young students core subjects, manage the classroom, and track each child's progress.

Where you work

Elementary classrooms; on your feet, active with children all day.

The hours

School hours plus grading and prep; summers often off.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$63,970
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~91,000
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-2%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
coming soon

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Degree + state credential.

License or certification

Public school teaching requires a state license or certification.

What it takes

PatienceCommunicationCreativityOrganization

The honest take

Flat nationally but shortage-driven locally — loan forgiveness programs apply.

Standard Occupational Classification 25-2021. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.