Washington state ranks highest in the nation for adjusted pay among elementary, middle and high school teachers, according to USAFacts, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the data, kindergarten teachers in Washington earned the highest median salary in 2024, at $87,530. In the Evergreen State, elementary school teachers earned a median salary of $99,320, middle school teachers earned a median salary of $99,150, and high school teachers earned a median salary of $99,640.
The median represents the middle point of a salary distribution.
By comparison, the 2024 median annual wage for pre-K-12 teachers in the U.S. is $63,000, based on estimates from the BLS.
Vicki Murray, director of the Center for Education at the free-market Washington Policy Center think tank, told The Center Square she has no problem with paying teachers a decent salary for the important work they do. However, she said student outcomes in Washington have been declining, even as teacher pay keeps climbing.
“We only look at how much we’re putting in; we’re not looking at what we’re getting out, and that’s where we have a problem,” she elaborated. “Unfortunately, a National Council on Teacher Quality report that came out this spring showed that elementary math preparation for Washington teachers statewide was among the lowest in the country. Most of them are not doing well, and that’s a real problem.”
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Author: Ray Hilbrich
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