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Elementary Teacher vs Secondary School Teacher

In 2025, the median salary for Secondary School Teacher was $615 (0.5%) higher than for Elementary Teacher: $118,666 against $118,051. Elementary Teacher had 35,892 people on the list, Secondary School Teacher 417.

At a glance

Elementary TeacherSecondary School Teacher
People on the 2025 list35,892417
Median salary$118,051$118,666
Middle half$116,063–$127,652$117,583–$122,589
Highest salary$256,899$152,132
Total salaries$4,296,440,080$49,537,157
People, change−2.4% vs 2024+2.5% vs 2024
Median, change−4.7% vs 2024−10.8% vs 2024

Median salary by year

Show as a table
YearElementary TeacherSecondary School Teacher
2004$123,714
2005$112,971
2006$109,685
2007$116,491
2008$107,820
2009$105,545
2010$108,185
2011$103,242$101,538
2012$103,859$102,083
2013$102,949$101,038
2014$102,793$101,907
2015$101,987$104,405
2016$105,669$102,837
2017$102,394$103,128
2018$101,568$103,133
2019$101,017$102,349
2020$102,133$103,341
2021$102,413$102,472
2022$103,067$104,569
2023$102,977$104,555
2024$123,819$133,089
2025$118,051$118,666

People on the list by year

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YearElementary TeacherSecondary School Teacher
200410
200511
200619
200716
200843
200950
201089
201113614
201215264
201319427
201424046
201574266
20161,55764
201760169
20181,73382
20193,719126
20206,58698
202120,746330
202219,816351
202322,410255
202436,792407
202535,892417

Highest paid in 2025

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Questions and answers

Which pays more, Elementary Teacher or Secondary School Teacher?

By median salary in 2025, Secondary School Teacher: $118,666 against $118,051.

Which has more people on the list?

Elementary Teacher: 35,892 against 417 in 2025.

How has the gap changed since 2011?

In 2011 the median for Elementary Teacher was $103,242 and for Secondary School Teacher $101,538, a gap of $1,705; in 2025 the gap was $615.

What do these figures cover?

Only people paid $100,000 or more are on the list, so medians and counts describe them, not everyone with each title.

What does “salary paid” include?

What the employer paid in the calendar year, so it can include overtime, retroactive pay, vacation payouts, severance or a partial year. Taxable benefits are listed separately. How the lists work