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Elementary teacher salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$99,650median pay per year in California, May 2025[1]
  1. $61,940lowest 10% earn less
  2. $77,14025th percentile
  3. $99,650median
  4. $119,97075th percentile
  5. $127,070top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $63,970[3]

The median pay for an elementary teacher in California was $99,650 a year[1]. That ranked 2nd highest among the states and DC[5].

Jobs in CA
155,160[4]
Rank by median pay
2 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+55.8%[6]

How much do elementary teachers make in California?

The median is the middle point. Half of elementary teachers in California earned more than $99,650 a year and half earned less[1]. The average was $95,670[7]. Across the US, the median was $63,970, so California came in $35,680 (55.8%) higher[3][6]. Within the state, the median was $41,410 higher than the median for all jobs, which was $58,240[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $61,940, and the top-paid 10% earned more than $127,070[2]. The middle half of elementary teachers earned between $77,140 and $119,970[2].

By metro area, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had the highest median at $103,390[10]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $101,860 and 44,790 jobs[11]. Fresno had a median of $78,800[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for elementary teachers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$99,650[1]$63,970[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$61,940[2]$47,960[13]
Top 10% earn more than$127,070[2]$104,340[13]
Jobs155,160[4]1,388,390[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for elementary teachers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$101,86044,790
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$98,52018,850
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$101,86017,860
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$97,00011,340
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$103,39010,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$102,8607,810
Fresno, CA$78,8005,610
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$79,9004,540

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for elementary teachers in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$77,13012,600
Nevada$65,0409,550
Arizona$56,59024,240

Median pay for elementary teachers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for elementary teachers are projected to decline 0.4% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an elementary teacher make in California?
The median was $99,650 a year in May 2025, and the average was $95,670[1][7].
How much does an elementary teacher make an hour in California?
BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, so there is no hourly figure[17]. The yearly median was $99,650[1].
Which city in California pays elementary teachers the most?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had the highest median, $103,390, among the 25 metro areas with a published median[10].
Is California a good state for elementary teachers?
California had the 2nd highest median wage for this job among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $35,680 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become an elementary teacher in California?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not a California one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California was $99,650 per year. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California: 10th percentile $61,940, 25th percentile $77,140, 75th percentile $119,970, 90th percentile $127,070. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in the US as a whole was $63,970 per year, with about 1,388,390 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 155,160 people worked as Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 2nd highest median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California ($99,650) was $35,680 (55.8%) higher than the US median ($63,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California was $95,670 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California was $41,410 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA had the highest median annual wage, $103,390. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in the US: 10th percentile $47,960, 25th percentile $57,710, 75th percentile $81,450, 90th percentile $104,340. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $77,130; Nevada $65,040; Arizona $56,590. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education is projected to decline 0.4% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 87,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS publishes only annual wages for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.