All careers › Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education › New York
Elementary teacher salary in New York
- $56,760lowest 10% earn less
- $66,10025th percentile
- $85,760median
- $126,93075th percentile
- $136,260top 10% earn more
The median pay for elementary teachers in New York was $85,760 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $21,790 above the US median[6].
How much do elementary teachers make in New York?
Elementary teachers in New York had a median pay of $85,760 a year[1]. Half of them earned more than that and half earned less. The average was $93,400 a year[7]. New York ranked 6th out of the 50 states and DC for the median[5]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly ones[8].
The US median was $63,970 a year[3], so New York was $21,790 (34.1%) higher[6]. Compared with all jobs in New York, where the median was $59,670[9], elementary teachers earned $26,090 more[10].
At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $56,760 a year, and the top 10% earned more than $136,260[2]. Among New York metro areas, Kingston had the highest median at $97,920[11]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had 98,900 jobs, with a median of $96,900[12].
OEWS counts people paid a wage or salary. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].
New York vs US pay
Pay for elementary teachers in New York next to the national figures[1][3].
Pay by metro area in New York
Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for elementary teachers, and the median pay in each[12]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.
| Metro area | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[12] | $96,900 | 98,900 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $76,490 | 5,810 |
| Rochester, NY | $62,840 | 5,100 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $79,240 | 3,550 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $81,770 | 3,140 |
| Syracuse, NY | $78,560 | 2,620 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $77,010 | 1,160 |
| Binghamton, NY | $76,540 | 980 |
Pay in nearby states
Median pay for elementary teachers in the states that border New York, highest first[15].
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts[15] | $94,000 | 29,930 |
| Connecticut | $80,600 | 16,330 |
| New Jersey | $78,200 | 40,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,060 | 48,370 |
| Vermont | $63,070 | 3,610 |
Job outlook and training
Across the US, jobs for elementary teachers are projected to decline 0.4% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[17].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an elementary teacher make in New York?
- The median pay was $85,760 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $93,400 a year[7].
- How much does an elementary teacher make an hour in New York?
- BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, so there is no hourly figure[8]. The median was $85,760 a year[1].
- Which city in New York pays elementary teachers the most?
- Of the 13 metro areas with a published median, Kingston had the highest, at $97,920 a year[11]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area was close at $96,900[12].
- Is New York a good state for elementary teachers?
- New York ranked 6th out of the 50 states and DC for the median wage[5]. Its median was 34.1% above the US median[6]. Massachusetts, at $94,000, was the highest-paying bordering state[15].
- What do you need to become an elementary teacher in New York?
- This is a US figure, not a New York one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training[17].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in New York was $85,760 per year. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in New York: 10th percentile $56,760, 25th percentile $66,100, 75th percentile $126,930, 90th percentile $136,260. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 101,410 people worked as Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 6th 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
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in New York ($85,760) was $21,790 (34.1%) higher than the US median ($63,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in New York was $93,400 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in New York was $26,090 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, Kingston, NY had the highest median annual wage, $97,920. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in states that border New York (highest first): Massachusetts $94,000; Connecticut $80,600; New Jersey $78,200; Pennsylvania $77,060; Vermont $63,070. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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