For many Californians, buying a home, raising a family and planning for retirement can feel financially out of reach. Teachers, however, may find better prospects in the Golden State than in much of the country.
A new WalletHub study ranking the best states for teachers found California among the nation’s top performers, placing it ahead of the vast majority of states.
California did not claim the top spot. That honor went to Washington, where teacher pay has reportedly increased 83% over the past decade, although the state also has relatively high taxes.
Washington, home to Costco, Amazon, Microsoft and, for now, Starbucks, has the nation’s second-highest average annual teacher salary when adjusted for the cost of living. The figure stands at $83,938, according to WalletHub.
The state also ranks fourth for average starting teacher pay, with new educators earning about $52,713 annually.
California ranked ninth overall and placed second in WalletHub’s opportunity and competition category, which measures factors tied to career prospects and the teaching profession’s competitive environment.
Other Western states scored considerably lower. Oregon ranked 31st, while Nevada landed in 40th place.
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Hawaii finished near the bottom of the rankings, placing just above New Hampshire, which WalletHub identified as the worst state overall for teachers.
New York ranked second overall. It posted the highest average annual teacher salary in the nation, at $87,670, and provided the most public-school funding per student, at $33,752.
Virginia, Illinois, Utah and New Jersey were among the other states that made WalletHub’s top 10.
“Despite having one of the most crucial jobs in America — educating the next generation — teachers are often underpaid and underappreciated,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.
“The states that make a teaching career the most rewarding are those that compensate educators well, invest heavily in educational resources, pass laws that improve school-system quality, and provide supportive conditions that lead to low turnover,” Lupo added.
WalletHub developed its rankings by comparing all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 24 categories. The analysis included measures such as teacher-friendliness, potential income growth, pupil-to-teacher ratios and public-school spending per student.
The study drew on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, National Education Association and other organizations.