Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$64,370
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$30.95
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$102,540
entry level starts ~$48,080
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 620,000 employed

How much do Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education make?

The median pay for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the United States is $64,370 per year — about $30.95 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $48,080, while the most experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $102,540.

That is $2,980 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary range by percentile

Half of all Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn between $58,530 and $80,490 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$48,080$23.12
25th percentile (early career)$58,530$28.14
50th percentile (median)$64,370$30.95
75th percentile (experienced)$80,490$38.70
90th percentile (top earners)$102,540$49.30

Highest-paying states for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay at $102,140 a year, followed by California ($98,950) and New York ($94,840). At the other end, Oklahoma posts the lowest median at $48,440 — a gap of $53,700 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$102,140$49.11+59%
2California$98,950$47.57+54%
3New York$94,840$45.60+47%
4Connecticut$93,610$45.00+45%
5Rhode Island$92,760$44.60+44%

Workforce and education

About 620,000 people work as Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $72,030 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education make in the United States?
The median Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in the United States is $64,370 per year, or about $30.95 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $48,080, while the top 10% of earners make $102,540 or more.
How does Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education median of $64,370 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, with a median salary of $102,140 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education need?
For most positions, a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education work in the United States?
About 620,000 people were employed as Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.