California Teacher Salaries

California has over 340,000 elementary, middle and high school teachers.

California is the most populated state in the U.S. and is home to millions of students. The teachers around the state are the educators responsible for working with these children to develop academic and social skills. Some, like elementary teachers, may stay with one class all day, shifting between several subjects. High school teachers tend to teach different groups of students but focus on an academic specialty. All teachers commonly evaluate and record student progress and communicate with parents and administrators.

State Averages

California teachers made an average of $64,860 a year at the high school level, $62,970 annually in middle schools, $63,010 a year in elementary schools, and $58,970 teaching kindergarten, according to a 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report. Most of these teachers, representing the middle 50 percent of wages, made between $44,600 and $79,570 a year. In the bottom 10th percentile, teachers reported salaries under $36,260 at the kindergarten level and under $41,100 in high schools. In the top 10th percentile, kindergarten educators made over $85,600 and high school teachers earned more than $92,380 annually.

Compared to Other States

At all grade levels, teachers in California made more than the national average, which ranged from $54,330 to $55,990 in 2010. Although most states paid teachers less than California, there were several states that boasted higher teacher pay. Middle and high school teachers in New Jersey made more than those in California, and New York and Alaska came out on top as the highest paying states overall, but the difference in mean wages came down to just $4,000 to $6,000 a year.

Around California

High school teachers reported salaries well below the state average in some California areas. Those in Santa Cruz made $55,520 a year on average, while high school teachers in Santa Rosa earned $56,840 annually. Higher paying jobs were found in the Santa Ana-Anaheim metro area, where the annual mean wage was $72,930 a year as of 2010. Even within rural areas there was a largest difference in wages. In the northern mountain rural region, high school teachers averaged just $47,900 a year, the lowest in the BLS report, but those in the north valley rural area reported the highest annual mean wage, $74,040.

Qualifications, Outlook and Benefits

Elementary school teachers in California must obtain the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. They can do this by obtaining a bachelor's degree and passing the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) and the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) exam. Middle and high school educators must also complete these two exams, but typically only in one subject. The California government estimates that job opportunities in the state will grow by 18.2 percent for elementary school teachers, 17.6 percent for middle school teachers and 11.1 percent for high school teachers from 2008 to 2018. Schools in the state typically offer medical, dental, and life insurance, paid vacation and sick days, and a teacher retirement program.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, May 2010
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, May 2010
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, May 2010
• California Occupational Guides: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education in California, 2010
• California Occupational Guides: Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education in California, 2010
• California Occupational Guides: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in California, 2010