If you’re considering a career as an elementary school teacher, you may be wondering how much you could make with a masters degree.

The average salary for an elementary school teacher with a masters is $58,180. This means that if you earn the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, you would need to work about 261 hours per week in order to earn this salary.

Elementary School Teacher Salary With Masters

A Closer Look at How a Master’s Degree Factors into Standard Pay Structures

In all states, a bachelor’s degree as part of a teacher preparatory program will qualify you for initial state certification/licensure as a teacher.

While many teachers know that returning to school to earn their master’s degree will elevate their teaching style and ultimately make them a better educator, it must also make good, financial sense.

According to a 2019 analysis by the National Council on Teacher Quality that studied the 100 largest school districts in the nation and the largest district in each state, earning a graduate degree remains one of the primary ways that teachers earn higher salaries.

The study found that about 61% of all large school districts use standard pay scales for teachers that include “lanes” and “steps,” with teachers falling into a particular lane based on the degree they hold or other college credits they may have. Over the course of their careers they would then move through incremental step increases according to experience.

The remaining schools in the study use non-traditional salary schedules based largely on performance pay and some choose not to publish salary schedules, instead leaving it in the hands of the school board to determine annual raises.

Does a Master’s Degree End Up Paying for Itself with Salary Increases?
Another 2019 National Council on Teacher Quality study of 124 large school districts throughout the country found that 92% of all districts paid their teachers more for holding an advanced degree. While the majority of these districts (58%) used the “lane” and “step” type of salary schedule that’s built around higher levels of education and credits, about 33% paid out a flat stipend/bonus to teachers each year for their advanced degrees.

This means that in most school districts throughout the country, a master’s degree will give you a pay bump. That’s good news. But…

…with an average student debt load of $38,000 for teachers who have earned their master’s degree, will the increase in salary pay off in the long run?

That depends.

On average, the NCTQ reports that teachers with a master’s degree earn, on average, $5,285 more annually than teachers with a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree. This means that over the course of a teacher’s career, a master’s educator will make an average of nearly $160,000 more than a bachelor’s educator.

With an average student loan debt of $38,000 for teachers who have earned their master’s degree, this means it takes about eight years to “break even,” or pay off their debt and move into the black. In most educators’ eyes, that makes a master’s degree a good financial investment.

But averages tend to gloss over the fact that many school districts offer much lower and much higher financial incentives for teachers who pursue a master’s degree, either pre- or post-licensure.

On the low end of the scale, a master’s degree may result in little to no pay increase. For example, there is no salary difference between bachelor’s teachers and master’s teachers in the Dallas Independent School District, while in the Mesa Public School District, master’s educators earn just $1,000 more per year than their bachelor’s colleagues, regardless of their level of experience. Accumulate student loan debt of $38,000 in the Mesa Public School District and you’ll be lucky to pay it off before you retire.

The Answer to the Big Question “Is It Worth It?” May Come Down to Where You Teach
But on the opposite end of the scale, a master’s degree can mean a pay increase of as much as $10,000, $20,000 or more – annually! For example, teachers fresh out of college in the Billings Public Schools will earn $8,430 more annually than their bachelor’s colleagues if they have a master’s degree. Among the most experienced teachers in the Billings school district, a master’s degree equates to a salary that’s nearly $15,000 more annually than a bachelor’s degree.

Below is a sample of some of the nation’s large school districts that offer large pay increases for master’s-prepared educators:

(Min-max difference in annual pay between a teacher with a BA and a teacher with an MA)

Billings Public Schools (Billings, MT): $8,430 – $14,784
Bismarck Public Schools (Bismarck, ND): $5,144 – $26,762
Cherry Creek School District (Aurora, Littleton, Englewood, CO): $4,729 – $13,030
Dekalb County School District (Decatur, GA): $2,859 – $11,064
District of Columbia Public Schools: $3,680 – $20,476
Elk Grove Unified School District (Sacramento, CA): $1,390 – $19,864
Fairfax County Public School (Reston, Herndon VA): $5,628 – $21,725
Granite School District (Salt Lake City, UT): $4,301 – $10,623
Howard County Public School System (MD): $3,414 – $34,677
Montgomery County Public Schools (Columbia, MD): $4,984 – $36,716
Omaha Public Schools (Omaha, NE): $4,100 -$10,660
Portland Public Schools (Portland, OR): $7,847 – $11,727
Prince George County Public Schools (Bowie, MD): $4,898 – $25,471
Red Clay Consolidated School District (Wilmington, DE): $4,662 – $14,629
Santa Ana Unified School District (Santa Ana, CA): $1,565 – $48,854
Seattle Public Schools (Seattle, WA): $8,945 – $20,712
Springfield Public School District (Springfield, MO): $3,830 – $17,178
Washoe County Public Schools (Reno, NV): $4,880 – $12,536
Alpine School District (Provo, Lehi, Orem UT): $1,662 – $17,172
Anchorage School District (Anchorage, AK): $5,458 – $12,101
Anne Arundel County Public Schools (Annapolis, MD): $3,754 – $24,719
Anoka-Hennepin School District (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN): $5,998 – $13,779
Baltimore County Public Schools (Baltimore, MD): $1,108 – $36,364
Burlington School District (Burlington, VT): $7,114 – $18,743
Master’s Prepared Teachers: What They’re Earning and Where

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the most current, accurate look at what U.S. teachers are earning at all points on the salary scale, by state and by grade level.

Although the BLS doesn’t break down salaries by degree level, it does provide a salary range for teachers at the top of the pay scale: those in the upper quadrant (75th – 90th percentile).

Because the majority of school districts use a prescriptive salary schedule that includes “step” and “level” increments as educators earn higher levels of education and experience, this salary range is representative of those with considerable experience and advanced degrees (master’s degrees and higher).

The 75th percentile offers a glimpse into what you can expect to earn as an educator with a master’s degree, while the 90th percentile provides a good idea of your earning power as you gain more experience.

A broad overview looking at national salary ranges reveals that teachers in the 75th percentile earn more than $75,780, while those in the 90th percentile earn more than $96,330.

By grade level, ranges for master’s-educated teachers look like this:

Elementary school teachers: $77,400 – $97,900
Middle school teachers: $76,430 – $96,280
High school teachers: $79,820 – $99,660
Compare that to the 25th percentile – median salary ranges that bachelor’s-educated teachers can expect:

Elementary school teachers: $47,300 – $59,670
Middle school teachers: $47,850 – $59,660
High school teachers: $49,060 – $61,660
Explore the best programs for earning an online master’s degree in education

State-by-State Guide to Salaries for Master’s-Prepared Elementary School Teachers
With a master’s degree, elementary school teachers can expect to earn somewhere in the range of $77,400 – $97,900 on a national basis, versus the $47,300 to $59,670 they might earn with a bachelor’s. On a state-by-state basis, here’s what you can expect to earn as an elementary school teacher with a master’s degree (75th-90thpercentile salary range):

Alabama: $58,220 – $62,440
Alaska: $90,410 – $104,300
Arizona: $50,970 – $60,970
Arkansas: $56,460 – $63,140
California: $99,160 – $117,650
Colorado: $64,890 – $78,580
Connecticut: $94,190 – $103,480
Delaware: $77,090 – $89,840
District of Columbia: $98,080 – $117,780
Florida: $69,500 – $79,640
Georgia: $69,440 – $79,340
Hawaii: $73,870 – $81,700
Idaho: $58,730 – $72,400
Illinois: $79,530 – $97,680
Indiana: $61,910 – $75,830
Iowa: $63,430 – $75,430
Kansas: $58,230 – $66,690
Kentucky: $60,570 – $66,710
Louisiana: $54,560 – $61,210
Maine: $64,470 – $75,560
Maryland: $90,660 – $109,610
Massachusetts: $99,880 – $122,660
Michigan: $84,800 – $101,330
Minnesota: $76,530 – $92,280
Mississippi: $50,440 – $59,950
Missouri: $59,340 – $78,780
Montana: $64,050 – $76,990
Nebraska: $71,260 – $84,810
Nevada: $66,910 – $77,820
New Hampshire: $71,780 – $80,160
New Jersey: $85,110 – $99,020
New Mexico: $66,660 – $84,730
New York: $106,100 – $127,660
North Carolina: $56,640 – $63,050
North Dakota: $63,380 – $77,630
Ohio: $77,770 – $91,470
Oklahoma: $51,590 – $68,600
Oregon: $86,470 – $107,850
Pennsylvania: $82,800 – $100,870
Rhode Island: $90,310 – $98,980
South Carolina: $63,010 – $78,960
South Dakota: $50,220 – $58,520
Tennessee: $61,900 – $73,610
Texas: $62,250 – $71,940
Utah: $73,460 – $94,390
Vermont: $76,030 – $95,770
Virginia: $85,270 – $106,430
Washington: $81,850 – $96,820
West Virginia: $51,210 – $59,760
Wisconsin: $69,270 – $79,270
Wyoming: $66,790 – $76,130
State-by-State Guide to Salaries for Master’s-Prepared Middle School Teachers
With a master’s degree, middle school teachers can expect to earn somewhere in the range of $76,430 – $96,280 on a national basis, versus the $47,850 – $59,660 they would likely make with a bachelor’s. On a state-by-state basis, here’s what you can expect to earn as a middle school teacher with a master’s degree (75th-90th percentile salary range):

Alabama: $59,070 – $62,820
Alaska: $95,650 – $114,710
Arizona: $50,570 – $61,240
Arkansas: $58,960 – $66,880
California: $95,980 – $107,760
Colorado: $65,170 – $78,840
Connecticut: $95,480 – $106,140
Delaware: $76,900 – $86,780
District of Columbia: $92,950 – $106,990
Florida: $66,700 – $79,450
Georgia: $70,730 – $81,600
Hawaii: $74,820 – $83,640
Idaho: $65,160 – $77,290
Illinois: $77,580 – $96,860
Indiana: $62,270 – $75,190
Iowa: $67,590 – $78,980
Kansas: $60,920 – $74,040
Kentucky: $61,260 – $70,220
Louisiana: $56,350 – $91,980
Maine: $67,860 – $77,010
Maryland: $90,520 – $111,400
Massachusetts: $96,030 – $115,700
Michigan: $78,980 – $94,000
Minnesota: $79,260 – $97,660
Mississippi: $55,270 – $64,260
Missouri: $60,760 – $78,380
Montana: $73,480 – $85,970
Nebraska: $73,200 – $85,120
Nevada: $70,170 – $78,950
New Hampshire: $72,880 – $81,420
New Jersey: $87,150 – $99,320
New Mexico: $57,270 – $63,180
New York: $108,850 – $127,630
North Carolina: $57,570 – $64,300
North Dakota: $68,530 – $84,160
Ohio: $76,700 – $89,990
Oklahoma: $52,020 – $67,070
Oregon: $88,540 – $104,050
Pennsylvania: $86,060 – $107,570
Rhode Island: $91,490 – $99,590
South Carolina: $63,160 – $77,390
South Dakota: $50,410 – $58,500
Tennessee: $61,860 – $73,820
Texas: $62,330 – $72,260
Utah: $76,280 – $91,100
Vermont: $73,170 – $85,320
Virginia: $88,190 – $109,710
Washington: $83,920 – $99,130
West Virginia: $55,070 – $62,200
Wisconsin: $70,000 – $80,060
Wyoming: $70,220 – $78,020
State-by-State Guide to Salaries for Master’s-Prepared High School Teachers
At the high school level, teachers who hold a master’s degree generally earn somewhere in the range of $79,820 – $99,660 nationally. Compare that to the $49,060 – $61,660 they would likely make with a bachelor’s. On a state-by-state basis, here’s what you can expect to earn as a high school teacher with a master’s degree (75th-90th percentile salary range):

Alabama: $59,190 – $63,490
Alaska: $91,030 – $104,760
Arizona: $59,310 – $71,130
Arkansas: $60,400 – $70,170
California: $99,950 – $115,360
Colorado: $67,900 – $80,790
Connecticut: $94,910 – $105,110
Delaware: $78,590 – $91,330
District of Columbia: $81,050 – $99,890
Florida: $69,720 – $80,670
Georgia: $71,990 – $80,920
Hawaii: $73,740 – $84,090
Idaho: $60,580 – $73,300
Illinois: $94,950 – $118,760
Indiana: $64,120 – $76,230
Iowa: $66,990 – $79,740
Kansas: $30,320 – $71,800
Kentucky: $62,650 – $73,270
Louisiana: $58,830 – $65,110
Maine: $65,810 – $75,880
Maryland: $93,990 – $110,480
Massachusetts: $97,160 – $116,770
Michigan: $76,980 – $91,550
Minnesota: $78,110 – $94,280
Mississippi: $54,910 – $63,610
Missouri: $57,020 – $79,710
Montana: $65,970 – $79,540
Nebraska: $71,600 – $79,560
Nevada: $68,530 – $75,590
New Hampshire: $72,670 – $80,600
New Jersey: $93,880 – $105,550
New Mexico: $64,220 – $84,930
New York: $109,700 – $129,350
North Carolina: $58,000 – $64,620
North Dakota: $65,220 – $77,940
Ohio: $77,100 – $90,300
Oklahoma: $54,210 – $68,240
Oregon: $88,200 – $105,340
Pennsylvania: $80,260 – $96,880
Rhode Island: $92,730 – $100,310
South Carolina: $67,340 – $81,630
South Dakota: $50,490 – $59,170
Tennessee: $63,700 – $76,290
Texas: $64,040 – $75,910
Utah: $72,320 – $91,250
Vermont: $80,090 – $96,780
Virginia: $82,490 – $106,430
Washington: $84,070 – $98,570
West Virginia: $54,050 – $61,700
Wisconsin: $69,790 – $79,620
Wyoming: $70,750 – $78,080