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Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education: Who Earns More?

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education out-earn Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors land at $61,540 and Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education at $63,970. The education gap is real: adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while elementary school teachers, except special education programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors is California ($102,030); for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education it's Washington ($102,350).

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Median salary
$61,540
$63,970
Hourly rate
$29.59/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$41,810
$47,960
Senior level (90th %)
$98,030
$104,340
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
37,310
1,388,390
Job growth (10-year)
-13.7%
-2%
Category
Education
Education
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors median pay.

State
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
California
$102,030
$99,650
New Jersey
$81,100
$78,200
Delaware
$78,600
$75,920
New York
$78,010
$85,760
Minnesota
$76,800
$76,350
Connecticut
$72,180
$80,600
Washington
$69,990
$102,350
Oregon
$65,700
$77,130
District of Columbia
$62,940
$96,580
Illinois
$62,370
$75,320
Massachusetts
$62,290
$94,000
Maryland
$59,950
$77,680
Rhode Island
$57,690
$90,930
Pennsylvania
$57,230
$77,060
Ohio
$47,190
$77,370

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn more nationally. The median is $61,540 for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors versus $63,970 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education has the better 10-year outlook at -2% projected growth, compared to -13.7% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors typically requires bachelor's degree. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors at $102,030/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors earn $102,030 vs. $99,650 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors salary breakdownView →Full Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary breakdownView →Best cities for Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education by take-home payExplore →How to become a adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructorsGuide →How to become a elementary school teachers, except special educationGuide →