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Salary comparison

Education Teachers, Postsecondary vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education: Who Earns More?

Education Teachers, Postsecondarys out-earn Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations by $11K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Education Teachers, Postsecondarys land at $75,350 and Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations at $63,970. The education gap is real: education teachers, postsecondary programs typically require bachelor's degree, while elementary school teachers, except special education programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Education Teachers, Postsecondarys is California ($111,850); for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations it's Washington ($102,350).

Education Teachers, Postsecondary
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Median salary
$75,350
$63,970
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$39,530
$47,960
Senior level (90th %)
$126,860
$104,340
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
60,830
1,388,390
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
1%
Category
Education
Education
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Education Teachers, Postsecondary median pay.

State
Education Teachers, Postsecondary
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
California
$111,850
$99,650
New York
$82,020
$85,760
District of Columbia
$80,810
$96,580
Connecticut
$80,620
$80,600
Rhode Island
$80,030
$90,930
Massachusetts
$79,980
$94,000
Minnesota
$78,950
$76,350
Maryland
$78,820
$77,680
New Jersey
$77,600
$78,200
Utah
$77,090
$74,810
Washington
$75,170
$102,350
Pennsylvania
$74,910
$77,060
Oregon
$73,880
$77,130
Ohio
$62,400
$77,370
Illinois
$61,560
$75,320

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Education Teachers, Postsecondarys or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations?

Education Teachers, Postsecondarys earn more nationally. The median is $75,350 for Education Teachers, Postsecondarys versus $63,970 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations, a difference of $11K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Education Teachers, Postsecondary or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Education Teachers, Postsecondary or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Education Teachers, Postsecondary 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 Education Teachers, Postsecondarys get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Education Teachers, Postsecondarys at $111,850/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Education Teachers, Postsecondary vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Education Teachers, Postsecondarys earn $111,850 vs. $99,650 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Education Teachers, Postsecondary salary breakdownView →Full Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary breakdownView →Best cities for Education Teachers, Postsecondarys by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Educations by take-home payExplore →How to become a education teachers, postsecondaryGuide →How to become a elementary school teachers, except special educationGuide →