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Salary comparison

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

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary out-earn Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education by $34K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Geography Teachers, Postsecondary land at $97,590 and Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education at $63,970. The education gap is real: geography teachers, postsecondary programs typically require bachelor's degree, while elementary school teachers, except special education programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary is California ($146,040); for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education it's Washington ($102,350).

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Median salary
$97,590
$63,970
Hourly rate
$null/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$52,550
$47,960
Senior level (90th %)
$165,460
$104,340
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
3,330
1,388,390
Job growth (10-year)
3.3%
-2%
Category
Education
Education
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

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

State
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
California
$146,040
$99,650
Oregon
$113,500
$77,130
Connecticut
$105,470
$80,600
Maryland
$103,430
$77,680
Massachusetts
$101,870
$94,000
Illinois
$100,790
$75,320
New York
$100,420
$85,760
Pennsylvania
$97,120
$77,060
Minnesota
$95,890
$76,350
Washington
$90,550
$102,350
New Mexico
$89,060
$74,550
Georgia
$85,420
$72,290
Michigan
$81,380
$65,110
Ohio
$81,290
$77,370
New Jersey
$78,540
$78,200

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Geography Teachers, Postsecondary or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary earn more nationally. The median is $97,590 for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary versus $63,970 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, a difference of $34K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

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

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary has the better 10-year outlook at 3.3% projected growth, compared to -2% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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

Geography 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 Geography Teachers, Postsecondary get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary at $146,040/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Geography Teachers, Postsecondary earn $146,040 vs. $99,650 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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