Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary
In Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, elementary school teachers, except special educations earn $78,570 at the median. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $76,616 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 34.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $79K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About elementary school teachers, except special educations
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for elementary school teachers, except special education, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 35.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for elementary school teachers, except special educations in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $77K | $81K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $79K | $79K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $77K | $78K |
| Lancaster | $78K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level elementary school teachers, except special educations (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102K | +60% | 28,980 |
| California | $100K | +56% | 155,160 |
| District of Columbia | $97K | +51% | 3,750 |
| Massachusetts | $94K | +47% | 29,930 |
| Rhode Island | $91K | +42% | 3,830 |
| New York | $86K | +34% | 101,410 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +26% | 16,330 |
| Alaska | $79K | +24% | 3,500 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +22% | 40,300 |
| Maryland | $78K | +21% | 29,610 |
| Ohio | $77K | +21% | 47,870 |
| Oregon | $77K | +21% | 12,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | +20% | 48,370 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +19% | 26,640 |
| Delaware | $76K | +19% | 2,900 |
| Illinois | $75K | +18% | 61,520 |
| Utah | $75K | +17% | 14,820 |
| New Mexico | $75K | +17% | 6,210 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | +13% | 5,190 |
| Georgia | $72K | +13% | 43,820 |
| Hawaii | $71K | +12% | 6,040 |
| Virginia | $66K | +2% | 37,880 |
| Michigan | $65K | +2% | 40,910 |
| Nevada | $65K | +2% | 9,550 |
| Colorado | $63K | -1% | 24,860 |
| Vermont | $63K | -1% | 3,610 |
| Texas | $63K | -2% | 116,260 |
| Maine | $62K | -2% | 7,490 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -2% | 8,710 |
| Idaho | $62K | -4% | 6,850 |
| Alabama | $61K | -4% | 22,030 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -4% | 24,920 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -4% | 2,600 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -5% | 25,030 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -5% | 19,080 |
| Iowa | $61K | -5% | 17,300 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -6% | 4,430 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -6% | 28,240 |
| Indiana | $60K | -7% | 27,720 |
| Florida | $59K | -8% | 79,090 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -8% | 22,060 |
| Montana | $58K | -10% | 4,960 |
| Arizona | $57K | -12% | 24,240 |
| Kansas | $56K | -12% | 14,350 |
| West Virginia | $56K | -13% | 5,420 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -14% | 42,410 |
| Arkansas | $53K | -18% | 12,590 |
| Missouri | $51K | -20% | 33,180 |
| South Dakota | $50K | -22% | 4,290 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -22% | 11,060 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -25% | 18,500 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track elementary school teachers, except special education salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a elementary school teachers, except special education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 35.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for elementary school teachers, except special educations in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new elementary school teachers, except special educations typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,519/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is elementary school teachers, except special education a high-paying job in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $79K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for elementary school teachers, except special educations?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do elementary school teachers, except special educations make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $78,570 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,650, and experienced elementary school teachers, except special educations can clear $100,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,104/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 35.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a elementary school teachers, except special education salary go in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median elementary school teachers, except special education salary is worth about $76,616 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do elementary school teachers, except special educations get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.