Geography Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a geography teachers, postsecondary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $103,470/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $190K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $98,150 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $103K actually covers in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 geography teachers, postsecondaries
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Geography teachers, postsecondary pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,922/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for geography teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $146K | $129K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $100K | $90K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level geography teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $190K or more, a $148K spread from bottom to top.
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Geography Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $146K | +50% | 280 |
| Oregon | $114K | +16% | 180 |
| Vermont | $108K | +10% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $105K | +8% | 40 |
| Maryland | $103K | +6% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $102K | +4% | 60 |
| Illinois | $101K | +3% | 140 |
| New York | $100K | +3% | 200 |
| Texas | $100K | +2% | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $97K | -0% | 220 |
| Minnesota | $96K | -2% | 120 |
| Washington | $91K | -7% | 100 |
| New Mexico | $89K | -9% | 30 |
| Kentucky | $87K | -11% | 50 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -12% | 80 |
| Georgia | $85K | -12% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $85K | -13% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $84K | -14% | 50 |
| Missouri | $84K | -14% | 40 |
| Indiana | $83K | -15% | 70 |
| Arizona | $83K | -15% | 110 |
| Michigan | $81K | -17% | 80 |
| Ohio | $81K | -17% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -17% | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -19% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $79K | -20% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $75K | -23% | 50 |
| Nebraska | $72K | -26% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 28 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track geography teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a geography teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 31.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for geography teachers, postsecondaries in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new geography teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,727/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is geography teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for geography teachers, postsecondaries?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do geography teachers, postsecondaries make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $103,470 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,130, and experienced geography teachers, postsecondaries can clear $190,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,054/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 31.7% 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 geography teachers, postsecondary salary go in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 geography teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $98,150 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do geography teachers, postsecondaries 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.