Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Fort Smith, AR-OK is $58,960/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $68,646 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $937/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $59K actually covers in Fort Smith, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
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What this looks like in Fort Smith
Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education pay in Fort Smith tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $937/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $61K | $68K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $62K | $68K |
| Jonesboro | $59K | $69K |
| Hot Springs | $61K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102K | +59% | 10,510 |
| California | $99K | +54% | 37,300 |
| New York | $95K | +47% | 38,670 |
| Connecticut | $94K | +45% | 7,920 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +44% | 2,370 |
| Massachusetts | $89K | +39% | 16,570 |
| District of Columbia | $80K | +24% | 1,540 |
| Utah | $79K | +23% | 5,960 |
| Alaska | $79K | +23% | 1,150 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +22% | 23,650 |
| Maryland | $79K | +22% | 14,530 |
| Oregon | $78K | +22% | 6,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +21% | 22,720 |
| Ohio | $77K | +20% | 30,450 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 24,770 |
| New Mexico | $75K | +17% | 4,260 |
| Vermont | $74K | +15% | 1,620 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | +11% | 3,120 |
| Hawaii | $69K | +8% | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $68K | +5% | 2,350 |
| Nevada | $66K | +3% | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $65K | +1% | 23,610 |
| Michigan | $64K | -1% | 15,420 |
| Colorado | $64K | -1% | 13,280 |
| Maine | $64K | -1% | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 18,290 |
| Texas | $63K | -2% | 80,160 |
| Minnesota | $63K | -3% | 8,890 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -3% | 4,150 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -3% | 1,290 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | -4% | 14,460 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 10,000 |
| Montana | $62K | -4% | 1,980 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -5% | 8,040 |
| Idaho | $61K | -5% | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -6% | 9,750 |
| Indiana | $61K | -6% | 11,700 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -6% | 13,060 |
| Kansas | $61K | -6% | 6,230 |
| Iowa | $60K | -6% | 6,270 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 1,400 |
| Arizona | $60K | -7% | 9,020 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,140 |
| Missouri | $59K | -8% | 11,330 |
| Florida | $59K | -8% | 31,370 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -9% | 5,560 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -11% | 4,090 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -19% | 20,650 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -21% | 2,130 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -21% | 6,260 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -25% | 7,620 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,286/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Fort Smith pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $58,960 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,700, and experienced middle school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $75,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,940/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 23.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $68,646 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do middle school teachers, except special and career/technical 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.