Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary
The median pay for a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Tucson, AZ is $50,940/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.9), that's roughly $52,570 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,402/month, about 41.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K get you in Tucson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tucson’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations
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What this looks like in Tucson
Pay for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Tucson runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $72K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,402/month, which is 40.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in metros near Tucson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $60K | $58K |
| Yuma | $50K | $54K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $49K | $49K |
| Flagstaff | $57K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tucson, AZ
Entry-level secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $103K | +43% | 14,880 |
| California | $101K | +41% | 99,230 |
| New York | $97K | +35% | 70,660 |
| Massachusetts | $95K | +32% | 28,460 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +29% | 4,910 |
| District of Columbia | $83K | +15% | 2,800 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +14% | 38,140 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +12% | 14,800 |
| Illinois | $80K | +11% | 44,670 |
| Alaska | $80K | +11% | 2,790 |
| Oregon | $80K | +10% | 11,730 |
| Ohio | $79K | +9% | 49,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | +9% | 52,240 |
| Maryland | $79K | +9% | 16,640 |
| Delaware | $78K | +8% | 5,360 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | +7% | 5,860 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +6% | 16,020 |
| Utah | $76K | +6% | 11,030 |
| Vermont | $76K | +6% | 2,450 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +5% | 8,120 |
| Georgia | $75K | +5% | 25,730 |
| Hawaii | $74K | +3% | 5,590 |
| Colorado | $73K | +1% | 18,310 |
| Virginia | $72K | +0% | 31,100 |
| Michigan | $66K | -8% | 25,540 |
| Nevada | $66K | -9% | 8,920 |
| Maine | $65K | -10% | 5,540 |
| Texas | $64K | -12% | 111,660 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -12% | 7,170 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -13% | 15,910 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -13% | 1,600 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -13% | 16,080 |
| Alabama | $62K | -14% | 15,880 |
| Indiana | $62K | -14% | 20,430 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -14% | 21,230 |
| Idaho | $62K | -14% | 6,570 |
| Kentucky | $62K | -15% | 12,780 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -15% | 3,070 |
| Iowa | $61K | -15% | 12,310 |
| Montana | $61K | -15% | 3,670 |
| Florida | $60K | -16% | 49,810 |
| Kansas | $60K | -17% | 10,860 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -17% | 15,210 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -17% | 12,890 |
| Missouri | $59K | -18% | 24,380 |
| Arizona | $58K | -19% | 21,190 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -20% | 28,620 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -21% | 3,590 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -29% | 3,360 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -29% | 10,400 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -32% | 15,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tucson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tucson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 40.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,402/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations in Tucson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,411/month. At HUD’s $1,402/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education a high-paying job in Tucson?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $51K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Tucson compare to the national average for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations?
Tucson pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations make in Tucson, AZ?
The median is $50,940 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,180, and experienced secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical educations can clear $70,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Tucson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,475/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,402/month, which eats 40.3% 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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary go in Tucson?
Tucson has a Regional Price Parity of 96.9 (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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary is worth about $52,570 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do secondary 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.