Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a social work teachers, postsecondary in Portland-South Portland, ME is $82,880/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $81,367 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $83K actually covers in Portland-South Portland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 social work teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Portland-South Portland
Social work teachers, postsecondary pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 41% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level social work teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $133K | +72% | 50 |
| Kansas | $109K | +40% | 50 |
| Delaware | $101K | +30% | 50 |
| South Carolina | $100K | +29% | 80 |
| New York | $99K | +27% | 1,840 |
| Maryland | $97K | +25% | 230 |
| Texas | $83K | +8% | 90 |
| Minnesota | $82K | +6% | 360 |
| Utah | $82K | +6% | 100 |
| California | $82K | +5% | 230 |
| Maine | $80K | +3% | 90 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +3% | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +3% | 650 |
| Washington | $78K | +0% | 200 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +0% | 450 |
| Virginia | $77K | -1% | 390 |
| Illinois | $77K | -1% | 510 |
| Michigan | $77K | -1% | 610 |
| Wisconsin | $76K | -1% | 400 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -2% | 80 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -2% | 1,050 |
| New Hampshire | $76K | -3% | 50 |
| Tennessee | $75K | -3% | 240 |
| Oregon | $74K | -4% | 220 |
| Indiana | $74K | -4% | 440 |
| Nevada | $74K | -4% | 70 |
| Arizona | $72K | -8% | 140 |
| New Mexico | $70K | -10% | 210 |
| North Carolina | $69K | -11% | 580 |
| Alabama | $67K | -14% | 240 |
| Missouri | $66K | -14% | 150 |
| Georgia | $65K | -16% | 90 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -16% | 280 |
| Iowa | $64K | -17% | 140 |
| Mississippi | $64K | -18% | 200 |
| Idaho | $62K | -20% | 80 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -21% | 50 |
| Ohio | $61K | -21% | 670 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -21% | 80 |
| Florida | $61K | -22% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -22% | 70 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -23% | 100 |
| Montana | $43K | -45% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track social work teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a social work teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 41% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for social work teachers, postsecondaries in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social work teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,241/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is social work teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for social work teachers, postsecondaries?
Portland-South Portland pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do social work teachers, postsecondaries make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $82,880 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,910, and experienced social work teachers, postsecondaries can clear $158,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,190/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 41% 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 social work teachers, postsecondary salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 social work teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $81,367 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do social work 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.