Which Metro Areas Offer the Best Real Income for Educators?

Teacher salaries are a hot-button issue, with the field experiencing well-documented wage gaps. According to an Economic Policy Institute report, teachers made 26.4% less than other similarly educated professions in 2022 — the lowest level since 1960. With taxes and basic living costs to consider, teacher salaries can go a long way or do the opposite, depending on where an educator lives.

MoneyGeek analyzed educator salaries in 178 metro areas to find the places where teachers make the most after taxes and living expenses. We also examined salaries for K-12 and postsecondary teachers to find the best metros for these educators. MoneyGeek learned that Southern metro areas offer the most significant stretch on earnings, especially for postsecondary educators. Additionally, after considering taxes and living costs, we found that postsecondary teachers make roughly $11,000 more annually than K-12 educators across the metros considered.

In McAllen, Texas, teachers' salaries go the furthest, with the average educator taking home $68,271 annually — a mere $5,000 less than pre-tax earnings. This metro is followed by Auburn, Alabama ($66,080), and El Paso, Texas ($65,260). Texas' lower cost of living and taxes propel half its metros into the top 10 with adjusted teacher earnings of $62,000 and higher.

In the Northeast, Hartford, Connecticut, just misses the top 10, landing at No. 11. There, teachers earn $57,976 after taxes and living expenses. Surprisingly, the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro, known for its high taxes and living costs, ranks No. 13. Despite these expenses, teachers in the Big Apple and surrounding areas keep $57,781 of their $101,068 pre-tax salary.

MoneyGeek also analyzed the metros for K-12 educators where teachers see the highest take-home pay. We found that less than one-third of the 178 U.S. metros studied surpass the average K-12 teacher gross pay of $59,817. Generally, K-12 teachers face a 23% reduction in income after accounting for taxes and living costs, but in certain areas, such as San Jose, California, the decrease can be as steep as 60%.

Western metropolitan areas — notably in Washington and New Mexico — offer K-12 teachers better financial prospects, reducing the toll of taxes and living expenses. Washington's Kennewick-Richland metro stands out as the only metro where K-12 teachers see an adjusted salary over $60,000. Yakima, Washington, is a close second, with an adjusted salary of $59,946.

A notable feature of metros at the top of the list is a lower-than-average cost of living. However, five metros with living costs above the national average still rank well (Mount Vernon, Bremerton and Olympia, Washington; Hartford, Connecticut; and the Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island-Massachusetts metro area).

On average, postsecondary teachers earn over $22,000 more annually than their K-12 counterparts, with an average gross salary of $82,134. The metros with the highest gross wages for postsecondary educators, San Francisco and New York-Newark-Jersey City, offer $115,314 and $109,897, respectively, but high living expenses and taxes reduce these by over $47,000 annually.

Las Cruces, New Mexico, with the third-highest postsecondary salary of $108,640, leads as the metro where postsecondary teacher salaries stretch the furthest, with the average educator taking home $84,429 annually after accounting for taxes and living costs. One other Southwestern metro, Las Vegas, joins the top of the list with the No. 6 highest take-home pay ($74,326). Select Southern and Midwestern metros also rank well, with postsecondary teachers retaining roughly $70,000 post taxes and living costs in these regions.

Income for educators in the bottom-ranking 15 metros averages $36,429 after taxes and living costs, lagging by about $25,000 compared to the top areas. Honolulu fares worst, leaving teachers with just $22,677 after 30% taxes and living costs 82% above the national average. Similarly, Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Prescott, Arizona, see teachers earning less than $35,000 after taxes and living costs.

Among the worst 15 metros, San Jose, California, is striking: its pre-tax salary of $95,775 — the fourth-highest of any metro — dwindles to $37,505 after adjustment. Additionally, almost half of these worst-ranking metros boast lower-than-average living costs and taxes (i.e., more affordability), yet they still fall short due to their comparatively low pre-tax educator salaries.

Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our youth, yet they often face financial challenges beyond their control. With these tips below, MoneyGeek aims to support educators in navigating these external financial hurdles and moving toward a more secure financial future.

To assess the impact of taxes and living expenses on teacher salaries nationwide, MoneyGeek analyzed Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data for 178 U.S. metro areas. For our Overall ranking, MoneyGeek factored in a broad range of educator salaries, including K-12, postsecondary, preschool, substitute and self-enrichment teachers. For our breakdowns of the best metros for K-12 and Postsecondary educators, we only considered salaries for those specialties.

We calculated net salaries by applying federal, state and local taxes using SmartAsset’s paycheck calculator and then adjusted for local living costs using data from the Council for Community and Economic Research.

For example, in the New York City metro area, the post-tax salary for teachers averages $69,280. With living costs 20% above the national average, the actual purchasing power equates to $57,781 when adjusted for these expenses.

Our data sheds light on the financial realities for teachers in different metropolitan areas, from lucrative opportunities to tighter budgets. See the data that shaped our story below.