Elementary School Teacher Salary: Houston, TX vs New York, NY
BLS reports this occupation as "Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education" (25-2021); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Elementary School Teachers in Houston, TX and New York, NY, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | New York, NY | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $64,500 | $96,900▲ | -$32,400 |
| 25th Percentile | $61,320 | $75,390▲ | -$14,070 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,370 | $128,250▲ | -$60,880 |
| 90th Percentile | $74,430 | $136,330▲ | -$61,900 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 98.6 | 112.6 | -14.0 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $65,397 | $86,085▲ | -$20,688 |
| Total Employment | 30,980 | 98,900 | -67,920 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, New York, NY pays $32,400 more (median: $64,500 vs $96,900). BEA's regional price parity is 98.6 in Houston, TX and 112.6 in New York, NY (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $65,397 and $86,085, so New York, NY comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $32,400 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $65,397 for Houston and $86,085 for New York, a difference of $20,688.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 30,980 Elementary School Teacher jobs in the Houston area and 98,900 in the New York area. For broader context, see our Texas overview and the full Elementary School Teacher city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elementary School Teacher salary higher in Houston, TX or New York, NY?
New York, NY has the higher median wage for Elementary School Teachers ($96,900 per year, against $64,500 in Houston, TX; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $65,397 in Houston, TX and $86,085 in New York, NY.
How do prices compare between Houston, TX and New York, NY?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 98.6 for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area and 112.6 for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 1.4% below the national level for Houston, TX and 12.6% above the national level for New York, NY.
Which city pays Elementary School Teachers more once local prices are counted?
New York, NY: at national-average prices its median Elementary School Teacher wage is $86,085, against $65,397 for Houston, TX. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.