Elementary School Teacher salary in California
BLS reports this occupation as "Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education" (25-2021); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
The median annual wage for elementary school teachers in California is $99,650, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates — above the national median of $63,970. California ranks 2 of 50 states and DC with published data for this occupation.
Median
$99,650
25th percentile
$77,140
75th percentile
$119,970
90th percentile
$127,070
Employment and national comparison
| Employment in California | 155,160 |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage in California | $95,670 |
| National median | $63,970 |
| National employment | 1,388,390 |
Metro areas in California
- San Francisco, CA: median $101,860
- Los Angeles, CA: median $101,860
- San Diego, CA: median $97,000
States with similar pay for elementary school teachers
- Washington: median $102,350
- District of Columbia: median $96,580
- Massachusetts: median $94,000
- Rhode Island: median $90,930
- New York: median $85,760
- Connecticut: median $80,600
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates; state, metropolitan area and national files from https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. State estimates are for BLS occupation "Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education" (25-2021), cross-industry, all ownerships. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Where BLS does not publish a numeric estimate (suppressed, or reported only as at or above $239,200) the value is shown as —.