Do Connecticut average teacher salaries rank high nationally?

According to the National Education Association’s most recent data, the average teacher salary in Connecticut was $86,511 in 2023-24, which placed the state sixth in the nation for teacher compensation.

California ranked first with an average salary of $101,084 and Mississippi ranked last with a $53,704 average. The national average was $72,030.

Starting salaries for new teachers averaged $49,860 in Connecticut, placing it 15th nationwide in that category.

Teachers in Connecticut often note the impact of the high cost of living in the state on their pay. The NEA union’s report included a calculation for a minimum living wage for each state, which is defined on its site as the “income needed for [a] family of one adult and one child to have a modest but adequate standard of living in the most affordable metro area.”

Connecticut’s was calculated at $90,897.