Wages by Job

• The average salary for teachers depends on what level of school they teach, such as secondary or elementary. High school teachers have the highest salary average according to PayScale at $43,428, with special education high school teachers earning slightly higher at $44,245. Middle school or junior high teachers earn an average of $42,460 a year, with special ed teachers on this level earning $42,213. Elementary school or primary school teachers earn a mean annual wage of $43,428, with special education elementary teachers earning $41,171.
  
  

Wages by Experience

• Developing strong teaching skills takes time for all teachers, and most schools encourage experienced teachers to stay by increasing salary as the years pass. According to PayScale, the average starting salary for a teacher is $34,672, while one with more than five years of experience sees an increase to an average of $42,855. With more than 10 years of experience, teachers earn an average of $49,636, and with 20 or more years of experience that amount increases to $57,657.
  
  

Wages by Location

• Like any business, schools must take the cost of living of the local area into account when deciding on salaries for teachers. Therefore, a teacher on the same grade level and with the same amount of experience may make a higher or lower wage than one in another state. PayScale names California as the highest paying state for teachers as of December 2010 with an average of $50,438, followed by New York with an average of $49,207. New Jersey ranks third at $48,472.
  
  

Earnings Boost

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics names a number of ways teachers can boost their wages, including coaching sports, assisting in extracurricular activities, earning special certification or a master's or doctorate degree or teaching summer school. According to PayScale, a teacher with a bachelor's degree earns an average salary of $41,937, while one with a master's degree earns $46,812 on average.