worthsay

Teaching Salary in Texas: Is It a Good Career?

Texas · 2026 BLS salary data

Teaching pay in Texas

The median wage is $63,590/yr — 12% below the national median. Among U.S. states, Texasranks #28 of 51 states by median pay.

The numbers in Texas

Real BLS state-level figures for Teaching.

Median salary
$63,590/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$61,390 – $73,720
National median
$72,040/yr
Employed in Texas
111,660

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.

What that pay is really worth in Texas

Salary alone can mislead — Texas costs 3% less than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
97.1
Nominal median
$63,590
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $65,489
State income tax
None

Texas's high pay is offset by cost of living — adjusted for prices it ranks #41 of 51, down from #28 on raw salary.

Texas levies no state income tax, so more of that pay stays in your pocket than in high-tax states.

Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.

FAQ

How much do teaching professionals make in Texas?

The median annual wage is $63,590 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $61,390 and $73,720. That's 12% below the national median.

Is Texas a good state for teaching?

By raw pay, Texas ranks #28 of 51 states by median pay. Adjusted for cost of living (Texas costs 3% less than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $65,489. Texas's high pay is offset by cost of living — adjusted for prices it ranks #41 of 51, down from #28 on raw salary. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.

Are teaching professionals in demand in Texas?

About 111,660 people work in this field in Texas (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects -1.6% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.

The verdict, pros, and cons below apply to Teaching nationally — Texas pay is 12% below the national median. See the full Teaching career guide →

The verdict

Maybe — teaching offers stability, summers off, and deep meaning, but pay grows slowly and out-of-pocket classroom spending plus workload are real. Worth it if purpose and schedule matter more than income; not if you're optimizing for earnings.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Meaningful, high-impact work
  • Summers and school-calendar breaks off
  • Strong pension and benefits in many districts
  • Stable, recession-resistant demand
  • Union protections in many states

Cons

  • Slow salary growth and a declining employment outlook
  • Frequent out-of-pocket spending on supplies
  • Heavy grading and prep beyond paid hours
  • Behavior management and administrative burden
  • Pay varies hugely by state and district

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • People motivated by impact over income
  • Those who value a school-year calendar
  • Anyone who wants stable public-sector benefits

✗ Probably not if…

  • People optimizing for salary growth
  • Those who dislike administrative overhead
  • Anyone unwilling to work unpaid hours at home

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Teaching is worth it — titles link to the original threads.