If you know or share a household with a teacher, you likely know that the phrase “overworked and underpaid” usually applies to the business of shaping young minds.
According to Payscale, jobs in education are some of the lowest-paying jobs that require a bachelor’s degree. And salaries for teaching jobs stay relatively the same from year to year, usually failing to keep up with changes in inflation.
But the pay scale and job quality of a teacher differ by state, as each U.S. state has its own department of education. Personal finance company WalletHub released its list of the best and worst states in the U.S. for teachers in 2025 on Sept. 15, and Florida ranked in the top 20.
“Teachers are more fairly compensated and better protected in some states than in others,” the study says. “The best states are less likely to face a revolving door of teacher turnover.”
Here’s where Florida ranked on WalletHub’s list and why.
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Best, worst U.S. states for teachers: Florida ranks top 15
To find the best and worst states for teachers, WalletHub compared all 50 states across 24 metrics in two categories: opportunity and competition, and academic and work environment.
“Despite having one of the most crucial jobs in America – educating the next generation – teachers are often underpaid and underappreciated,” WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said in the study.
“The states that make a teaching career the most rewarding are those that compensate educators well, invest heavily in educational resources, pass laws that improve school-system quality, and provide supportive conditions that lead to low turnover.”
According to WalletHub’s rankings list, Virginia is the top state for teachers, followed by Utah in second place, Washington in third, New York in fourth and Illinois in fifth. Florida barely skidded into the top 15, in 14th place.
Here are WalletHub’s top 20 states for teachers in 2025:
Is Florida a good state to be a teacher in?
Florida isn’t the best state to be a teacher in, but according to WalletHub, it still lands in the top 15. Florida placed in the top 10 for the average starting salary for teachers and placed first for its digital learning plan.
Here’s how Florida performed in some of the key metrics for WalletHub’s study:
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9th – Average starting salary for teachers (adjusted for cost of living)
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49th – Average salary for teachers (adjusted for cost of living)
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25th – Quality of school system
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47th – Pupil-teacher ratio
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33rd – Public school spending per student
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23rd – Teachers’ income growth potential
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6th – Projected competition in year 2032
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46th – 10-year change in teacher salaries
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1st – Existence of digital learning plan
Are teachers paid well in Florida? What is the average cost of living?
It depends on what you consider “paid well.”
According to Teachers of Tomorrow, the minimum teacher salary in Florida ranges from $47,500 to over $60,000, depending on the district and years of service. The average salary for a teacher in Florida is around $54,126.
“Actual salaries can vary widely — with the top earners making over $67,000, while starting teachers or those in lower-funded districts may earn closer to $44,000,” Teachers of Tomorrow’s website says.
According to 2023 Census Bureau data, the median annual income in Florida is approximately $73,000.
The cost of living in Florida varies greatly depending on where you live. Heavily populated areas like the Miami metropolitan area, Tampa or the Orlando area are all inherently more expensive than the small towns near them. According to personal finance company SoFi, the average total personal consumption cost in Florida is $50,689 per year.
Here’s how SoFi broke that cost down:
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All other personal expenditures: $28,562
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Housing and utilities: $9,656
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Food and beverages (non-restaurant): $3,886
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Gas and energy goods: $909
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida best states for teachers ranking. Where it is on this list
