Florida teachers rank 50th in average salary when adjusted for cost of living, according to a WalletHub study published September 14, 2026. While the state achieved a 17th place overall ranking for teacher-friendliness, the report highlighted a significant gap between starting pay and average educator salaries.
In the WalletHub study, Florida ranked 15th for average starting teacher salary when adjusted for cost of living. However, the state placed 50th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., for average teacher salary adjusted for cost of living.
Data from the National Education Association indicates that Florida's average teacher salary is projected to rise 21.34% in current dollars from the 2016-17 school year to the 2025-26 estimate. However, inflation reduces that gain to a nearly 10% loss in buying power. This contrasts with the national inflation-adjusted decline of 4.63%.
WalletHub measured states across 24 metrics related to teaching opportunities and work environments, including school spending, class sizes, and salary growth. The study placed more weight on opportunity and competition factors, such as pensions, tenure protections, and job prospects, than on academic or work-environment measures.
Florida received an overall score of 48.57 out of 100. The state earned high rankings for its digital learning plan, ranking first, as well as for quality of school system (13th) and projected teacher competition in 2034 (7th).
Other low rankings for Florida include 49th for projected teacher turnover, 47th for pupil-teacher ratio, 41st for the 10-year change in teacher salaries, and 38th for public-school spending per student. The state also ranked 32nd for teachers' income growth potential.
The WalletHub report used data collected as of Aug. 17 from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, National Education Association, and National Center for Education Statistics.
In the overall rankings, Washington placed first, followed by New York, Virginia, Illinois, and Utah. New Mexico ranked 47th, while Maine, Montana, Hawaii, and New Hampshire were at the bottom of the list.
