WA named third-best state for teachers in U.S. in new WalletHub ranking

Washington is the third-best state for teachers in 2025, according to a new ranking by personal finance company WalletHub.

Of jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree, occupations in education are among the lowest paid, while teacher salaries regularly struggle to keep pace with inflation, according to WalletHub. The best states for teachers are less likely to deal with consistent turnover, according to the analysis.

To determine the best and worst states for educators, WalletHub compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. based on 24 metrics, including income growth potential, public-school spending per pupil and the ratio of teachers to students.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said that despite having one of the country’s most crucial careers, teachers often go underappreciated and underpaid.

“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,” Lupo said in a statement.

Here’s why Washington ranked third.

Washington third-best state for teachers

Over the past decade, Washington has seen the best change in teacher pay, with a salary bump of more than 75%, WalletHub notes. After adjusting for cost of living, it now has the second-highest average teacher salary at $79,774 annually. The average starting pay ranks No. 4, at $50,369.

Other factors include teacher-friendly policies and the state’s fourth-lowest time span before tenure takes effect, according to WalletHub. In addition, for those teachers who are moms, the state ranks No. 16 among the best states for working mothers.

WalletHub stated that Washington has a plan in place for digital learning in the event that schools must be closed, and that it’s among 27 states requiring yearly educator evaluations.

Leading up to the aforementioned marked salary improvement: McCleary v. Washington, a landmark 2012 case whereby the state Supreme Court found the state wasn’t meeting its constitutional duty to amply fund basic public education. State lawmakers then pursued reforms, sharply raising funding per student, and in 2018 the state was deemed to be in compliance.

A good chunk of the money that entered the system in 2018 reportedly went to boost educator salaries, helping schools retain and recruit talented teachers.

What states are best for teachers in U.S.?

Although Washington scored well in WalletHub’s ranking, two other states scored better. The top five states for teachers in 2025 are:

• Virginia (No. 1)
• Utah
• Washington
• New York
• Illinois

What states are worst for teachers in U.S.?

Other states dragged the rear in WalletHub’s analysis. According to the ranking, the bottom five states for teachers in 2025 are:

• South Dakota
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Montana
• Hawaii (No. 51)

Simone Carter

The Olympian

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