By the Numbers: Best and Worst States for Teachers

In honor of World Teachers Day (Oct. 5), WalletHub analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in 21 indicators of teacher friendliness. New York ranked highest and Arizona scored lowest. Wisconsin ranked 21^st overall, scoring just 55.47 points out of a possible 100.

Highest Annual Salaries (adjusted for cost of living)

1. Michigan
2. Illinois
3. Wyoming
4. Pennsylvania
5. Ohio

Lowest Annual Salaries

47. New Hampshire
48. Colorado
49. Maine
50. South Dakota
51. Hawaii

Lowest Projected Teacher Turnover

1. South Dakota
2. Illinois
3. Massachusetts
4. Wyoming
5. (tie) North Dakota and Wyoming

Highest Projected Teacher Turnover

43. Texas
44. Maryland
45. Nevada
46. Arizona
47. District of Columbia

Lowest Pupil-Teacher Ratio

1. Vermont
2. North Dakota
3. New Jersey
4. Maine
5. District of Columbia

Highest Pupil-Teacher Ratio

1. Nevada
2. Oregon
3. Arizona
4. Utah
5. California

Most Teachers Per Student in 2024

47. North Dakota
48. Iowa
49. District of Columbia
50. Wisconsin
51. Maryland

Highest Public School spending Per Student

1. Vermont
2. New York
3. Alaska
4. Connecticut
5. District of Columbia

Lowest Public School Spending Per Student

47. North Dakota
48. Arizona
49. Indiana
50. Utah
51. Idaho

Best School Systems

1. Massachusetts
2. New Jersey
3. New Hampshire
4. Wisconsin
5. Vermont

Worst School systems

47. Mississippi
48. District of Columbia
49. West Virginia
50. New Mexico
51. Louisiana

Source:  wallethub.com