Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| District of Columbia | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $82,750 | $74,587 | +11% |
| Median hourly wage | $39.78 | $35.86 | +11% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $75,296.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a High School Teacher in District of Columbia is $82,750, or about $39.78 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for High School Teachers is $74,587. District of Columbia is +11% above the national median.
Entry-level high school teachers in District of Columbia typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 2,800 high school teacher jobs on record and a median salary of $82,750, District of Columbia offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, high school teachers rank 226 of the 465 occupations reported in District of Columbia — higher than 51% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary at $167,520, Economics Teachers, Postsecondary at $161,860, Law Teachers, Postsecondary at $134,090 — all figures are median annual wages for District of Columbia.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. District of Columbia levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 152.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, high school teachers rank 226 of the 465 occupations reported in District of Columbia — higher than 51% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in District of Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $167,520 | $1,460 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | $161,860 | $220 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $134,090 | $670 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $128,370 | $630 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $107,770 | $110 |
| Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary | $106,470 | $50 |
District of Columbia levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 152.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 465 occupations in District of Columbia.