Between $48,200 and $60,100 per year in 2024, depending on the role. These figures represent the annual median wage for Missouri pre-K–12 teachers. Elementary teachers tend to be at the lower end of the range, while middle school teachers tend to be at the higher end, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. The median wage is the midpoint — half of teachers in each role earn more, and half earn less.
For comparison, in Missouri, the median wage across all occupations was $46,400 in 2024 — about 4% lower than the median elementary teacher wage.
$48.3K
median annual wage for preschool teachers in Missouri (2024)
$60.1K
median annual wage for middle school teachers in Missouri (2024)
Among teachers working in elementary, middle, and high schools, annual pay varied by the grade level taught. In Missouri in 2024, elementary teachers earned the least, earning around $48,200 annually. Middle school teachers made the most at around $60,100 per year. In other words, middle school teachers earned about 25% more than elementary teachers.
Middle school teachers earn $60,100 annually, more than any other MO teachers
Median annual salary of elementary and secondary school teachers, excluding teachers of students with disabilities and technical teachers (MO, 2024)
Teacher salaries vary nationwide. In 2024, Missouri teachers earned less than the national median for every grade level reported. The largest percentage difference was among elementary school teachers, who earned 23% less than the national median. Middle school teachers in Missouri, while being the highest-paid within the state, still earned 5% less than the national median.
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Missouri teachers earn less than the national average at every level
Median annual salary of elementary and secondary school teachers, excluding teachers of students with disabilities and technical teachers (MO, 2024)
Pay also varies by specialization. Teachers of students with disabilities (collected in the data as “special education”), earn about the more than general education teachers at all levels except preschool in Missouri. In 2024, the median wages for teachers of students with disabilities ranged from 11% lower to 7% higher than those of other teachers at the same grade level.
The largest difference for teachers of students with disabilities was at the middle school level, where they earned $53,400 per year compared to $60,100 for other middle school teachers, an 11% difference.
Some schools, primarily middle and high schools, also employ technical teachers. These teachers provide vocational and technical training in fields such as automotive repair, culinary arts, cosmetology, and information technology, to help students develop career skills. In Missouri, their median wages were $44,600 at the middle school level and $76,200 at the high school level in 2024, 26% lower and 50% higher, respectively, than those of general education teachers at the same levels.
In Missouri, teachers of students with disabilities out-earned other teachers only at the Elementary level.
Median annual salary of elementary and secondary school teachers (MO, 2024)
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
