Occupations · Educational Instruction and Library
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 25-2021.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 48% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $95,240 | 100,040 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $75,020 | 45,400 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $100,580 | 42,880 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $61,950 | 31,710 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,700 | 31,470 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $76,120 | 30,500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $75,190 | 23,920 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $74,480 | 22,660 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $86,600 | 22,040 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $51,930 | 20,680 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $63,740 | 18,370 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $97,560 | 18,270 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.
- Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Read books to entire classes or small groups.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
- Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2024-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2024-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 20
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| primary school teacher | 2341.1 | exact |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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