High School Teacher salary
From 3,466 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 25-2031: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Also filed as: Secondary School Teacher, Math Teacher
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 66% of High School Teacher filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Harmony Public Schools. 162 filings (5% of the total), median $53,610.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 4 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $56,500 in Atlanta, GA to $65,000 in Washington, DC.
- Median up 16% since FY2020. From $53,000 in FY2020 to $61,349 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
High School Teacher H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 3,466 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for High School Teacher jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 25-2031, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education). The median base salary is $58,385, 52% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $52,415 and $66,500. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 66% of filings. Washington, DC has the most filings (139), and Harmony Public Schools is the employer that files the most (162).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for High School Teacher
District Of Columbia Public Schools117 filings · 3%$65,000
Dallas Independent School District79 filings · 2%$66,000
Jackson Public School District79 filings · 2%$55,577
Denver Public Schools District 176 filings · 2%$74,930
Savannah Chatham County Public School System76 filings · 2%$65,759
Milwaukee Board of School Directors72 filings · 2%$54,386
Knowledge Resources Group45 filings · 1%$56,430
Edu Infotech International Resources41 filings · 1%$49,300
Houston Independent School District37 filings · 1%$67,000
Employers with the most High School Teacher filings. Bar: share of all High School Teacher filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 66% of filings
Mid-level · 19% of filings
Senior · 8% of filings
Expert · 6% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $55,370 | 1,952 |
| Level II · Qualified | $60,782 | 566 |
| Level III · Experienced | $64,810 | 239 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $69,697 | 187 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
High School Teacher pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 68 metro areas
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a High School Teacher does
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
Typical tasks
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (25-2031.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education), the median annual wage was $72,040 in May 2025, with 1,065,210 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $58,385, 19% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,440 | $48,780 |
| 25th percentile | $52,415 | $59,980 |
| Median | $58,385 | $72,040 |
| 75th percentile | $66,500 | $92,570 |
| 90th percentile | $77,963 | $107,600 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $46,440 |
| 25th | $52,415 |
| 50th (median) | $58,385 |
| 75th | $66,500 |
| 90th | $77,963 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $53,000 | $45,705 | $58,940 | 830 |
| FY2021 | $52,827 | $46,160 | $59,220 | 953 |
| FY2022 | $53,152 | $46,302 | $60,126 | 1,362 |
| FY2023 | $53,423 | $46,987 | $62,253 | 1,712 |
| FY2024 | $54,900 | $49,596 | $64,250 | 1,976 |
| FY2025 | $57,331 | $51,600 | $65,000 | 2,104 |
| FY2026 | $61,349 | $53,540 | $69,291 | 1,362 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B High School Teacher make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for High School Teacher jobs is $58,385 (3,466 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $52,415 and $66,500.
What does an entry-level High School Teacher earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $55,370. Level I accounts for 66% of High School Teacher filings.
Which city pays H-1B High School Teachers the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, Washington, DC has the highest median base salary for High School Teacher jobs: $65,000 (139 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for High School Teachers?
Harmony Public Schools (162), District Of Columbia Public Schools (117) and Dallas Independent School District (79) filed the most High School Teacher LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B High School Teachers earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($58,385) is 19% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($72,040, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.