10 best and worst states for teachers

Teachers in the U.S. often work in uncertain if not life-threatening environments, as they're faced with an ongoing pandemic and a record number of school shootings. While the demand for teachers is only growing, these educators are in dire need of support — and some states offer more than others.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3% of public school teachers and staff have left education in the last two years. Meanwhile, in a survey by the National Education Association 55% of teachers shared that they will leave their field sooner than planned, exacerbating the existing teacher shortage. Many teachers are at the end of their rope and in need of better opportunities, better career prospects and better annual salaries, says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst at personal finance resource WalletHub.

In response, WalletHub ranked the best and worst states for teachers, scoring each out of 100 points based on factors like starting average salary, average teacher pension, projected turnover rate, student-to-teacher ratio and public spending per student. Notably, none of the states scored beyond 60.

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"Aside from a competitive salary, employers should be able to provide teachers with a safe and supportive work environment," says Gonzalez. "We expected states such as New York and Virginia to rank at the top, as they are able to offer good opportunities for teachers and healthy teaching environments."

States that ranked toward the bottom often did not invest in public school spending, including conditions for teachers and their school systems' infrastructures, explains Gonzalez. Hawaii and New Hampshire landed last in the ranking.

Here are the best and worst states for teachers, according to WalletHub. For an updated look at this ranking, check out the best and worst states for teachers in 2023.