Highest Paying Teaching Jobs In Texas

It's no secret that the reward in a teaching career is typically not measured in dollar signs, but in the difference educators can make on the lives of their students.

While you won't challenge Elon Musk on the next Forbes list as a teacher, you also aren't signing up for pro bono work. After all, teachers still have to pay their bills and save up for that next family vacation.  

Texas ranks first in enrollment growth, increasing 596,800 students from 2012 to 2023, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The good news is that with rising enrollment across the Lone Star State, school districts are staying competitive with their salaries, so there is a way for teachers to have both a rewarding career and a paycheck that brings a smile.

Factors That Influence Salaries

How much you earn after becoming a Texas teacher depends on several factors.  

Because the Texas Education Agency (TEA) sets a minimum salary requirement for teachers based on years of experience, you can expect a certain amount no matter what. Each year, the TEA updates the minimum salary schedule, with the most recent schedule showing that with no experience in the classroom, teachers must earn an annual salary (10-month contract) of $33,660. 

That minimum rises to $38,880 for teachers with 5 years experience; to $45,630 for 10 years and $54,540 with 20+ experience. 

However, there are other factors that can impact what you take home:

• Location: Like any good real estate agent knows, it's always "location, location, location.” You will make, on average, a higher salary at larger school districts in metropolitan areas in Texas in cities such as Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth. Of course, these areas need to offer a higher salary to teachers as the cost of living is higher than in other areas of the state.
• Background: The more experience you have as a teacher the higher your salary will be. Teachers will also increase their salaries in most districts with advanced degrees. For career changers, a background with prized experience may translate into a better salary. 
• High Need Disciplines: This is a basic "supply and demand" issue. If you are a teacher in a high-need area, then you may be offered a higher salary. The most in-demand teaching positions often fall into one of these categories: 

• • • Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL)
    • Career and Technical Education (CTE) (secondary level)
    • Computer Science/Technology Applications
    • English Language Arts and Reading (secondary level)
    • Mathematics (secondary level)
    • Science (secondary level)
    • Social Studies (secondary level)
    • Special Education

Highest Paying Jobs By Grade Level

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) maintains a database that provides the average base salaries for different personnel in school districts.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the average teacher salary was $62,463. That number slightly varied by grade level:

• Kindergarten: $61,465
• Grade 1: $61,513
• Grade 2: $61,797
• Grade 3: $61,765
• Grade 4: $61,955
• Grade 5: $62,090
• Grade 6: $61,981
• Grade 7: $61,461
• Grade 8: $61,982
• Grades 9-12: $63,550

Of the different grade levels, high school teachers had the highest paying positions during the 2023-2024 school year.

Highest Paying Jobs By Region

Now let’s take a look at the highest paying jobs by region. Like we mentioned above, location can play a big part in your salary, with many metropolitan areas offering higher salaries than rural areas.

Out of the 20 education regions in Texas, those with large metropolitan areas have the highest average base pay with Region 19 (El Paso) coming in at the top with $67,378, followed by Region 4 (Houston) at $66,418 and Region 11 (Fort Worth) at $64,777.

Other top-paying regions that had average salaries of $60,000 or more included:

• Region 10 (Dallas) at $64,545 
• Region 20 (San Antonio) at $61,513
• Region 18 (Midland) at $61,896
• Region 1 (Laredo) at $61,444

• Region 6 (Huntsville) at $60,849

• Region 13 (Austin) at $60,132

All other regions had an average base pay of at least $50,000.

Highest Paying Jobs By District

One of the highest paying salaries for traditional Independent School Districts is Barbers Hill ISD in Chambers County with its teachers earning an average of $79,614. Borden County ISD, offers an average base average salary of $70,895.

Let’s take a closer look at the 15 largest school districts in the state and what they offer:

1. Houston ISD: $67,074
2. Dallas ISD: $68,704
3. Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (Houston): $66,873
4. Northside ISD (San Antonio): $63,927
5. Katy ISD: $66,897
6. Fort Bend ISD (Sugar Land): $65,481
7. Idea Public Schools (Weslaco): $60,644
8. Austin ISD: $60,821
9. Fort Worth ISD: $68,965
10. Conroe ISD: $63,624
11. Frisco ISD: $65,161  
12. Aldine ISD (Houston): $65,585
13. North East ISD (San Antonio): $61,915
14. Arlington ISD: $66,378
15. Klein ISD: $67,038

While the largest school districts in the state offer average teacher salaries in the $60,000-range or above, it’s important to note that district size doesn’t always lead to the highest salaries. As we noted above, Barbers Hill offers an average teacher salary of almost $80,000, yet only has just over 7,300 students (compared to the nearly 190,000 students in the Houston ISD).

Highest Paying Jobs At Alternative Schools

Alternative schools across the state offer some of the highest teacher salaries. 

These include open enrollment charter schools like Draw Academy in Houston, which has an average base pay of $73,721, and the Academy for Academic Excellence in Dallas, which has an average base pay of $67,061.

Like school districts, charter schools must be accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system. 

You may come across other types of schools as you search for teaching jobs in Texas. For example, the Texas Private Schools Association represents more than 800 accredited private schools in the state. There are several more that aren’t accredited by any organization. 

Salaries at private schools in the state can vary significantly, with ZipRecruiter reporting that the average salary is around $45,000 per year. 

Bottom Line

With a rising enrollment in schools across Texas, the need for teachers (especially in specialized areas) is great. 

While some districts located in larger metropolitan areas pay average salaries of nearly $70,000, some districts in rural areas struggle to keep up.

However, the good news is that across the board, salaries rose again this year, giving districts in the state an advantage in recruitment while answering teacher shortage issues many schools and districts currently face.