A Data-Driven Look at the Gender Pay Gap in Education
Key takeaways
- Among full-time, year-round workers in 2024, men's median pay was higher than women's in each of these seven education roles, by about $2,800 to $13,600 a year.
- Women's median pay is about 79% of men's for preschool and kindergarten teachers and other teachers and instructors, and 94% to 96% for special education and secondary teachers.
- Women hold most teaching jobs, including 97% of preschool and kindergarten jobs and 80% of elementary and middle school jobs, yet men's median pay is higher in both.
Women make up most of America's teaching workforce, yet in every one of the seven teaching roles below, men earn more. Census Bureau data for 2024 shows that among people working full time, year round, men's median pay is higher than women's in each role, by about $2,800 to $13,600 a year.
National figures on the gender pay gap combine every kind of job. Looking at specific roles shows how the gap changes from one kind of job to the next, which matters for anyone working with schools, colleges or education businesses.
Pay by role and gender
Median yearly pay for people working full time, year round:
| Role | Men | Women | Women's pay as a share of men's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary teachers | $94,259 | $81,358 | 86% |
| Secondary school teachers | $68,403 | $65,587 | 96% |
| Elementary and middle school teachers | $65,701 | $60,916 | 93% |
| Special education teachers | $65,620 | $61,857 | 94% |
| Other teachers and instructors | $65,256 | $51,613 | 79% |
| Preschool and kindergarten teachers | $46,895 | $36,965 | 79% |
| Teaching assistants | $36,342 | $30,119 | 83% |
The biggest gaps in dollars are for other teachers and instructors ($13,643) and postsecondary teachers ($12,901), too close to rank against each other. Preschool and kindergarten teachers ($9,930) may be close to them too, because so few men do that job that their figure is less precise.
As a share of men's pay, women's median pay is lowest, about 79%, for preschool and kindergarten teachers and for other teachers and instructors. It is highest, about 94% to 96%, for special education and secondary school teachers.
Who works in education
Women hold most of these jobs. They fill 97% of preschool and kindergarten teaching jobs, 84% of special education teaching jobs, 81% of teaching assistant jobs and 80% of elementary and middle school teaching jobs. Postsecondary teaching is the most evenly split, with women holding about half of the jobs.
Even in the roles where women are the large majority, men's median full-time pay is higher.
What this data tells us, and what it doesn't
These figures compare the median full-time pay of men and women in the same broad role. They don't explain the gaps. Several things this comparison doesn't measure could play a part:
- Subject and level: pay can differ by subject and by the level taught, for example between fields in college teaching.
- Experience and rank: years in the job, tenure and leadership roles can all affect pay.
- Type of employer: public schools, private schools, colleges and training companies may pay differently.
For anyone working in the education sector, the role-by-role view is the useful one. A single national figure hides how much the gap varies, from about 4% to 6% for secondary school and special education teachers to about 21% for preschool and kindergarten teachers and for other teachers and instructors.
About the data
Figures come from the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates for the United States (tables B24115, B24116, B24122 and B24123). Pay is median earnings in the past 12 months for people who worked full time, year round. Counts cover everyone employed in each role. All figures are survey estimates with margins of error.
