Education · Career brief

Elementary School Teacher

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Elementary School Teacher at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$63,970

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

-0.4%

Projected employment decline

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

87,500

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

People-centered

Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters

Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: BLS projects employment to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

Before choosing, compare:High School Teacher Preschool Teacher Mental Health Counselor

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Elementary School Teacher with another field Explore rankings in Education Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$63,970

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

-0.4%employment growth87,500openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

1,419,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Elementary school teachers, except special education (25-2021).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

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.
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.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.
The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Training and Teaching Others4.5
Assisting and Caring for Others4.1
Working with Computers4.1
Coaching and Developing Others4.1
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.1

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Social7.0
Artistic3.9
Conventional3.8
Investigative3.4
Realistic2.6
Enterprising2.6

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Mathematics Psychology Therapy and Counseling Computers and Electronics

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Tutor the same learner more than once, check what they actually understood, and change the explanation when the first approach fails.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

The tradeoff that matters most

Elementary teaching makes the replacement-demand effect especially clear: projected employment declines, yet BLS still projects tens of thousands of annual openings. That does not make the field high-growth; it shows why openings and growth answer different questions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Is elementary teaching a good career?

Consider this field if its core work interests you: teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level. Try an introductory project, class, or permitted observation before committing to training. Compare the actual cost and required experience with entry-level work available where you plan to live.

Elementary teacher salary

The national median annual wage in May 2025 was $63,970. This is a benchmark rather than an expected starting salary; actual compensation varies by experience, location, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.

Teacher shortage

A district can have vacancies even when national employment is flat or falling, because workers leave and shortages differ by subject, location, and certification. Check district vacancies, turnover, class sizes, and requirements. Projected openings are not a count of currently unfilled teaching jobs.

Elementary vs high school teacher

Consider Elementary School Teacher if you want to teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level. Consider High School Teacher if you would rather teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level. Compare a sample task and the qualification requirements for each before choosing between them.

Adjacent options