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Public K-12 Education
New York City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, Chicago Public Schools
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Elementary school teachers teach reading, math, writing, science, and social studies to young children while also keeping the room organized and emotionally steady. The job is distinct because it depends on both instruction and behavior management: you have to explain new ideas clearly, watch for confusion, and keep a whole class moving. The tradeoff is that the work is deeply hands-on and relational, but it is also demanding, under constant scrutiny, and only moderately paid for the training required.
Also known as Elementary TeacherPrimary School TeacherGrade School TeacherK-5 TeacherElementary Classroom Teacher
Median Salary
$62,340
Mean $69,790
U.S. Workforce
~1.4M
91K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-2%
1422.7K to 1394.8K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~1.4M workers, with a median annual pay of $62,340 and roughly 91K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 1422.7 K in 2024 to 1394.8K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree in elementary education or a related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Teacher Assistant and can progress toward Grade-Level Lead or Instructional Coach. High-value skills usually include Classroom Instruction & Lesson Delivery, Learning Design & Differentiated Instruction, and Student Assessment, Grading & Progress Monitoring, paired with soft skills such as Patience, Active Listening, and Clear Communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Plan daily lessons and choose activities that fit the grade level and subject.
- Teach the class, explain new ideas in plain language, and check whether students are following along.
- Grade classwork, homework, quizzes, and tests, then use the results to see who needs more help.
- Give classroom or standardized tests and interpret the scores to understand student strengths and gaps.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Plan daily lessons and choose activities that fit the grade level and subject.
02 Teach the class, explain new ideas in plain language, and check whether students are following along.
03 Grade classwork, homework, quizzes, and tests, then use the results to see who needs more help.
04 Give classroom or standardized tests and interpret the scores to understand student strengths and gaps.
05 Set classroom rules, keep routines moving, and handle behavior problems when they come up.
06 Meet with parents, counselors, and other school staff, and work one-on-one or in small groups with students who need extra support.
Industries That Hire
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Charter School Networks
KIPP, Success Academy Charter Schools, IDEA Public Schools
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Private and Independent Schools
Sidwell Friends School, Harvard-Westlake School, The Lawrenceville School
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Faith-Based Schools
Archdiocese of Los Angeles Schools, Archdiocese of New York Schools, Lutheran schools
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Online K-12 Schools
K12 Inc., Connections Academy, Pearson Online Academy
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Huge job market: about 1,393,310 people already work in the occupation, and there are still about 91.0 thousand annual openings expected through 2034.
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Straightforward entry path: the typical requirement is a bachelor's degree, and BLS lists no prior work experience or on-the-job training.
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You get to see real student progress over time, which makes the work more tangible than many office jobs.
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The day mixes teaching, grading, student support, and family communication, so the work rarely feels repetitive.
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Many schools follow the academic calendar, which can make summer and holiday planning easier than in year-round jobs.
Challenges
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Pay is only moderate for the level of education required: the median annual wage is $62,340 and the mean is $69,790.
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The outlook is weak, with employment projected to fall 2.0% by 2034, even though schools still need large numbers of new hires.
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Classroom management can dominate the day; keeping a room of young children focused is often as hard as teaching the lesson itself.
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The job is almost always in person, so it offers very little remote or location flexibility.
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Career growth can hit a ceiling unless you move into coaching, administration, or another school-based role, which is a structural limit on earning power.
Career Progression
Teacher Assistant
0-2 years
$25K-$34K
Supports a lead teacher with classroom setup, supervision, small-group help, and basic administrative tasks.
Elementary School Teacher
2-5 years
$55K-$70K
Runs a classroom, teaches core subjects, grades work, and manages day-to-day behavior and family communication.
Experienced Elementary Teacher THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$72K-$86K
Handles more complex classroom needs, mentors newer teachers, and often takes on grade-level planning or curriculum work.
Grade-Level Lead or Instructional Coach
10+ years
$88K-$105K
Helps shape lessons and teaching practices across multiple classrooms while still staying close to classroom instruction.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree in elementary education or a related field
The standard entry path, held by 78.17% of workers in this role.
Master's degree in education or curriculum and instruction
A more advanced route, held by 21.83% of workers, often used to qualify for higher pay lanes or specialization.
State teaching license or alternative certification program
A practical alternative for career changers after a bachelor's degree, especially in states that allow nontraditional teacher preparation.
Key Skills
Technical
Classroom Instruction & Lesson Delivery 81%
Learning Design & Differentiated Instruction 81%
Student Assessment, Grading & Progress Monitoring 78%
Google Classroom, Seesaw & LMS Tools 78%
Standardized Testing Administration & Score Interpretation 75%
Classroom Management & Behavior Systems 74%
Parent Communication & Student Records 72%
Soft Skills
PatienceActive ListeningClear CommunicationEmpathyOrganizationConflict Resolution Job Outlook and Trends
+-2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
91K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 1422.7K to 1394.8 K over the next decade, representing -2% growth. Around 91 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.