The median math teacher salary in DC is $82,750 for high school and $79,900 for middle school, according to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. BLS counts teachers of all subjects, including math. Both medians beat the national figures, by $10,710 for high school and $15,530 for middle school.
If you’re weighing a teaching job in the District of Columbia, start with the DC figures, not the regional ones. BLS reports DC as its own state-level area, and it also places DC inside one metro area that takes in suburbs in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. This page shows both by grade level, compares DC with its two neighbors, and covers job growth through 2034. If you still need your DC credential, see how to become a math teacher in Washington, DC.
Math Teacher Salary in DC by Grade Level
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school teachers in the District of Columbia earned a median annual salary of $82,750 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $79,900. BLS reports these figures for teachers of all subjects, including math. The gap between the two grade bands is $2,850 at the median.
| Grade Level | Employed | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 2,800 | $82,750 | $102,320 | $128,170 |
| Middle School Teachers | 1,540 | $79,900 | $96,830 | $108,730 |
DC is a small market. About 2,800 high school teachers and 1,540 middle school teachers work in the District. Those counts cover every employer BLS surveys, public and private, so they include DC Public Schools, the District’s public charter schools and private schools.
What Top-Earning Math Teachers Make in DC
The high school scale stretches further than the middle school one. DC high school teachers at the 90th percentile earned $128,170 as of May 2025, which is $45,420 above the median. At the middle school level, the 90th percentile was $108,730, or $28,830 above the median.
Both ceilings sit above the national ones. Nationally, the 90th percentile was $107,600 for high school teachers and $102,540 for middle school teachers, so DC’s top high school earners make $20,570 more than their national counterparts. Where you land on the scale depends mainly on your years of experience and your degree level, which most public school pay scales use to set salary.
How DC Compares With Maryland, Virginia and the Nation
DC borders two states, Maryland and Virginia, and it out-earns both at each grade level. The table covers DC, both bordering states and the national median, all from May 2025 BLS data.
| Area | High School Median | Middle School Median |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $82,750 | $79,900 |
| Maryland | $78,670 | $78,510 |
| Virginia | $72,170 | $63,520 |
| National | $72,040 | $64,370 |
Maryland comes closest. Its middle school median trails DC’s by only $1,390, and its high school median trails by $4,080. Virginia’s gap is much wider: $10,580 at the high school level and $16,380 at the middle school level, which puts Virginia’s middle school median below the national figure.
Across all 50 states and DC, the District ranks sixth for high school pay and seventh for middle school pay. Washington State, California, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island pay more at the high school level. At the middle school level, those five plus Connecticut pay more. You can check the figures for any other state on our math teacher salaries by state page.
Regional Pay in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Metro
BLS has one metro area that covers the District: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. It spans DC plus surrounding counties in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, so treat its figures as regional pay, not DC pay. DC’s 2,800 high school teachers are a small share of the metro’s 20,400.
The regional medians run a little below DC’s own. High school teachers in the metro earned a median of $80,300 as of May 2025, $2,450 less than in DC, and middle school teachers earned $77,350, $2,550 less. The top end flips at the middle school level: the metro’s 90th percentile for middle school teachers is $119,810, above DC’s $108,730. For high school teachers, DC’s 90th percentile of $128,170 still beats the metro’s $117,160.
| Metro Area | High School Median | Middle School Median | Employed (High / Middle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,300 | $77,350 | 20,400 / 14,890 |
Job Outlook for Math Teachers in DC
DC is projected to add teaching jobs over the next decade, unlike the nation as a whole. Projections Central estimates employment of high school teachers in the District will grow 9.6% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,020 to 3,310 jobs, with an average of 230 openings per year. Middle school teaching employment is projected to grow 12.3% over the same period, from 1,560 to 1,750 jobs, with an average of 130 openings per year.
These DC projections come from the DC Department of Employment Services. Together, the two grade bands add up to about 360 openings a year, counting new positions and teachers who retire or leave. The projections count jobs differently from the May 2025 wage survey, so their employment figures don’t match the tables above.
Nationally, employment is flat. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects little or no change in employment of high school teachers from 2025 to 2035, from 1,087,500 to 1,085,000 jobs, with about 63,500 openings a year. Employment of middle school teachers is projected to go from 630,100 to 627,400 over the same period, also little or no change, with about 38,800 openings a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do math teachers make in DC?
High school teachers in the District of Columbia earned a median annual salary of $82,750 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $79,900, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These figures cover teachers of all subjects, including math.
Do math teachers in DC earn more than in Maryland and Virginia?
Yes, at both grade levels. DC’s high school median is $4,080 above Maryland’s and $10,580 above Virginia’s as of May 2025. At the middle school level, DC leads Maryland by $1,390 and Virginia by $16,380.
Why are the Washington metro salary figures different from the DC figures?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area includes suburbs in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, so it reports regional pay. Its high school median of $80,300 and middle school median of $77,350 both run below DC’s own medians.
How much do top-earning math teachers make in DC?
DC high school teachers at the 90th percentile earned $128,170 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers at the 90th percentile earned $108,730. Both are above the national 90th percentiles of $107,600 and $102,540.
Are math teaching jobs growing in DC?
Yes. Projections Central estimates employment of high school teachers in DC will grow 9.6% and middle school teachers 12.3% between 2024 and 2034. That works out to about 230 high school and 130 middle school openings each year, for teachers of all subjects.
- DC median: High school teachers in DC earned a $82,750 median and middle school teachers $79,900 as of May 2025, across all subjects.
- Above the nation: DC’s medians beat the national figures by $10,710 for high school and $15,530 for middle school.
- Ahead of its neighbors: DC out-earns both bordering states, Maryland and Virginia, at each grade level, and ranks sixth nationally for high school pay.
- Regional, not local: The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro covers parts of three states, and its medians run about $2,500 below DC’s own.
- Growing jobs: Projections Central estimates 9.6% growth for high school and 12.3% for middle school teachers in DC between 2024 and 2034.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Middle School Teachers and High School Teachers, which include teachers of all subjects. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026. National job outlook figures (2025-2035) are from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
DC pays more than both of its neighbors, and its teaching jobs are projected to grow through 2034. Compare the schools listed here by how they arrange student teaching, what they cost, and whether you can study online while you work.