The median math teacher salary in Washington was $102,670 for high school teachers and $102,140 for middle school teachers as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both are the highest medians of any state. The figures cover teachers of all subjects, including math.
If you’re weighing a teaching job in Washington, the high pay holds up almost everywhere in the state. Every metro area inside Washington reports a high school median of $99,410 or more, and the statewide gap between high school and middle school is just $530. Here’s what BLS reports for the state, every metro area, and the job outlook through 2034.
Washington Math Teacher Salary by Grade Level
BLS has no separate math teacher category, so any figure for math teacher salary in Washington comes from its high school and middle school teacher data. Those figures cover all subjects, math included. Washington employed 14,880 high school teachers and 10,510 middle school teachers as of May 2025.
| Occupation | Employed | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 14,880 | $102,670 | $121,100 | $128,410 |
| Middle School Teachers | 10,510 | $102,140 | $118,740 | $128,170 |
What Top Earners Make in Washington
The top 10% of high school teachers in Washington earned $128,410 or more as of May 2025, which is $25,740 above the state median. Nationally, the 90th percentile for high school teachers was $107,600, so a median Washington high school teacher out-earns most of the national top band.
Middle school pay follows the same pattern: $128,170 at the 90th percentile in Washington, against $102,540 nationally. BLS percentiles aren’t experience levels, so don’t read the 90th percentile as what a 20-year veteran earns. Washington districts set pay through their own salary schedules, so check the posted schedule for any district you apply to.
How Washington Compares to the National Median
Washington high school teachers earned $30,630 more than the national median of $72,040 as of May 2025. Middle school teachers sit even further ahead, $37,770 above the national median of $64,370. California comes closest, with a $101,370 high school median and $98,950 for middle school. Our national salary page shows what teachers earn in other states.
Washington’s two neighbors pay far less. Oregon’s high school median was $79,570 ($78,350 for middle school), and Idaho math teacher pay runs lower still, at $61,690 for high school and $60,930 for middle school.
Math Teacher Salaries in Washington Cities
High school medians across Washington metro areas run from $99,410 in Spokane-Spokane Valley to $121,190 in Mount Vernon-Anacortes as of May 2025. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue employs more than half of the state’s high school teachers, and its $102,670 median matches the state figure exactly. Five metros top it: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, Longview-Kelso, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater and Walla Walla.
Middle school pay tracks high school pay closely. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard is the one Washington metro where middle school teachers out-earn high school teachers at the median, $104,320 against $104,180. The widest gap is in Mount Vernon-Anacortes, where the high school median is $14,270 higher.
The two cross-border metros, listed last, pay much less than any metro inside the state. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro reports an $84,120 high school median and Lewiston $75,550, and both figures include the Oregon or Idaho side of the metro. In both, middle school teachers earn more than high school teachers at the median.
This table lists all 13 metro areas in the BLS data that include part of Washington, with medians for both grade bands.
| Metro Area | High School Median | Middle School Median | Employed (High / Middle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | $102,160 | $100,430 | 430 / 330 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $104,180 | $104,320 | 420 / 300 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $102,600 | $101,390 | 720 / 600 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $104,110 | $94,190 | 200 / 150 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $121,190 | $106,920 | 240 / 160 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $105,200 | $104,410 | 490 / 420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,670 | $102,560 | 7,720 / 5,230 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $99,410 | $97,850 | 1,180 / 920 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $104,940 | $101,540 | 120 / 80 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $101,010 | $100,900 | 260 / 180 |
| Yakima, WA | $100,560 | $98,760 | 600 / 470 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $75,550 | $79,430 | 100 / 120 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $84,120 | $89,590 | 6,790 / 3,540 |
Job Outlook for Math Teachers in Washington
Washington is projected to add teaching jobs over the next decade, which sets it apart from the flat national picture. Projections Central estimates employment of high school teachers in Washington will grow 8% between 2024 and 2034, from 16,720 to 18,060 jobs, with an average of 1,360 openings per year. Middle school teaching employment is also projected to grow 8% over the same period, with an average of 1,070 openings per year.
These are Washington-specific projections from the state’s Employment Security Department. Together, the two grade bands add up to about 2,430 openings a year statewide.
Nationally, 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 Washington?
High school teachers in Washington earned a median annual salary of $102,670 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $102,140, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS reports these figures for teachers of all subjects, including math.
Which Washington city pays math teachers the most?
Mount Vernon-Anacortes has the highest high school median in Washington, at $121,190 as of May 2025. It also leads for middle school with a $106,920 median, followed by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater at $104,410.
Do high school math teachers earn more than middle school math teachers in Washington?
Statewide, yes, but only by $530 at the median as of May 2025. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard is the one metro inside Washington where middle school teachers earn more, and the cross-border Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro and Lewiston metros show the same pattern.
Is Washington adding math teaching jobs?
Yes. Projections Central estimates high school and middle school teaching employment in Washington will each grow 8% between 2024 and 2034. The state expects about 1,360 high school and 1,070 middle school openings each year.
How does Washington math teacher pay compare to the national median?
Washington’s high school median of $102,670 is $30,630 above the national median of $72,040 as of May 2025. The middle school gap is wider: Washington’s $102,140 median sits $37,770 above the national $64,370.
- Highest state median: Washington high school teachers earned a $102,670 median and middle school teachers $102,140 as of May 2025, across all subjects, the top figures of any state.
- High pay statewide: High school medians inside Washington run from $99,410 in Spokane-Spokane Valley to $121,190 in Mount Vernon-Anacortes.
- Grade band barely matters: The statewide gap between high school and middle school is $530, and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard pays middle school teachers slightly more.
- Far above national pay: Washington leads the national high school median by $30,630 and the middle school median by $37,770.
- Growing employment: Projections Central expects 8% growth in both grade bands by 2034, with about 2,430 openings a year.
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.
If you’re aiming for a Washington classroom, compare programs by whether they lead to a Washington residency teacher certificate with a mathematics endorsement and how they arrange student teaching. Several of the schools listed here offer online or hybrid formats for students who are already working.